You have joined the Rebellion Racing team in the LMP1 class in the World Endurance Championship. You must be pleased with the opportunity, is it a step up for you?

"I am thrilled and very proud to join Rebellion Racing. It's fantastic the team offered me this opportunity. To me, it's a step forward in that Rebellion Racing is one of the biggest teams in the WEC. To be a member of one of the major players in the championship is exciting because we are a contender for the overall win. I also think the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the greatest races in the world. To drive for a team capable of victory there is a motivating challenge."

Rebellion Racing won the 6 Hours of Silverstone this season. What are your goals for the last three rounds of the World Endurance Championship?

"We know TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is a very strong team. They have all the means necessary and different technology from ours (the Toyota TS050 Hybrid is equipped with a hybrid electric powertrain, Ed.). Our goal is to challenge Toyota and to stay ahead of the other private LMP1s. We are also looking to score the most points possible, so why not win other races? We always want to be on the front lines."

You are going to kick off your collaboration with Rebellion Racing at the 1,000 Miles of Sebring on 15 March. Are you excited?

"I'm not terribly familiar with the circuit, but I've heard so much about it. It is very unique, very bumpy and I'm going to need to prepare myself for that. I will be doing several simulator sessions to get ready and I began my physical preparation awhile ago. It's out of the question that I not be ready for the first race. I will be mentally as well. I have confidence in my team and teammates."

Is going from LMP2 to the LMP1 class a big leap?

"Rebellion Racing is a professional team and that will be different from what I knew in LMP2, in a good way. It's sure to be a great deal of work but I enjoy that. From a driving standpoint, I have no anxiety. I have experience at the top level of single-seaters after serving as a development driver for Caterham F1 Team and I participated in the GP2 Series championship from 2012 to 2014. Like the LMP1s, those are very powerful cars. Last year at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the times clocked by the LMP2 prototypes were pretty close to the LMP1s. That's why it should be a relatively easy transition. I won't be out of my comfort zone."

You'll be teammates with Thomas Laurent and Gustavo Menezes. Which driver line-up will you be a part of?

"Rebellion Racing has opted to form a driver line-up for the #1 car with experienced drivers, and another one with younger drivers including myself for the #3. My teammates perform at a very high level, they proved it last year by finishing third at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Our driver line-up will be cohesive and we'll stick together. In endurance, I've had teammates like Pastor Maldonado, Karun Chandhok and Fabien Barthez. I'm finding it very easy to adapt to the team's mindset and to my teammates and the car."

At the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans, you drove DragonSpeed's #31 ORECA 07-Gibson, finishing fifth in the LMP2 class and ninth overall. What do you remember about last year's race?

"I have great memories of it because I was thrilled with the car I had. It performed excellently and the Michelin tires were comfortable and efficient. I was able to express myself well on the track without making mistakes and clocked the fastest time in the LMP2 class during the race. We had the right car to be successful in the overall standings, but ran into technical problems and my teammates had a few incidents. We could have been leading the pack in the class but that's not how it played out. That's Le Mans. The entire team was pretty frustrated not to do better with the potential we had. I had prepared extremely well and didn't even need the physiotherapist or osteopath during the race. I felt really good. I'm very happy with my physical preparation and intend on keeping it up in 2019. Through the years, you learn about yourself."

PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), 24 HOURS OF LE MANS CIRCUIT, THURSDAY 14 JUNE 2018, QUALIFYING. Nathanaël Berthon participated in the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of DragonSpeed's #31 ORECA 07-Gibson. The French driver is joining Rebellion Racing for the last three rounds of the 2018-2019 World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) Super Season.