Nick Tandy on WEC Talk: “The feeling is comparable to winning the real Le Mans!”
The latest episode of WEC Talk is here and this week we reflect on what was a VERY special weekend for the first-ever 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual!
The eighth instalment of the official FIA World Endurance Championship podcast focuses on the highlights of what was the biggest endurance esports race ever assembled, featuring 200 drivers, 170 simulators and competitors from 37 different countries…
Listen to the full podcast on Spotify HERE or on Apple Podcasts HERE.
Chatting to WEC Talk host Martin Haven first is professional sim racer Kuba Brzezinski who took the overall Le Mans Virtual win alongside his three team-mates in the Rebellion Williams Esport LMP entry.
Below is an excerpt from his interview:
“I was expecting to be in contention for the win, but it was such a long race that you never know… If someone came to us and said we want to organise the biggest esports event ever and you could choose which current track, we would choose Le Mans. So, it was perfect for us and to win this event has just been amazing!”
WEC Talk host Martin Haven also chats to Nick Tandy – one of the four drivers responsible for helping the Porsche Esports Team triumph in the highly-competitive GTE category.
Tandy is in a unique position in that he has won both the real 24 Hours of Le Mans (twice!) and now also the virtual version. He takes up the story: “Honestly, the feeling is comparable to winning the real Le Mans. All the preparation that goes into a 24 hour race, all the time and effort – the emotion builds in exactly the same way. It was a very similar feeling to five years ago when I was watching our car cross the line from the pit wall… but only this time I was sat in front of my computer screen.”
He also praised the skills of his sim racer team-mates: “I’ve been a hobby sim racer for quite a few years… but I was the weak link in the team. To understand the level that the top guys [sim racers] work at, the amount of effort they put in, how to save a few tenths here and there… it’s an eye opener and goes to show that practice makes perfect.”
The British driver concluded: “It’s great that there will be another 24 Hours of Le Mans in September still to come – and this is just the beginning. I’m hoping to be there!”
Finally, we hear from Motorsport Games’ head of esports, Ben Rossiter-Turner, who analysed the race from an organsational point of view.
He summarised “It showed how exciting sim racing can be if it’s properly presented. If you bring superstar names, professional teams – it’s racing whether the cars are real or not. We managed to put on a show and a collaboration that captured people’s attention for a long period of time. Sure, there were some bumps in the road but overall this was the biggest esports race ever. We’ve overwhelmingly seen that this has been a huge success for everyone involved.”
Don’t forget to listen HERE and check back in two weeks’ time when WEC Talk will have more exclusive interviews from drivers and key names from the world of endurance racing.
About WEC Talk
Available on various platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, CastBox, iHeart and Deezer, the WEC’s official podcast promises fans a unique insight into the exhilarating world of sportscars.
With exclusive interviews from drivers, team members, management and legendary figures involved in endurance racing, fans across the world can get their regular sportscars fix by tuning into WEC Talk.
