From stock car to Le Mans 24 Hours: the big leap for Eduardo Barrichello

How did this opportunity to race in GT3 come about?

I don’t really know how it happened. My father had a contact in 2023 and, by the end of the year, I was able to do a test. And it was a really good test. It was in the UK and the weather was typically British. It was constructive. I couldn’t sign for 2024 since I already had a contract in Brazilian stock car. But we kept talking and signed the contract for 2025.

Is there a big difference between the GT3 and stock car?

Oh yes, it is big. The GT3s are about five seconds faster. In Brazil, stock car races are in sprint format. We have the pit stops… It’s really different, here the races are longer, there is more technology, I have to share data with two other guys.

How did you adapt to this category?

Cars are so developed and advanced. We have telemetry on the steering wheel, we have so many sensors, so many people working on the car.

The circuits are completely different. Here, the circuits are historic. In Brazil, we have some beautiful circuits, but the only well-known one is Interlagos.

It wasn’t difficult, but I had to get used to speaking English on the radio again. We can do it in Portuguese, but it’s more professional in English.

Will it be an advantage for you to race in São Paulo for the next WEC round?

I don’t think so because I have never driven there before 2023. I know the track, but I haven’t raced on it much. There are quite a few guys on the grid who have much more experience than me here.

Do you have any media attention because of your name which is very popular in the motorsport world?

It’s something I’ve been dealing with for almost forever, even since school. There are good sides, but I don’t pay attention to that. I’m proud to be a Barrichello, not just for the name but for the story. I am proud to be the son of a man with such achievements.

Your father follows you to all the races?

No, sometimes he stays at home. He still races in stock car and NASCAR in Brazil. He came to Qatar, to Imola with my mom, and at Spa, my best friends were with me.

He should arrive in the next few hours in Le Mans and sleep with me in the motorhome. Until now, he was the boss but not this time. He’s probably going to take the bunk bed (*laughs*).

He has already participated in several 24-hour races, were you present?

In 2018 at Spa, I was present. I couldn’t be present at Le Mans when he participated, but we called each other on video to talk about it.

In Qatar, your father said that he would like to race with you and your brother at Le Mans. What is your perspective?

I think it would be amazing. I would love to be successful in WEC to continue racing at Le Mans. It would be great to race with them, but for now, I prefer to focus on the present, doing the best job possible.

Did you have specific preparation for Le Mans?

I pushed more than usual. I made an effort with my diet to make it optimal. I stayed two weeks in Brazil to do yoga, sports. I worked on the simulator in different conditions, trying to do long stints. I prepared myself as best as possible.

Do you realize that you are going to run at Le Mans?

It’s not just that. All the little things that happen here make it special. I think I’ll realize it after the hype or just before the race.

What surprised you here?

I think it’s the speed. We go really fast on the straights. All the corners are exactly like on the simulator, which means I know the track well. The curbs are the same. I really like the track, not just because it’s the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but because the track is awesome.

Le Mans is a semi-permanent circuit. What is your feeling about that?

We have great grip on the first turns, and when we reach Tertre Rouge, where it’s the departmental road, we have less. I need to get used to it. But you can feel that some parts have more or less grip. The Porsche curves are really very fast. We just need to ease off for the first turn, and the rest is almost flat out.

Is it difficult to make progress with only eight races in the season?

It’s short, yes. We don’t have many tries since we have to share the car with two other drivers. We drive little, on the test day, I didn’t do many laps.

I think that if I have the chance to do Le Mans again in 2026, I will make sure to be better prepared.

What is your plan to adapt to night taxiing?

As I already mentioned, I trained on a simulator. But real landmarks are needed because, depending on the time, the shadows are not in the same places. So, you need landmarks for braking, for the apex points, the moment when you need to turn.

Are you part of the Aston Martin Academy?

Yes, thanks to Valentin (Hasse-Clot), it’s great what they are doing by giving people a chance to have an official driver contract. It was my dream.