June 13, 2025 • 15 mins
Gun New Zealand driver Brendon Hartley is expecting a few scary moments in this weekend's Le Mans 24-hour endurance race.
Sixty two cars in three different categories will start the race and with different driving abilities and slower cars scattered around the 13.6 kilometre circuit, Hartley says collisions are top of mind at every turn.
A three-time winner in eleven starts in the world-famous race, Hartley drove his Toyota Hybrid to the fastest time in practice.
Earl Bamber is the other Kiwi in the Hypercar line-up.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldergrave
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be good evening Brandon.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Hartley, Evening morning for me, but evening to you.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
We'll get there eventually somewhere in the middle. Welcome to
News Talks. Great that you guys managed to pick up
the phone every yarn various stages throughout the year. This
is the weekend though World Endurance Championship. This is all
roads lead, tell them all, this is.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
The race it is.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Yeah, I like that you said I always pick up
the phone.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
I think my wife would say something different than you.
Probably went off there as well.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
I don't think we've spoken in a while. But yes, mate,
I'm in laaw. I'm actually it's Monday morning. I'm sitting
in the motor home.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
We're just sorry.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Tuesday mornings were the test day on Sunday that went
very well. We finished up P one, which which meant
we could sleep better than last coup of nights that went.
It went really well. All three of us drivers, myself,
Sebastian Area, we're all we're all in the numbers, filled
up to speed straight away, all smiling after driving background
you know, around La Morn again after twelve months off.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And yeah, we think we have a real chance. They
super good es after the testday, good vibes.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
After the test day, it's saying supercars. It rolls off
the truck. Good, You're going to have a good week in.
So that's what you're kind of nudging at. It's turned
up and pretty good set up.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Look, the car hasn't changed from last year, so we've
we've had no updated at all. A few of the
other teams have small, small updates, so we know this car.
There's been, you know, a bit of development on how
we set the car up, how we use.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Some of the tools.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
You know, after after three or four years and in
the same car, you refine things. So there's there's been
some small improvements. But you've got to assume the others
have been improving too, and arguably more than us, considering that,
you know a lot of the teams, I'm not going
to call them unexperienced, but they have less experience with
their their car than us.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
But yeah, we feel good.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
We I wouldn't say we're the favorite, so I do
believe Ferrari have have the best package and performance, but
we are very, very motivated to try and stand on
that top step.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
They beat us the last two years, which still hurts.
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
We we were so close on our car to win
that bloody race the last two years. So yeah, the
motivation is very high, is it always is in themre Yep,
we're going to go for it.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
From memory last time out it was a Ferrari that
finished it for you, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Ah, Yeah, that is true.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
But as I say, yeah, the last the last two years,
they do hurt. You know, there's so much work and
emphasis goes into this race from everyone. I mean we
respect our competitors too, and yeah, but for it to
slip away towards the end, which which happened the last
two years, was tough to take. It was a tricky
two weeks mentally after the last one.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Last year, Last year's last year's race. But yep, this
this year is going to be.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Well, it's going to be incredibly tough again, arguably tough
for the last year that I think the competition is
only getting. I mean, at the front has always been tough,
but it's the depth. You know, there's twenty three, twenty
three cars just in the hypercolor class, still sixty two
to three cars on track at a time.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
But yeah, that that depth and competition is massive.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
You know if every single every single lineup, you know
that every driver's either been an F one, could have
been an F one, or they've made their their career
through endurance.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I mean, there's no weak.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Link and that goes to the teams and all the
other manufacturers as well, and that's going to get even
tougher the next years as well. With with Genesis Ford McLaren.
I mean, yeah, I think it's something that I've never
seen before, which is going to make it even more
specially if we do get to stand on that podium.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Sorry to bring that up, but you said it was
tough as a driver and a team, it's pretty tough
as a viewer too, after watching for all that time.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
At the depth.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Like we spoke a few years ago and there wasn't
a lot of hyper car reaction. You were saying, yeah,
but in the next few years a number of manufacturers
are turning up and you look at it now and
you've got Ferrari, Toyota, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, Pergo Aston, Martin Moore.
