Q & A with Darren Turner

Darren Turner: Well obviously I didn't do the pre-test. so the first hour was given to me to get used to the circuit and get myself back in the groove. The thing for me, since winning last year, is that I probably only done 300km in the car since.

So although I know the car pretty much inside out, it is a big gap in time. It was nice to have that first hour just to get back up to speed.

Q. Has the car changed at all with the new tyres and developments?

DT: Well obviously they did the Michelin test in November last year, and the tyres we have now are different from what we had last year.

Q. Are they better?

DT: Well you'd hope so. That's the whole idea of development. They feel different and the thing with tyre development is that you are always dialling a car in. If we had started with the same tyres and set-up as last year we would be further ahead than we are now, so it's a case of the new ones being better tyres, but now we need to make the car work with them.

You are only talking about small things, but if you are not confident with the car it can have quite a dramatic effect on lap times. We made one change yesterday and found two seconds. On a normal track that change would have been worth 0.2 seconds. It's not that Le Mans has got more corners, but they are confidence corners.

The Porsche Curves is a big section. The entry phase for Indianapolis is quite difficult, Tertre Rouge is tough and so are the big stopping areas for the two chicanes on the Mulsanne straight.

So we are now just trying to dial the car in to work with the tyres and the new developments they have made on the car.

Q. Are you responsible for the set-up?

DT: It's a completely free thing between the three drivers. There is no point in one driver being massively quick because he has dialled the car in to his style, and the other two being two seconds slower. Overall you need a car that everyone can get in and drive without too many problems. That's the thing we are always aiming for.

From previous experience of driving with Antonio [Garcia] he can deal with slightly more oversteer than me and David Brabham. Of the driver styles, Brabham is the most neutral, I'm a bit more oversteery and Antonio can just get that little bit extra.

But there is no point in setting the car up for Antonio, because then it would be more of a problem for Antonio, but equally there is no point in setting it up for Brabs. So it has got to be a compromise.

But we all like something similar so it's not a massive problem.

The other advantage is that all three of us use the same seat. With the other factory Aston Martin they are having to use seat inserts and all that sort of stuff. That is a benefit to us in the pitstops as well, because it makes it simple.

The driver line-up in the 009 car I am personally very happy with.

Q. The GM Corvette drivers have complained about the speed of the diesel LMP1s in traffic. Have you had any similar problems?

DT: It's an issue. The difference between the fastest LMP1 and the slowest GT2 is now getting bigger and bigger. Last night one of the Peugeots came up behind me. Before, I would know that I could brake and turn in to the first chicane so that he could pass me on the exit, from previous experience.

But he ended up out-braking me before the corner. The lights on the Peugeot are so bright as well that you can't see where the car is, because your mirrors just fill up with bright light. That makes it very hard for the driver to know where they are and what they are doing.

I was completely astounded. And it wasn't like it was a late manoeuvre, he was completely in control and it was perfectly executed. But it took me back how fast he caught me.

I think there is more potential for accidents because of the speed of the diesels. It could cause problems.

Q. Do you think changes will be made to the cars for next year then?

DT: Well it's the speed differential, and not in a straightline, but under braking. At some points we are braking 50 metres earlier than the LMP1s, so there are occasions when we at 200km/h and they are still travelling at 340km/h. And that's where the big difference of speed is.

Q. How confident are you that you can win in comparison to last year?

DT: Well last year it was all or nothing. It's one race every year, so there is always pressure, but there was a lot last year because it was the third year with the car and we needed to get that win. This year, obviously there is still the pressure, but we don't have the same preparation as last year. Also the margin of performance has either been reduced or it's maybe even gone the other way.

Last year we had 0.3 seconds a lap over the Corvettes, but now they are certainly as fast going down the straight. So we are close on performance, but then it's down to other elements. Last year we had perfect pitstops, the drivers made no mistakes and we won by less than a lap.

So this year it's the same thing. We are relying on track position and a bit of luck.

Q. So have Chevrolet raised their game or are they just at an advantage because they race all year around?

DT: That's the thing. We have done some development on the car, but they are racing week in, week out. It's a bigger programme and a bigger budget and that's what they should have done.

I believe they have a small advantage over us, but we are only talking tenths. The time they set for pole, was what we did in the race last year and we know we haven't gone for a lap time yet.

Q. If Aston Martin was to build an LMP1 car, would you want to race it?

DT: Yes of course, it would be a great opportunity. I love GT1 racing, I have been doing it now since 2003, and it's a fantastic class of car. It's got a fair amount of aero, big engines, okay the cars are heavy, but it's a drivers' car. What you put in, you get out. When you talk to the LMP drivers they will tell you that it is very much more precise in their class. It feels a bit more like it's on rails, whereas our cars are bouncing through corners and it is just so much fun.

But obviously I have now won a GT1 class here, and although I want to keep winning, it would be great to try and win overall. But I don't know whether that it is possible for a petrol engine in the current LMP regulations.

So if Aston did a full programme then yes I would to do it.

Q. Have you heard any conversations, or can you not talk about it?

DT: I would like to talk about it but I haven't had any! I am contracted up to this race, come Monday I am a free agent again and then it's just a case of hopefully they want to be involved in whatever their projects are next year. It would be nice to think they are going to go down that avenue.

Obviously with the Lola Aston that Charouz are running, it is a good investigation and a good way to find out about LMP1. I am the same as you guys, I'm just waiting to see what materialises.