Lamera Cup 26 Hours of Portimão – Pascal Hugot: “Seduced by the atmosphere, impressed by the circuit”

With his cheeks eaten away by a day-old beard and his eyes red, Pascal Hugot is eager to take over from Bertrand Balas on the Lamera 9. To think that he ended his career in 2014 after a good thirty years spent on the circuits. From Formula France to Nascar Euroseries, Super Tourism and GT, this Parisian who works for a Norwegian software company responded to the offer to compete in the 26 Hours of Portimao three days before the start of testing.

« I received a phone call on Wednesday, he explains. He It didn't take long to convince me to come. I had already heard about the Lamera Cup, notably from Bertrand Balas, whom I have known for a long time. After a few hours spent in the paddock, I am happy to share the picture that I had been given of it. After the Fun Cup, it is a good formula to access the next level. The Lamera Cup is accessible to everyone. It is a real racing car but it forgives those who do not have much experience. No doubt the standard Continental tires have something to do with it. I appreciate the friendly atmosphere in the paddock. It is a mixture of novices and experienced drivers. "

As for the Portimão circuit, our interlocutor is amazed: “ What a breathtaking track. I agree with Bertrand. (Balas, Editor's note) who claims that it is one of the five most prestigious slopes in the world. It's a bit like Lédenon but with the dimensions of the F1 and MotoGP. The unevenness, the blind turns give a very spicy taste to the driving. It's just a joy to drive here »

However, the Lamera Cup ranking of number 9 would cause more than one to curb their enthusiasm… " It is true that we have not been spared from worries, admits Pascal Hugot. On Saturday, I was at the end of my first stint when the car started to roll crabwise. It took 1h10 of pit stop for it to get back on track. And during my night stint, I got hit by a distracted competitor. Back to the pits on the fly and 1h15 of repairs. At 10:00 in the morning, our cumulative time in the pits was more than 4 hours compared to one hour for the leaders. But it's not a big deal. I'm here to have fun behind the wheel. And I can assure you that's the case.. "

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