People are climbing on board. What's the excitement around hyper cars?
(04:28):
Around the Endurance Championship.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Do you think did you have to read those those
off a list?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Of course, I'm just.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Curious how big effect? Okay, good, all right, because I
was just thinking if I had to listen all I'm
going to miss one. You've done the job.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Thanks for calling me out. I've got to be prepared Britain.
I can't just turn.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
I was just saying, how how much of a fan
you with? I know you do actually watch the races.
I do believe you, because what was the what was
the actual question?
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Why the acceleration excuse the pun toward manufacturers in world endurances?
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Now?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Why why's so big? It's getting bigger? What's the what's
the drive?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
It's a world championship? Come on?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
And I think the other big draw is Lamon as
a race. That the history of the prestige, what that
means for the manufacturers as a brand. Most of the
manufacturers have a history in motorsport and specifically Lamare And yeah,
I guess all these manufacturers want to develop and show
what they can do in a competitive environment.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
I mean, effectively, we're caur salesmen.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I guess you could you could say that you know,
we're selling cars. But you know, in a way I
know exactly what I can speak for TWITDA. You know,
they want to develop new technologies in a competitive environment,
you know, to continue making ever better vehicles, and they
want to translate that into the road car. And that's
always been like that. But yeah, that I guess to
(05:54):
answer your other part of the question. They've changed your
regulations a few years ago. It's become more affordable, easier
for manufacturers to come in and produce a car that
they can compete with.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And it's worked.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
And you know, as you've seen a flurry of new
manufacturers and a competition that was higher, there's stacked field
with drivers and teams and private teams as well. You know,
you've got private teams who are buying a Porsche or
a Cadillac who are an incredibly high level and can
take over those those manufacturers cars.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yeah, it's awesome, mate.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
It's definitely a bit of a gold mirror for for
insurance racing and lucky to be with one of the
one of the most experienced teams.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
And now we've got to put that to goodness, you do.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
I was angling toward the money side of it, because
you know, high level motorsport does end up getting ridiculously
experienced expensive. So they've thrown some caps on it and
it's actually worked. It's still not cheap, but it's still
I mean you meantion you being a car salesman's they've
always said the old adage from sixty seventy eighty years ago,
(06:55):
you went on Sunday, you sell on Monday. It's the
way it rolls.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Still, Yeah, I think there's a bit.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Yeah, there is definitely a bit of that and as well,
yeah there is, I think.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
There is simple let's go back to your drivers. You're
talking about the quality of the drivers around and if
you go and look through I'm reading again just now,
I'm not going to read, but there are some there,
a whole lot of them. I'm going to name check
a couple of them that that would reverberate people would
know who these guys are. Brendan Hartley, Sebastian Bumey, Mixed
(07:29):
Schumacher is there, Kevin Magnuson, Alex Lynn Bambura, Keywi as well,
Sebastian Boorday one of your teammates coming with Kobyashi, Pascal
Pascal Virlin. Sorry that they really do that is of
a high quality, nat says a lot for the quality
of the racing that you're attracting these kind of drivers.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yeah, I mean, and you've missed a few few x
F one drivers as well, which which is not that
doesn't mean everything, you know, there's there's plenty of drivers
that deserve to get to F one and did and
many of them have have ended up in an endurance
racing or just made their career there and actually preferred it.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Well, but you wanted me to say Jens and Button,
didn't you.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
That was the one I thought of. But there's.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Robert Kobitza is racing there as well.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
There you go, Robert Cere, there's another one. Uh do
you have a Nazi? There you go. I've just I
don't even have a listen in front of you, mate.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
No, look, I'm taking the mickey, but that the level
of driving, Like I'm not I'm not saying the best
drivers in the world are here, but the depth, I mean,
it has to be the most top performing drivers in
one place at one time.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
It has to be for this race, you know, it's
it's it's impressive from.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
From a driver's point of view. Brandon, how do things
change for you year in year out. I mean, you've
won it, you've been there. I don't know what year
this is now you know the track, but I'm presuming
that there's different energy when you approach this about how
you going to put down on the track, what your
car is going to do. Does it keep ramping up
for you or is it a case of here we
(09:05):
go again?
