Kevin Estre: “What is important is to stay at the forefront”
Kevin Estre did not manage to reach the hyperpole. The driver of Porsche 963 No. 6 will start ninth, this Saturday, June 10th. He hopes to keep up with the pace of the Ferraris and Toyotas.
His first 24 hours of Le Mans in the Hypercar did not start well. Kevin Estre experienced a significant mechanical problem with his car during the first tests on Wednesday. The engineers noticed temperature changes. They tried something, but it didn’t work. In the end, we had to change the engine, indicated the Frenchman.
After a long work shift for the Porsche staff and a shortened night session, the crew of Hypercar number 6 was able to get back on track. The car was good, we just lost 10 minutes during the night session. We were happy with the race pace and the tire wear.
Porsche and Toyota Favorites
In qualifying, Kevin Estre narrowly missed out on reaching the hyperpole, finishing in 9th place. During his attempts, he encountered traffic that slowed him down. The Frenchman plans to make up for it during the race. It’s a 24-hour race, and you mustn’t make any mistakes. It will be necessary to stay calm. If we can overtake on the track, we will do so, otherwise, we will do it with our strategy. The important thing is to stay within the leading pack.
Rain is forecasted for the start of the centenary race. « We are ready, even though we lack experience here », announces the French driver, who will take over from Laurens Vanthoor. He hopes to stay within the same lap as the Ferrari and Toyota, which he considers as the favorites, this weekend.
A strategy for booths
To avoid being left behind by its competitors, Porsche has established a clear strategy. The three cars will never enter the pits at the same time.
« It is necessary to set a good pace from the start. The new safety car rule allows us to get back in the leading pack more easily. Le Mans should be treated like a sprint race. »
