Matt Rao and the Manor team have faced their fair share of challenges in their debut season in the FIA World Endurance Championship but, speaking ahead of the 6 Hours of Fuji, the Formula 3 graduate believes they have been only beneficial to fast-tracking his learning curve.
Twenty-two-year-old Rao describes his first experience of endurance racing at Silverstone as a “baptism of fire” but, after the initial culture shock, he quickly adapted to the challenge of conserving fuel and tyres, lapping GT traffic and being passed by LMP1 cars all at the same time. By round two at Spa-Francorchamps, Manor was already celebrating its first podium finish with Rao, joined by team-mates Richard Bradley and Roberto Merhi.
However, whilst the result didn’t prove to be the catalyst team bosses John Booth and Graeme Lowdon had been hoping for, Rao is adamant that the team’s early struggles are an inevitable part of being new to the championship and that all the necessary ingredients for success are already in place.
“There have been some challenges that we’ve had to face, but that was always going to be the case because it’s a new team to the championship and with myself and Roberto being rookies as well, that makes it that much harder,” he said. “But it’s been good to see that we have the pace at least and it’s just small things which have just cost us the positions that we really deserve.
“Their experience in dealing with young drivers like myself has been second to none and they know how to manage the more experienced guys like Richard as well, so they really get the best out of everybody. It was a bit of a rush at the beginning of the season, but they’ve really shown that they are a top team and if they can continue this in the next couple of years, there’s no reason why they can’t be consistently at the front at every race.”
Rao never expected to have an easy ride in his rookie season, but has been impressed by the high level of competition in LMP2, which features no less than six ex-Formula 1 drivers in Japan. Against such opposition, Rao regards his charge through from fifth to second in the Texan heat as a personal highlight, although it is hard-pressed to top the experience of leading in his first Le Mans 24 Hours.
“Having watched the WEC for the last three or four years, it’s been really interesting how much the level has increased, especially this year,” he said. “It was no surprise to me that it was going to be ultra-competitive, but that only helps me more because the harder the championship, the faster I have to learn and adapt. It makes things harder for now, but I know that this is the pinnacle of LMP2 around the world, so whatever I go on to do will either be the same or easier.
“Even if the end results haven’t been there, I know that there are races like Austin where I showed my potential. The heat there was a real factor and I wasn’t sure whether I would physically be able to do a double-stint, so I was very pleased with that. But something I’ll never forget will be going to Le Mans for the first time with such high calibre drivers and all the fans. It’s a shame that we had a few troubles afterwards, but to be leading your first Le Mans and having to defend against some of the guys that lit up the world of motorsport was a real pinch-yourself moment.”
By James Newbold