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Yeah, Look, it does change a bit every year. I
mean the nice thing is we've got exactly the same
car from last year. We know that car well. I've
been with the same teammates for three years now, we
know each other well. I guess some of it comes
down to the preparation. And we've had a really strong
first three races as a car crew, which is nice.
So we come here with confidence. We're people in the championship,
(09:28):
which I know doesn't sound great from our standards. You know,
we won the Manufacturer's Championship last year, we won drivers before,
but we've been on the back step in terms of
performance for the first three races of the year. We
go we went into the races knowing there was no
chance to win, and to finish on the podium was
almost out of the question, and we ended up with
two firsts and the fourth, which meant we executed, we delivered,
(09:49):
and we actually punched above our weight in terms of
those results. So we're coming in here with a lot
of confidence, which is nice, and I think other years
that it might it can be different. I would say,
I'm also evolving as a as a human. You know,
I'm a father, now I'm getting older, old, you know,
dynamics change how you approach things that they subtlely change,
and you try and learn from your mistakes.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I think that's that's the big point. You know. Last
year I took it badly that we.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Lost that race when we were in a position for
so long to win it, and it crumbled at the
end when it started to rain, and you do a
lot of reflection and try and figure out what you
can do differently, not just point the finger and everything else.
So yeah, you always try and learn from those previous
races as well. They say as a team in terms
of personnel drivers, we're very experienced and as now we've
(10:38):
got to put it into action.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Yeah, what are the Ferraris doing so well? Because they're one,
two and three in the drivers Championship. Then you're sitting
in fourth, So it plaining me their car is working.
What particularly about this set up, this Ferrari and these
drivers actually gives them the upper hand here.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
I mean, that's a that's a difficult question to answer.
That they have had some updates from last year, so clearly.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
They're doing a good job. They've got a very quick car.
We also have something of balance.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
We have something called balance performance in the championship, which
is incredibly complicated to explain and I'm not going to
go there, but there is an element of that as well.
But I think it's going to be I think it's
going to be a closer race. I still believe that
potentially the favorites that they've they've they've come with a
very good car. I feel like we're closer and it
feel good to put it on P one on the
(11:29):
test day, so that that was already Yeah, that's added
a bit of confident of confidence for us going into
this week.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
That being said that there's it's not just us and Ferrari.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
On the test day, I would actually I wouldn't write
anyone off. Everyone looked quick and that was the same
last year. You know, the Cadillac was on pole until
the last moments. Last year, Portia took poposition. We were
all on the fight until the closing moments of the race.
So I hope it's going to be well, I'd be
lying if I said it. I hope that we walk
away a lap. That would be amazing, but it's not
(12:00):
going to be the case. And I'm pretty confident it's
going to be a fight until the end, and we're
we're going to go for the win. We're not going
to leave anything on the table, and we're definitely that
is that is our goal. We're not expecting anything, but
we're definitely going to be fighting for that victory.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Whether wise. You talked about the rain which wrecked everything
last year. I'm presuming that over twenty four hours there's
going to be some inclement weather passing through.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
I think I think Monday looks very bad and Friday
looks very bad so well, in terms of rain on
the radar, that's what I saw.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yesterday.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
My point is either side of the race, it looks
like there's a bit of weather around, or it might
have been Thursday. Either way, you never know here. Most
races have done here. I think I've done this twelve
twelve more or something like that or third anymore. That
there's always been a little bit of rain from my memory,
so yeah, could well be hope.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Not because it takes away, although from a fans point
of view it does a little extra. But I think
that the joker in the pact, the wildcard, is not
the weather. It's the gentumine drivers. This becomes fascinating when
you're tearing around at ridiculous speeds and you've got some
guy who's not really gone that good and you're not
a great driver right up in front of you, especially
dawn to dust, that must be not scary. But we've
(13:20):
been on unnerving Brandon.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
I mean even the amateurs or gentleman drivers so to speak,
it's not their first time driving the car. I mean,
everyone's got some level of experience on the track. But
you're right that you know there's different categories. LMP two's
here as well, so there's actually three different categories that
we're negotiating our way through, and that yet that's a
big part of the race. It's not the only hiccup
that you can have. You've got pit stops, you've got
(13:44):
I mean, we make mistakes as well. We're battling hard
with the other hyper cars for twenty four hours. Yeah,
