Le Castellet race winners David Droux and Adrien Chila head to Le Mans as the current championship leaders after two rounds. Droux and Chila both know what it is like to stand on the top step of the Le Mans podium at the end of a Road To Le Mans race.
Adrien Chila won in 2019 with Graff and David Droux won with his current team COOL Racing last season alongside fellow Swiss racer Luis Sanjuan.
We caught up with David Droux to talk about the upcoming jewel in the 2024 Michelin Le Mans Cup calendar.
Q: You travel to Le Mans as championship leader after winning in Le Castellet with your teammate Adrien Chila.It must be a big confidence boost to have one win on the scoreboard ahead of the Road To Le Mans event?
David Droux: “It’s always good to be close to the leaders in the championship and even better to be in the lead as we know it’s a really tight championship, and also a short one.So you always need to be not far from the front to hope for the title at the end.”
Q: Last year you won the second Road To Le Mans race with Luis Sanjuan and COOL Racing.Adrien also won a RTLM race in 2019.Will this experience provide you an advantage or a confidence boost?
DD: “I think Road to Le Mans is the most complicated race of the season. The first reason is the track, which is completely different to what we are used to and you don’t get that much driving time during the week. So, it makes this race really tricky and to already have some experience racing on it, and even better to have won it, makes it a small advantage for sure. But it will still be a challenge to do a good lap.”
Q: This will be your third time competing in a Road To Le Mans event.How special is racing on the full circuit at Le Mans for you as a driver?
DD: “For sure Le Mans is the most iconic track on the calendar and one of my favourites for sure. It’s always special to be on this track. The atmosphere and everything is very different compared to what we are used to. I think it’s amazing to get the chance to race on this track in the Michelin Le Mans Cup.”
Q: There are 58 entries for this event, 17 more than Le Castellet, with 40 entries in LMP3 alone.Does this provide a different challenge with regards to traffic or does the shorter 55-minute races and the longer 13.6km track mean that traffic is less of an issue?
DD: “I think the traffic is an issue in qualifying, because it will be really short and not many laps, which means it’s difficult to get a clear lap.There are also the slow zones that can be created. I think it is a different management than a regular track and it will be really important to put everything together from first practice and get everything running smoothly and that’s the most difficult part of the Road To Le Mans I think.”
Q: You will be able to take part in qualifying for the only time in 2024.Do you miss qualifying the car or are you happy to let Adrien take the responsibility?
DD: “I am very happy to be doing one part of the qualifying in Le Mans. I think if I had to choose one it would be this one.So, this is really nice. For sure as a driver, you always like this part of the job because it is the best moment with the car.You get low fuel, new tyres and it’s always a satisfying moment, but I am really happy for Adrien to be doing this job throughout the season as he has been doing a really good job.”
Q: Will you, Adrien and COOL Racing approach the two races at Le Mans any differently than you would any of the 110-minute races on the MLMC calendar this year?
DD: “I don’t think there will be many differences in the preparations, we will do our best to be ready like always. For sure, we will adapt the strategy and try to anticipate the traffic, slow zones and the other special details at Le Mans, but apart from this the preparations will be at the maximum as always.”
Q: What is it like standing on the top step of that very famous podium?
DD: “I can’t really remember what it felt like last year, so I hope to be there again this year to tell you.”
The two 55-minute Road To Le Mans races will take place on Thursday 13thand Saturday 15thJune.
CLICK HERE to see the entry list for the 2024 Road To Le Mans.
