How did your first race of the season, the 6 Hours of Silverstone, go for you?

"We did well and finished second. It's a pretty good result, and most importantly, we marked precious points. Ford was a little better than us in terms of pace, but we were at our limit in performance level. We still need to work hard and find solutions to improve the car's set-up. We'll see how the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps goes."

How is the rest of the year in the World Endurance Championship shaping up in your opinion?

"I think it will be a difficult season. The LMGTE Pro class is more and more competitive, and now that a world champion title is on the table, the competition is even more intense. It requires immense effort on Ferrari's part and the smallest detail counts, especially when the gaps are so small. We have to finish every race and not repeat what happened last year when we were forced to retire several times (including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ed.). We have to be consistent and after Le Mans we'll take stock of where we stand, we'll do a first assessment."

Explain how the Ferrari 488 GTE was developed during the off-season?

"At first, the biggest change was the engine because we went from an aspirated engine to a turbo last year. We had to learn how to manage it and set up the new car with a different aero kit. This past winter, we continued to learn the car, focusing particularly on reliablity because in 2016 we were forced to retire three or four times due to engine troubles. We have resolved the problem!"

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is in one month. What does this race, that you've done just once, mean to you?

"The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a huge deal, and it's exhausting, it's also a long week. It isn't just the race! For eight days, starting with Scrutineering, your mind starts to turn to the race itself, which makes it very tiring. This year, my program is even more loaded as I'm competing in the full season of the Blancpain Endurance Series and doing a few races in the U.S. So I have to be as prepared as possible for this race. Our goal will of course be to finish since last year the two cars were forced to retire. Also, we need to earn points for the championship."    

Give us your thoughts on the 24 Hours of Le Mans with defending champion Ford, the new Porsches, and Corvette and Aston Martin.

"First we'll see what the Balance of Performance is at Le Mans. Last year Ford was very fast in the straights. And Porsche is coming with a new car that is already very solid which I noticed at Sebring at the beginning of the year. I'm sure they are still working on it as well. I believe that in terms of performance we are third."

Will you go after the win or precious points in the championship?

"Victory is always the objective, but sometimes you have to take a step back and remember the car has to make it 24 hours to earn points. I've been fortunate enough to be able to do races like Daytona and Sebring before, so now I have more experience in long races. Le Mans is a technical circuit, especially in the areas you have to use the curbs to clock good times. So you have to manage the performance all while managing the mechanical! Finding a good balance is a priority, but I'm convinced we will achieve a good result at the 24 Hours of Le Mans."

Photo (Copyright - Laurent Cartalade/VSA): James Calado will be competing in his second 24 Hours of Le Mans next month.