there's going to be safety cars, that there's going to
be slow zones. We just have to make sure that
we're not getting caught up in them.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Making sensible decisions. As you say that.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
The traffic with getting through, that's a big part of
our job. So we're trying to get through there as
quickly as possible. So sometimes we're taking quite a serious
level of risk and there are moments where you say,
oh that you know that that was close.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
To being a crash.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
But it's always weighing up that risk and reward, particularly
earlier in the race, but it definitely wraps up when
you get towards your hints.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
And are you on friendly teams with Elbamba for example,
you see him in Pittstey, you guys chat being a
key wh or as there just no, yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
No, absolutely I haven't. I saw him very briefly in
passing yesterday. We are all busy, We're not just hanging
out here having a laugh all the time, so we
don't yet we're not. Yeah, it's not just a big
party on it the pits. We're all in meetings all
day and you know, trying to equal the prevalence out
of the car.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
But you know, I see them and I we're definitely friendly.
There's no issue there.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
And dealing with the medium another thing as well. And
I believe that young Liam Lawson has just moved into
Monaco and that place is the size of a tee towel,
so you'll probably bump shoulders with him at some stage
as well. There's quite a lot of you exits over
there having the time.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Eh, yeah, I haven't.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
I haven't bumbled with him yet, so I don't know
if he is there or not, But yes, I see Nick,
Nick Cassidy.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
And the Shiven's around there a little bit too. So
there's a small but growing community, but sounds of it brilliant.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
You're Wei, you'll welcome me with open arms, right, yeah,
go well.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
Go for There's a lot of race drivers over there,
so yeah, it's a nice little community.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Also.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
I'm definitely not a race driver. I'm just a keen
viewer of the action. Really looking forward to this weekend
as always, it's such a delight. Just don't break my
heart like you did last time. Thank you bringing a
hearty Thank you very much for your time. Stay safe, mate,
drive fast, get amongst.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yeah cheers, We'll do her best.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldergrave
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be good evening Brandon.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Hartley, Evening morning for me, but evening to you.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
We'll get there eventually somewhere in the middle. Welcome to
News Talks. Great that you guys managed to pick up
the phone every yarn various stages throughout the year. This
is the weekend though World Endurance Championship. This is all
roads lead, tell them all, this is.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
The race it is.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Yeah, I like that you said I always pick up
the phone.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
I think my wife would say something different than you.
Probably went off there as well.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
I don't think we've spoken in a while. But yes, mate,
I'm in laaw. I'm actually it's Monday morning. I'm sitting
in the motor home.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
We're just sorry.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Tuesday mornings were the test day on Sunday that went
very well. We finished up P one, which which meant
we could sleep better than last coup of nights that went.
It went really well. All three of us drivers, myself,
Sebastian Area, we're all we're all in the numbers, filled
up to speed straight away, all smiling after driving background
you know, around La Morn again after twelve months off.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And yeah, we think we have a real chance. They
super good es after the testday, good vibes.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
After the test day, it's saying supercars. It rolls off
the truck. Good, You're going to have a good week in.
So that's what you're kind of nudging at. It's turned
up and pretty good set up.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Look, the car hasn't changed from last year, so we've
we've had no updated at all. A few of the
other teams have small, small updates, so we know this car.
There's been, you know, a bit of development on how
we set the car up, how we use.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Some of the tools.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
You know, after after three or four years and in
the same car, you refine things. So there's there's been
some small improvements. But you've got to assume the others
have been improving too, and arguably more than us, considering that,
you know a lot of the teams, I'm not going
to call them unexperienced, but they have less experience with
their their car than us.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
But yeah, we feel good.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
We I wouldn't say we're the favorite, so I do
believe Ferrari have have the best package and performance, but
we are very, very motivated to try and stand on
that top step.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
They beat us the last two years, which still hurts.
