24h Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans team members are a mixed bunch, but amateurs and team managers alike have all worked their way up the endurance racing ladder to reach the classic French race. We put AF Corse driver François Perrodo in the spotlight.
Team: AF Corse
Class: LMGTE Am
Cars and Drivers
#83 Ferrari 488 GTE EVO driven by François Perrodo, Emmanuel Collard and Nicklas Nielsen
After spending his childhood playing rugby, François Perrodo gradually transitioned to motorsports once he passed his driving test. “First I developed a passion for road cars and the enjoyment of driving.” But when he got a Porsche Boxster, he started driving on circuits. “One thing led to another and it was natural progression, although it happened quite late. After my first few track days, I wanted to try a racing car.” He started competing in classic car races like the Tour Auto then he switched to modern cars in 2010 when he took part in the V de V championship. Things continued to snowball and François Perrodo was selected to race in the ELMS, then the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “It all happened quite quickly, but gradually.”
Now in his 10th season, François Perrodo can be proud of how far he’s come: “A WEC title in 2016 in GTE Am, vice champion in 2015 and two Le Mans podiums. It’s a nice record to have.” Of course, his 2016 win was the cherry on the cake. “We won it at the last race in Bahrain. It’s the culmination of a long championship of eight races, and although Le Mans is twice as many points, you have to finish every race. It's a long haul. You have be strategic about each race and play for points each time. The most important thing is to finish evey time because a DNF would knock you out of the running. It was an exciting battle with two other teams.”
François Perrodo has another title in his sights as he is currently leading the Drivers’ championship alongside Emmanuel Collard and Nicklas Nielsen. But there are still two races to go: the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 8 Hours of Bahrain. So the plan for this weekend? “The aim is clearly to score highly, especially against the #90 and #98 Aston Martin Vantages, our direct competition in the WEC. We know it’s going to be extremely hard as the bar is set high in LMGTE Am this year. The most important part will be getting through the night if the weather isn’t good. We’ll have to be careful and drive smartly.”
