Among the teams new to LM P2, the crew formed by the 2016 FIA LM GTE Am trophy winners is creating something of a buzz. Emmanuel Collard has an established reputation as a pro driver and an impressive trophy haul, while teammate François Perrodo is self-taught and boasts a spectacular track record. Together, they put in a dazzling performance in previous seasons, especially last year when they took the GTE Am crown. Nonetheless, that victory is not the reason behind their switch to the LM P2 cLass.

“We never said, ‘Hey, we’re champions, let’s try something else now’,” explains Collard. “It was actually François’s upcoming 40th birthday that sparked us to make the move! After four years in GT, he decided that he didn't want to wait until he was 50 to venture into prototypes. With the new cars and the new regulations coming into force this year, valid for four or five years, he said it was now or never. He wanted to give it a shot, see what happens and if things are too tough, return to GT. The goal is to do what we did in GT – start from scratch, progress and achieve results in the seasons to come. He’s shown what he can do in GT so it’s the next logical step!”

It might be logical but it won’t be easy, as the level of driving expertise and physical fitness required by the new LM P2 cars leaves little room for improvisation.

“François takes his time,” explains the driver, coach and friend. “He listens carefully and he learns quickly. To achieve what we achieved last year in just four seasons, you need a special kind of talent. Sure, it’s going to be more difficult this time. The level is higher as there is a majority of professional drivers, but I'm sure he’ll surprise plenty of people before the end of the year. For someone who has never driven a single-seater and never raced a prototype, he’s managing remarkably well. He has the right approach and, above all, knows his place. Winning last year’s championship hasn’t gone to his head. He has put in a lot of work to attain the level required. In addition, he’s been training really hard because you need to be at peak fitness to compete in this class. The first tests have gone really well. I'm not suggesting everything is perfect but he’s adapting well. There’s still room for progress and that’s understandable when you see what these latest LM P2 cars are like. It’s not necessarily the speed but there’s a lot of downforce keeping the cars firmly on the ground. They are very fast around the corners. Personally, it reminds me of driving a Pescarolo in LM P1 seven years ago!”

The two TDS teammates have called on one of the most prominent young talents in France to complete their line-up. Like many drivers of his age, Mathieu Vaxivière has unfortunately had to turn his back on single-seater racing due to a lack of funds.

“Mathieu  is incredibly talented but the funding issue put the brakes on his single-seater career. He’s fast but wasn’t lucky enough to take part in a specific feeder scheme. As is the case in Formula One, they now recruit drivers very young so, although he is only 22, his best bet is to turn to endurance. We’re pleased to have him and it’s good for him too. He took the LM P2 pole at the Prologue and that drew quite a bit of attention. He’s here, he’s fast and he might catch a manufacturer’s eye in the future. He’s certainly not wasting his time here!”

When the World Endurance Championship (WEC) kicks off at the end of the week, the young man will have the chance to put all his talent to the test to help the crew negotiate the 6 Hours of Silverstone.

“Making your debut at Silverstone is no mean feat,” says Collard. “We haven't driven on that kind of fast-cornered circuit yet. Our neck muscles are bound to suffer. But we’re well prepared and after three test sessions, we are really getting to know the car now. It would be fantastic if we could make the podium by the end of the year. It’s down to us now!”

Photo credit: Vision Sport Agency/ACO