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
We we were so close on our car to win
that bloody race the last two years. So yeah, the
motivation is very high, is it always is in themre Yep,
we're going to go for it.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
From memory last time out it was a Ferrari that
finished it for you, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Ah, Yeah, that is true.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
But as I say, yeah, the last the last two years,
they do hurt. You know, there's so much work and
emphasis goes into this race from everyone. I mean we
respect our competitors too, and yeah, but for it to
slip away towards the end, which which happened the last
two years, was tough to take. It was a tricky
two weeks mentally after the last one.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Last year, Last year's last year's race. But yep, this
this year is going to be.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Well, it's going to be incredibly tough again, arguably tough
for the last year that I think the competition is
only getting. I mean, at the front has always been tough,
but it's the depth. You know, there's twenty three, twenty
three cars just in the hypercolor class, still sixty two
to three cars on track at a time.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
But yeah, that that depth and competition is massive.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
You know if every single every single lineup, you know
that every driver's either been an F one, could have
been an F one, or they've made their their career
through endurance.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I mean, there's no weak.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Link and that goes to the teams and all the
other manufacturers as well, and that's going to get even
tougher the next years as well. With with Genesis Ford McLaren.
I mean, yeah, I think it's something that I've never
seen before, which is going to make it even more
specially if we do get to stand on that podium.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Sorry to bring that up, but you said it was
tough as a driver and a team, it's pretty tough
as a viewer too, after watching for all that time.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
At the depth.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Like we spoke a few years ago and there wasn't
a lot of hyper car reaction. You were saying, yeah,
but in the next few years a number of manufacturers
are turning up and you look at it now and
you've got Ferrari, Toyota, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, Pergo Aston, Martin Moore.
People are climbing on board. What's the excitement around hyper cars?
(04:28):
Around the Endurance Championship.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Do you think did you have to read those those
off a list?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Of course, I'm just.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Curious how big effect? Okay, good, all right, because I
was just thinking if I had to listen all I'm
going to miss one. You've done the job.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Thanks for calling me out. I've got to be prepared Britain.
I can't just turn.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
I was just saying, how how much of a fan
you with? I know you do actually watch the races.
I do believe you, because what was the what was
the actual question?
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Why the acceleration excuse the pun toward manufacturers in world endurances?
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Now?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Why why's so big? It's getting bigger? What's the what's
the drive?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
It's a world championship? Come on?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
And I think the other big draw is Lamon as
a race. That the history of the prestige, what that
means for the manufacturers as a brand. Most of the
manufacturers have a history in motorsport and specifically Lamare And yeah,
I guess all these manufacturers want to develop and show
what they can do in a competitive environment.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
I mean, effectively, we're caur salesmen.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I guess you could you could say that you know,
we're selling cars. But you know, in a way I
know exactly what I can speak for TWITDA. You know,
they want to develop new technologies in a competitive environment,
you know, to continue making ever better vehicles, and they
want to translate that into the road car. And that's
always been like that. But yeah, that I guess to
(05:54):
answer your other part of the question. They've changed your
regulations a few years ago. It's become more affordable, easier
for manufacturers to come in and produce a car that
they can compete with.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And it's worked.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
And you know, as you've seen a flurry of new
manufacturers and a competition that was higher, there's stacked field
with drivers and teams and private teams as well. You know,
you've got private teams who are buying a Porsche or
a Cadillac who are an incredibly high level and can
take over those those manufacturers cars.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yeah, it's awesome, mate.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
It's definitely a bit of a gold mirror for for
insurance racing and lucky to be with one of the
one of the most experienced teams.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
And now we've got to put that to goodness, you do.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
