Ben Constanduras(Host): We’re going to start with our LMP1 winners, the pole taken by Audi Sport Team Joest, the no7 Audi of Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler, ending an eleven race run for Porsche. Andre ,was this expected?

Andre Lotterer – no7 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18: “No but it was about time.  It was difficult to expect anything in these conditions.  Yesterday they had the upperhand in the rain so it didn’t look that good for us. But today was a better day for us and it was a nice reward for our mechanics who slept for an hour and a half last night.  There is a lot of work with this new car and also for teh guys back at Audi Sport, a nice reward for the new car to be first and second.” 

BC: “Marcel, you were the second driver in the car, improving on Andre’s time.  Were the track conditions improving at the end of the session?

Marcel Fassler – no7 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18 – “Yes, for sure, there was less water on the track.  There wasn’t a dry line but there was no spray anymore.  I had trouble with the rain tyres to cool them outside a little bit.  But because it is so cold I think we would normally go onto an inter, but the conditions were too cold, so we stayed on the rain.  Technically the track conditions were getting better.

BC: “ And for the race tomorrow, if the conditions are dry Andre, will you still have a fighting chance against the Porsches?

AL: “Again it is difficult to understand what to expect. It is early stages to see.  I still think they are the favourites, we saw yesterday their speed it quite strong but we’re there, we’ll give everything and we are starting in front.  Hopefully we can stay at the front and see.  It’s a long race six hours, a lot can happen.  It’s going to be our first long race with this car.  We don’t go thinking we need to beat somebody we just try to do our best and see what comes out.”

BC: “Marcel, on that point how much is it about learning the car in this first race?

MF: “For sure this is our first race with this car; we still have a lot to learn.  As everyone knows we didn’t have the best start at the beginning with it.  We had some good testing in the end and we are now really looking forward to tomorrow’s race.  Yes, six hours is still quite long so at the moment we are really happy to be at the front, we didn’t expect that.  To put the new car on pole position is a great achievement and that is an extra motivation for tomorrow’s race.  Everything is new on the car, the clock is on zero, so let’s see where will be at the end of the race.”