In a remarkable achievement for Lexus, the Akkodis ASP Team clinched its first LMGT3 class victory at the 6 Hours of São Paulo. Team principal Jerome Policand emphasized the significance of the win, especially after a difficult debut season in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Policand highlighted the impact of the newly introduced Goodyear Eagle Hard tire as a pivotal element in this breakthrough victory. "One year ago, we were just nowhere and it was an annoying situation," he reflected. "We won almost all the championships in the GT3 world and coming to the WEC we had a very high ambition."
The team, featuring drivers Razvan Umbrarescu, Clemens Schmid, and José María López, started strong, taking the lead within the first hour of the race. Policand credited the strategic use of the hard compound tire for maintaining performance, stating, "Thanks for Goodyear to come with a harder compound, which I think was a key for us today."
Historically, the team had faced challenges with tire degradation during races, often losing pace in later stints. However, the new tire allowed them to sustain front-running speed, enabling a strong finish. Policand expressed gratitude towards his drivers for their contributions, emphasizing their hard work and talent, particularly noting the presence of a world champion in the lineup.
"To have a world champion in the lineup, a man who won Le Mans and WTCC, he’s a great driver, so to give him a gift after all the hard times…" said Policand, while also praising the other members of the team. Schmid, who was brought in on short notice after one of the regular drivers fell ill, has quickly proven his worth with this successful showing. Policand recalled, "I just checked on the FIA list and I said I have to find the best Silver and I saw his name, I called him and now he’s on the top of the podium."
Last year, the team had faced struggles in the same race, which made this victory even more meaningful. "This race was the worst race for us last year, so I think we learned a lot from that," López noted. He emphasized that the hard work of the team had paid off with improved car performance, mentioning, "We had a few races where we could have achieved a podium at least and somehow some mistakes and some bad luck made us lose the podium."
The victory in São Paulo marks a vital step forward for the Lexus team in the WEC as it navigates through the challenges of endurance racing. As the team looks ahead, Policand and López's reflections underscore the progress made and the support crucial to their success.
The upcoming races will surely provide a platform for the team to build upon this victory, as Lexus aims to solidify its competitive edge in the LMGT3 class. With enhanced strategies and new tire technology at their disposal, the team is more determined than ever to build upon this initial success and continue their evolution in the world of endurance racing.
