Three for the show
JJ Lehto, Marco Werner and Emmanuele Pirro of ADT Champion Audi 
By Margot Orenchuk
Photos courtesy Margot Orenchuk

LA SARTHE, France (June 10, 2004) -- Champion ADT Audi drivers JJ Lehto, Marco Werner and Emmanuele Pirro sit down and talk about the qualifying to come with RFM.

Margot Orenchuk: So gentlemen; do you have any idea who will be qualifying tonight?

Emanuele Pirro: I know, but I don’t tell.

JJ Lehto: Well, we haven’t spoken about it yet, but we spoke about it in pre-qualifying already and we think that Marco will be doing it.

EP: We don’t give so much importance to qualifying. What we want to achieve is a really good set up for the race; a racecar that is comfortable to drive, reasonably fast, not necessarily the fastest car but something that always lets you drive at the limit without being too much under pressure and under too much stress.

MO: Do you think Marco can do that (for the team?)

EP: Yes.

MO: So are you are anxious to get back in? I know (Emanuelle) has been driving in the DTM series, but JJ and Marco have been idle since Sebring.

EP: Ya, they have been getting a little bit rusty.

MO: Do you enjoy driving together? Are you looking forward to this race?

JJ: Ya, Marco and I have been driving at Sebring together and we raced against each other last year so I know what he can do and he knows what I can do, and Emanuelle is an old dog with the car and he knows us very well so I think we have a very good combination of drivers; easygoing, and we can trust each other. That’s another thing.

MO: And you are all the same size – so no seat changes. So what’s with the haircut JJ? Is this a Johnny Herbert thing?

JJ: Nothing, it’s just a summer style I did with my son.

MO: Which car does it look like you are you going to have the most fun racing against?

JJ: Well, for sure it will be one of the other Audis.

MO: Yes, but which one? And don’t count out Sebastien Bourdais and the Pescarolo Judd #17 (who proved to be right behind Audi all night Thursday)

JJ: No, it doesn’t change anything. We know what they are capable of doing. We know our limits; it’s going to be very equal. And, they are yes good for a while, but I am sure we can be better.

EP: I am sure that we are good enough that even if somebody takes the lead and walks away for a while in the beginning it’s not a concern at all. To win this race you achieve that be spending the least time in the pits, and having consistent tires.

MO: You have a very good pit position this race.

EP: Ya, we have a very good pit position.

JJ: Yes, it is. On the other hand, the others can see what we are doing at that end.

MO: What have you been up to since we spoke a few weeks ago?

EP: Well, we did some emergency simulation testing in Germany last week, so we are quite prepared for that. Tonight and tomorrow because the set-up is more or less fixed, we begin to know the new Michelin tires, the best possible way, we have quite a wide choice of compounds, and one of the key points In terms of speed is to make the right tire choice given the track conditions. This is what we are going to focus on.

MO: I find this fascinating you are more using this “qualifying session” as a test session.

JJ: Qualifying has never been anything in this race. One lap doesn’t mean anything.

EP: It would mean more if there wasn’t so much traffic. It is virtually impossible to have one clear lap in that 15-minute slot where that track is capable to get a good time.

JJ: Whoever gets a clean lap is who is going to be fastest.

EP: Exactly. This is why you see these big gaps. So, it’s not so valuable. So you might be first against people who never really had a chance. And we all know that. So, really, people don’t care. Some people really do try. And some people are more eager to show they are really fast drivers; but as far as I am concerned I want to win the race.

MO: So what really only counts is the last lap. Now, I want to talk to you about the “no changing the gearbox” rule. Are you worried at all? This would have destroyed you in Pre-Q.

EP: I hope that Murphy’s Law will not work here.

JJ: Last year we did the race without any problems at all, there can be problems in 24-hours, but our team does everything as well as they can, and they know how to take care of things now, it doesn’t take much longer to fix the gearbox now than before.

MO: How come you all have different coloured armbands?

Marco Werner: (chipping up from his seat finally) French Flag.

MO: So, do you all sleep during the race?

JJ: Not at the same time, no. I go and sleep in a pod that is behind the pits, it has a bed, shower. I get completely away.

MW: I don’t sleep.

EP: I sleep, and I have to have a shower to wake up. You don’t sleep??

MW: I can’t sleep. In all the 24-hour races I have done, I have never sleep during the races. Not for one minute.

EP: WHY?

MW: I’m too nervous! I take a shower then go back to the pits and wait for another drive.

JJ: I used to do this as well.

MO: Are you able to eat during the race?

JJ: You eat as much as possible. You eat all the time. Drinking all the time.

MO: And when your shift is over, do you hang around the pits, checking temerity, or do you go of and call your wives, go check your e mail?

JJ: I don’t want to know what happens. I go away.

EP: Me, too.

MO: When your shift is over, you walk away, and you don’t care until it’s time for you to drive again?

EP: Ya. We try to stay relaxed until it time to drive again.

MW: I stay in the pits.

With this answer, duty called and the three ADT Audi drivers had to hurry away.  RFM thanks them all for their time and most interesting answers, and we wish them all the luck in the 24 Hours to come!