I was angling toward the money side of it, because
you know, high level motorsport does end up getting ridiculously
experienced expensive. So they've thrown some caps on it and
it's actually worked. It's still not cheap, but it's still
I mean you meantion you being a car salesman's they've
always said the old adage from sixty seventy eighty years ago,
(06:55):
you went on Sunday, you sell on Monday. It's the
way it rolls.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Still, Yeah, I think there's a bit.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Yeah, there is definitely a bit of that and as well,
yeah there is, I think.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
There is simple let's go back to your drivers. You're
talking about the quality of the drivers around and if
you go and look through I'm reading again just now,
I'm not going to read, but there are some there,
a whole lot of them. I'm going to name check
a couple of them that that would reverberate people would
know who these guys are. Brendan Hartley, Sebastian Bumey, Mixed
(07:29):
Schumacher is there, Kevin Magnuson, Alex Lynn Bambura, Keywi as well,
Sebastian Boorday one of your teammates coming with Kobyashi, Pascal
Pascal Virlin. Sorry that they really do that is of
a high quality, nat says a lot for the quality
of the racing that you're attracting these kind of drivers.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yeah, I mean, and you've missed a few few x
F one drivers as well, which which is not that
doesn't mean everything, you know, there's there's plenty of drivers
that deserve to get to F one and did and
many of them have have ended up in an endurance
racing or just made their career there and actually preferred it.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Well, but you wanted me to say Jens and Button,
didn't you.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
That was the one I thought of. But there's.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Robert Kobitza is racing there as well.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
There you go, Robert Cere, there's another one. Uh do
you have a Nazi? There you go. I've just I
don't even have a listen in front of you, mate.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
No, look, I'm taking the mickey, but that the level
of driving, Like I'm not I'm not saying the best
drivers in the world are here, but the depth, I mean,
it has to be the most top performing drivers in
one place at one time.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
It has to be for this race, you know, it's
it's it's impressive from.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
From a driver's point of view. Brandon, how do things
change for you year in year out. I mean, you've
won it, you've been there. I don't know what year
this is now you know the track, but I'm presuming
that there's different energy when you approach this about how
you going to put down on the track, what your
car is going to do. Does it keep ramping up
for you or is it a case of here we
(09:05):
go again?
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Yeah, Look, it does change a bit every year. I
mean the nice thing is we've got exactly the same
car from last year. We know that car well. I've
been with the same teammates for three years now, we
know each other well. I guess some of it comes
down to the preparation. And we've had a really strong
first three races as a car crew, which is nice.
So we come here with confidence. We're people in the championship,
(09:28):
which I know doesn't sound great from our standards. You know,
we won the Manufacturer's Championship last year, we won drivers before,
but we've been on the back step in terms of
performance for the first three races of the year. We
go we went into the races knowing there was no
chance to win, and to finish on the podium was
almost out of the question, and we ended up with
two firsts and the fourth, which meant we executed, we delivered,
(09:49):
and we actually punched above our weight in terms of
those results. So we're coming in here with a lot
of confidence, which is nice, and I think other years
that it might it can be different. I would say,
I'm also evolving as a as a human. You know,
I'm a father, now I'm getting older, old, you know,
dynamics change how you approach things that they subtlely change,
and you try and learn from your mistakes.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I think that's that's the big point. You know. Last
year I took it badly that we.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Lost that race when we were in a position for
so long to win it, and it crumbled at the
end when it started to rain, and you do a
lot of reflection and try and figure out what you
can do differently, not just point the finger and everything else.
So yeah, you always try and learn from those previous
races as well. They say as a team in terms
of personnel drivers, we're very experienced and as now we've
(10:38):
got to put it into action.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Yeah, what are the Ferraris doing so well? Because they're one,
two and three in the drivers Championship. Then you're sitting
in fourth, So it plaining me their car is working.
What particularly about this set up, this Ferrari and these
drivers actually gives them the upper hand here.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
I mean, that's a that's a difficult question to answer.
That they have had some updates from last year, so clearly.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
They're doing a good job. They've got a very quick car.
We also have something of balance.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
We have something called balance performance in the championship, which
is incredibly complicated to explain and I'm not going to
go there, but there is an element of that as well.
