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Q & A: Jarvis on his 2012 programme

Former DTM driver Oliver Jarvis will undertake a mixed programme in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the FIA GT1 World Championship with Audi this year. He talks to AUTOSPORT about the coming season

Q. What are your thoughts on the switch from the DTM to the your dual programme in 2012?

Oliver Jarvis: Straight up, I have been trying to move into sportscars since I first came to Audi. I've been on record as saying that several times. I'm looking forward to the season because I have the prototype programme and I'm doing the GT1 world championship, which will be something new to me. I watched some of the races last year, and there were quality drivers and some great racing, so it is going to be interesting.

Q. Was a full year in the WEC ever a possibility?

OJ: I'd have loved to do the full WEC but I have to be realistic. This is my first proper year driving prototypes and I know I'm not going to jump straight into a full-time drive, especially when Audi only has two cars [contesting the full season]. Don't forget that out of the 12 Audi Le Mans drivers, nine have won Le Mans. What I've got this year offers a really good balance.

Q. Do you have aspirations to return to the DTM?

OJ: I enjoyed the DTM and would be happy to go back, but I see this as a positive. The fact that I am able to dovetail joining the prototype squad with another championship is good.

Q. What are your impressions of the R18 LMP1 so far?

OJ: I tested last year at Paul Ricard and did the recent Abu Dhabi test. I still need a few more test days to acclimatise. An LMP1 is different to a DTM car, because it is such a big step up in terms of cornering speeds.

Q. What do you know about Vincent Vosse's WRT team with which you will contest the GT1 world championship?

OJ: I don't know much about the team except for what I've been told by other Audi drivers. Eki [Mattias Ekstrom] and Timo [Scheider] drove for WRT at the Spa 24 Hours last year and they were extremely complimentary. It is a relatively new team, but it is already at an extremely high level.

Q. What are your aspirations for Le Mans this year?

OJ: I have to be realistic. First I want to finish, then to be competitive and ultimately to finish on the podium. That would be fantastic.

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