Aston Martin Racing's Thiim targeting improvement at Le Mans
Despite a difficult start to the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship season, Aston Martin Racing is optimistic that it can turn its season around with a strong finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Despite a difficult start to the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship season, Aston Martin Racing is optimistic that it can turn its season around with a strong finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His No.95 Aston Martin is one of eight cars registered for WEC points in the 13-car GTE Pro field at Le Mans.
AMR scooped both the GT Drivers’ and Teams’ championships in a stellar 2016 campaign for the all-Danish No.95 crew of Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen, with AMR only missing out on the GT Manufacturers’ title to Ferrari by seven points.
Hopes of carrying on where the team left off at the end of last year were dashed however, when the Vantage was left trailing by the LMGTE Pro competition in the first two rounds of the season at Silverstone and Spa.
Thiim is 26 points adrift of the No. 67 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK crew in the newly-renamed GT World Endurance Drivers’ Championship as he heads into Le Mans but, using experience based on 2016, Thiim is confident that AMR is not out of the fight yet.
“We probably expected something more, but for sure you have to keep the spirit high, keep calm and use the experience that we have because there’s still a long, long way to go,” said the Dane, a winner at Le Mans on his first attempt in the GTE Am class in 2014.
“Le Mans will always be a big factor in the championship. No matter what class, it’s the one you want to have in your trophy room back home and of course you want that trophy, but if you can’t win it, you just need the double points because that World Championship for me is definitely as important as Le Mans.”
Maximum effort
New regulations limiting teams to four sets of tyres for qualifying and the race have hampered the Aston Martin in the early rounds, as the Vantage is harder on its tyres than the more aero-dependent Ford and Ferrari, but Thiim is hopeful that the long straights at Le Mans could play into its hands.
“Every weekend is about getting the maximum out of it. We knew we didn’t have the pace in the first two rounds and we just took the points, but we have prepared ourselves as well as possible for Le Mans,” added Thiim, who will share with Sørensen and Richie Stanaway.
“Last year we couldn’t fight for it, and this year I hope that everyone has an equal chance and we have a car to fight with, it’s what you want as a racing driver.
“Spa really looked promising with the Fords and the Ferraris having a good time so I hope we can join them at Le Mans!”