But I think it's going to be I think it's
going to be a closer race. I still believe that
potentially the favorites that they've they've they've come with a
very good car. I feel like we're closer and it
feel good to put it on P one on the
(11:29):
test day, so that that was already Yeah, that's added
a bit of confident of confidence for us going into
this week.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
That being said that there's it's not just us and Ferrari.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
On the test day, I would actually I wouldn't write
anyone off. Everyone looked quick and that was the same
last year. You know, the Cadillac was on pole until
the last moments. Last year, Portia took poposition. We were
all on the fight until the closing moments of the race.
So I hope it's going to be well, I'd be
lying if I said it. I hope that we walk
away a lap. That would be amazing, but it's not
(12:00):
going to be the case. And I'm pretty confident it's
going to be a fight until the end, and we're
we're going to go for the win. We're not going
to leave anything on the table, and we're definitely that
is that is our goal. We're not expecting anything, but
we're definitely going to be fighting for that victory.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Whether wise. You talked about the rain which wrecked everything
last year. I'm presuming that over twenty four hours there's
going to be some inclement weather passing through.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
I think I think Monday looks very bad and Friday
looks very bad so well, in terms of rain on
the radar, that's what I saw.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yesterday.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
My point is either side of the race, it looks
like there's a bit of weather around, or it might
have been Thursday. Either way, you never know here. Most
races have done here. I think I've done this twelve
twelve more or something like that or third anymore. That
there's always been a little bit of rain from my memory,
so yeah, could well be hope.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Not because it takes away, although from a fans point
of view it does a little extra. But I think
that the joker in the pact, the wildcard, is not
the weather. It's the gentumine drivers. This becomes fascinating when
you're tearing around at ridiculous speeds and you've got some
guy who's not really gone that good and you're not
a great driver right up in front of you, especially
dawn to dust, that must be not scary. But we've
(13:20):
been on unnerving Brandon.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
I mean even the amateurs or gentleman drivers so to speak,
it's not their first time driving the car. I mean,
everyone's got some level of experience on the track. But
you're right that you know there's different categories. LMP two's
here as well, so there's actually three different categories that
we're negotiating our way through, and that yet that's a
big part of the race. It's not the only hiccup
that you can have. You've got pit stops, you've got
(13:44):
I mean, we make mistakes as well. We're battling hard
with the other hyper cars for twenty four hours. Yeah,
there's going to be safety cars, that there's going to
be slow zones. We just have to make sure that
we're not getting caught up in them.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Making sensible decisions. As you say that.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
The traffic with getting through, that's a big part of
our job. So we're trying to get through there as
quickly as possible. So sometimes we're taking quite a serious
level of risk and there are moments where you say,
oh that you know that that was close.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
To being a crash.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
But it's always weighing up that risk and reward, particularly
earlier in the race, but it definitely wraps up when
you get towards your hints.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
And are you on friendly teams with Elbamba for example,
you see him in Pittstey, you guys chat being a
key wh or as there just no, yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
No, absolutely I haven't. I saw him very briefly in
passing yesterday. We are all busy, We're not just hanging
out here having a laugh all the time, so we
don't yet we're not. Yeah, it's not just a big
party on it the pits. We're all in meetings all
day and you know, trying to equal the prevalence out
of the car.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
But you know, I see them and I we're definitely friendly.
There's no issue there.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
And dealing with the medium another thing as well. And
I believe that young Liam Lawson has just moved into
Monaco and that place is the size of a tee towel,
so you'll probably bump shoulders with him at some stage
as well. There's quite a lot of you exits over
there having the time.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Eh, yeah, I haven't.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
I haven't bumbled with him yet, so I don't know
if he is there or not, But yes, I see Nick,
Nick Cassidy.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
And the Shiven's around there a little bit too. So
there's a small but growing community, but sounds of it brilliant.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
You're Wei, you'll welcome me with open arms, right, yeah,
go well.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
Go for There's a lot of race drivers over there,
so yeah, it's a nice little community.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Also.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
I'm definitely not a race driver. I'm just a keen
viewer of the action. Really looking forward to this weekend
as always, it's such a delight. Just don't break my
heart like you did last time. Thank you bringing a
hearty Thank you very much for your time. Stay safe, mate,
drive fast, get amongst.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yeah cheers, We'll do her best.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
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