What is Test Day all about?

Test Day is seen as a true dress rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to be held in two weeks’ time (16-17 June). For the contenders, the purpose is to test their car and familiarise themselves with the circuit. Test Day is mandatory for all 60 entrants to the 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and teams).

Drivers who have not contested the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the last five years (since 2013) and bronze-category drivers who did not compete in the 2017 race must complete a minimum of ten laps during Test Day, including at least five full timed laps. These drivers will have trained on an Automobile Club de l’Ouest-approved simulator beforehand.

Driver’s impressions…

Bruno Senna, #1 Rebellion R13–Gibson, Rebellion Racing (LMP1): Test Day is always a special moment, especially when you have a new car as we have this year. We’ve just been testing at Monza [Italy] and have learned a lot about the car. It’s true that it’s a little more laid back, a full day to run checks, test different adjustments and begin to set up the car. It will be an opportunity to find out even more. We’ll retrieve data that will be useful for qualifying but especially for the race itself.

Nicolas Lapierre, #36 Alpine A470, Signatech Alpine Matmut (LMP2): There’s not too much pressure but it’s a special day all the same as we’re back on the Le Mans track. They’re just tests like every other test we do throughout the year but, this time, it’s on the Le Mans 24 Hours circuit! Every time you go down the Mulsanne Straight is spine-tingling! It’s so extraordinary and a million miles from the tracks we drive on the rest of the year. But it takes time to clean the track before it is “driveable”. A part of it is public road so it sees no racing cars the rest of the year. That’s also a good thing as it allows us a few laps to get settled and make some initial aero changes. As for the car’s set-up, however, you have to wait a few hours for that. 

Olivier Beretta, Ferrari 488 GTE, MR Racing (LMGTE Am): It’s always a pleasure to come to Le Mans. The 24 Hours is the race of the year – a bit like the world cup for football. It’s the one you don’t want to miss. Test Day is quite relaxed even though you’re aware that the big one is only two weeks away. It gives us some free time on Friday and Saturday, but there’s still plenty to do. We have our first briefing sessions and it’s the start of our collaboration with the mechanics and engineers to prepare the car as best possible. Then the session starts. You think you have a lot of time [eight hours in total, 09:00–13:00 and 14:00–18:00] but we don’t do that many laps because of the yellow flags, red flags, Full Course Yellows, traffic, unforeseen snags, tyre programmes, long runs, and one or two hot-lap simulations. There are always more things planned than you have time for, and if you get 90% of them done, it’s a bonus!