The all-German team got the 2025 Michelin Le Mans Cup off to a good start with two podiums in Barcelona and Le Castellet and then took maximum points in Le Mans. They took the class win in the opening 60-minute Road To Le Mans race and then followed it up with a second place on the road in race 2, but as the first MLMC entry to take the chequered flag, the no71 Ligier secured another 15-points.
Now with a long break until Round 4 in Belgium next month we caught up with Fernandez-Laser to review the season so far and look forward to the challenge of the awesome 7km Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on the 22/23 August.
Q1: With four podium finishes from the first four races, including a win at Le Mans for you and Stefan, how would you sum up the start of the season from your point of view and what lessons are you taking forward to the next race in Spa?
Felipe Fernandez-Laser: “We’re obviously very happy with how the season has started. As Stefan’s driver coach, I’m especially proud of the progress he’s made compared with his rookie year — it’s a huge step forward.Big Credit also goes to Rinaldi Racing for giving us such a strong package.”
Q2: How did it feel standing on the top step of the podium in Le Mans?
FL: “Le Mans is a magical place, and the atmosphere is unlike anywhere else. The event is literally called Road to Le Mans, and that win has only fuelled our dream of competing in the main 24-hour race one day.”
Q3: The opposition in the LMP3 Pro/Am category is very competitive.How do you rate the championship this year?
FL: “Honestly, at the end of last season I wondered whether adding another class was the right move. Now I have to admit it makes the series even more exciting.”
Q4: Looking ahead to the next race in Belgium. What are your thoughts on the track and do you have a favourite corner or sequence?
FL: “Spa is always special — its elevation changes and corners like Eau Rouge and Blanchimont are iconic. In a prototype, these corners can feel less dramatic than they do in a GT3, but the second sector is fantastic: a string of fast second-, third- and fourth-gear direction changes that really rewards precision.”
Q5: You are also racing with Rinaldi at Spa in the 24 Hours in a Ferrari 296 GT3. Do you have to adapt your racing style when competing in a Le Mans Prototype compared to a GT3?
FL: “The differences are clear: the GT3 has ABS and different mechanical grip, while the prototype’s carbon monocoque gives much sharper feedback. The 296 GT3 is surprisingly close to a prototype in balance, but when I jump back into the LMP3, I still need a few laps to recalibrate.”
Q6: You have a 28-point lead at the halfway point in the championship with three 2-hour races to go. What is the key to success in a 2-hour MLMC race and is it too early to be thinking of the championship yet?
FL: “I mean, this has always been Stefan’s heartfelt goal — and for me as well, finally — to follow the true spirit of ‘Road to Le Mans’ and, step by step, progress from the Michelin Le Mans Cup through the Asian Le Mans Series and ELMS, with the ultimate aim of one day competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We want to be the example that proves the Road to Le Mans pathway really works.
“It’s way too early to talk about the title, but of course our goal is to win the championship and secure an ELMS entry. That said, three races is still a long way to go and anything can happen. Right now, we’re fully focused on Spa — we want to keep improving and get an even better understanding of this year’s car updates.”
