Lotterer: Porsche switch making me a better driver
After seven years at Audi, André Lotterer says that his move to Porsche has taken him some getting used to, but believes the adaption process has pushed him to become a better driver.
After seven years at Audi, André Lotterer says that his move to Porsche has taken him some getting used to, but believes the adaption process has pushed him to become a better driver.
The 2012 FIA World Endurance Champion and three-time Le Mans winner faced a winter of uncertainty after Audi announced its withdrawal from the WEC, but was soon offered a new berth at sister company Porsche, alongside Neel Jani and Nick Tandy in the No. 1 919 Hybrid.
Although he admits it initially felt odd to be wearing the colours of his former rivals, Lotterer explained that being taken out of his comfort zone has given him renewed motivation to be at his best.
“A change means development and makes me grow as well to become a better driver, because you learn new things from other people," he said.
"It’s a challenge, but it’s not like it happens to me when I’m in my early 20s or something. I had a lot of things that I’m used to and now a lot of different things, but I’m welcoming this challenge and that was what I wanted. I’m here to do my best.”
The 35-year-old finished third on his first outing at Silverstone and is hopeful of improving on that result at his de-facto home race, having been raised in the Belgian town of Nivelles, just a couple of hours drive away from Spa, where he also made his one and only appearance in Formula 1 in 2014.
“One of the biggest differences is on the human side, because Ben [Tréluyer], Marcel [Fässler] and me have really been like brothers,” he agreed. “We had a really special connection without trying, it was something that happened naturally.
“It’s strange, you only realise once you leave your old situation that you take it for granted. Then you come into your new environment and all your marks are gone, but day by day I’m getting more and more used to it and every day I spend with them I feel better.”
No driver has ever won the World Championship twice, and title success this year would make Lotterer the first to do so with two different manufacturers. However, he insists that isn’t any greater motivation than winning for Porsche.
Lotterer himself has two previous wins at Spa to his name, although Porsche has remarkably yet to win the unofficial warmup to the 24 Hours of Le Mans since entering the WEC in 2014.
“At the end of the day, you always race to win,” he says. “It doesn’t matter how many times you won it, it cannot change your attitude."
