LM24 Scrutineering is complete! Here’s what the WEC drivers said

'Le Pesage' or ‘the weighing’ takes place over two days and sees the cars come under intense scrutiny from officials ahead of next week’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, round four of this year's FIA WEC.

However, weight is only one of the checks on the inspection list. The full audit is a meticulous procedure to ensure that each team confirms to the specific race regulations. This year, Scrutineering was concluded by a parade comprising eight of the cars on the grid through the city centre.

FIAWEC.com was onsite to speak to some of the WEC drivers at Day 2 of the Pesage and below is what some of them had to tell us going into race week.

Brendon Hartley, Toyota Gazoo Racing: “This is one of the biggest races on Earth. I never forget my first time coming here in 2012 and I fell in love with the race and the whole week. The team element, the team spirit… there's so much that it has to offer.  I understand that it’s going to be a sell out crowd. Every year it's I feel like there's oversubscribed crowd, but I heard this year it’s even more. It's going to be amazing. I guess it's what we work towards for the whole year  - this one race, this 24 hours and that comes with added pressure. Also, arguably we are the favourites so that that comes with added pressure too and representing Toyota, your teammates, and that's going to build over the next eight or nine days. That's what why we live and breathe it. We love it and hopefully we're going to have a celebration in a week's time.”

Gabi Aubry, Vector Sport: “Le Mans… it's an amazing event every year, but this year is very special. I mean, this race is what made me start racing, right? I came when I was five, six years old, I was watching the podium and I said, Well, one day I want to be in that race. Now it's going to be my sixth event in the 100th year and you get to see the book with all drivers since the first year. And being in it as a French driver thing, being with all my friends, my family, it is obviously special… It's going to be the most competitive field that I've ever seen for sure, but this is what drives me.  I'm very happy to be there and all those Formula One drivers, they lift you up - either you work harder than you did before and you fight with them, or you just go away and do something else. So, I'm working harder. I'm in the best shape of my life, and I'm really looking forward to fighting with them.”

James Calado, AF Corse Ferrari: “Well, I think all of Le Mans is amazing. I mean, this is obviously a big one, 100 years, and, of course, Ferrari coming back to the top class but I treat everyone the same. I love this race, the atmosphere is magic, the track is amazing. It's definitely my favourite race on the calendar and one of the biggest in the world. So, every time I come here, I feel something very special.”

Tomorrow, it’s time for the official Le Mans test day. From 10:00 to 13:00 and from 15:30 to 18:00, the field is invited to try the track for size, with teams testing settings and getting their bearings ahead of the big race next week (10-11 June).

Click HERE to read the official race preview.

Onsite interviews conducted by Jeff Carter.