The #60 Formula Racing Ferrari 458 Italia was presented for scrutineering at The Place de la Republique in the centre of Le Mans on June 13 and all three drivers were quietly confident going into the team’s first 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The team are conscious of the heritage of Danish drivers in the French classic.
“I think we’re all very proud of Tom Kristensen, also in Denmark,” said Johnny Laursen who has raced for the last three years with Formula Racing the European Le Mans Series. “Yes, for sure you want to win Le Mans many times but right now we’re in our first year (at Le Mans) and working on that. So first of all we’re working to win this year and after that we’re going to see.”
Christina Nielsen, who currently leads the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the #63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3 which she shares with Allesandro Balzan is also aware of Denmark’s passion for endurance racing.
“I think it’s great that there are so many people here (to support us). I’m really looking forward to Le Mans and sharing it with my father. My father will come here later this week. He had some great results here and I’m hoping to follow in his footsteps.”
Nielsen is also proud that an all-Danish team are competing at Le Mans. Her father, Lars-Erik Nielsen raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“It feels pretty amazing to sit next to these people, these drivers and be like ‘wow’ I’m competing with them with these guys at Le Mans,” said Nielsen. “The Danes as a nationality stick together and we’re friends off the track so I enjoy it and I’m hoping to be back next year.”
Fellow driver Mikkel Mac Jensen is conscious of how tough the 24 Hours of Le Mans can be on drivers, teams and machinery.
“For sure we are hoping and we are fighting for a win but first we have to finish and we are just trying to do our best, all the drivers, and the team so we need to see,” said Jensen. Also we need a little bit of luck. Hopefully we’re going to come first.”
Currently the team lie ninth in the LM GTE class in the 2016 European Le Mans Series after a crash in practice left the team unable to take the start for the second round at Imola.
First practice for the race starts on Wednesday June 16 at 16:0o with flag dropping for the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans on Saturday June 18 at 16:00.
