With four different cars in three different classes, variety was certainly the spice of life for Gregor Fisken when it came to racing at Le Mans! Although sadly forced to retire in his two races in a prototype, he did have the honour of leading the LMP2 field for a time in 2005. Fisken’s two starts in a GT had a more successful outcome, however, as he saw the chequered flag in a Porsche in 2004 and an Aston Martin in 2007.

As a Scotsman, how do you explain that so many talented drivers in the history of Le Mans and motorsport come from Scotland?
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is possibly the greatest race and naturally attracts the world's most talented drivers from all the nations, and that of course includes Scotland! With Ecurie Ecosse’s success in winning Le Mans in 1956, the 24 Hours of Le Mans became even more famous in Scotland. This incredible win has continued to inspire future generations of Scottish drivers who want to compete there.

What was your earliest connection with the Le Mans 24 Hours? Was it through TV, books, magazines, anything else?
My earliest connection of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was through my father's passion for motorsport, in particular his love of Bentleys and of course for Bentley’s multiple wins at Le Mans! Bentley and Le Mans were synonymous. The first time I went to Le Mans was in the back of my father's 1929 Bentley 6½ Litre – an unforgettable experience! Our whole family had travelled from Scotland to Le Mans in 1978 with the Bentley Drivers Club to celebrate the 1928 Le Mans win. The circuit allowed us to do some parade laps before the race and I remember the first time we arrived on the Mulsanne straight at Le Tertre Rouge. My younger brother and I were hanging on in the back of the Bentley with our mother shouting to my father to slow down! But my brother and I were shouting to go faster! At that precise moment, I knew I had to drive at Le Mans, little realising that this inspiration that created a dream would one day become a reality!

How did the opportunity to compete in your first Le Mans 24 Hours come about?
I had the opportunity to drive for the American team The Racers Group at the 12 Hours of Sebring with my friend and co-driver Ian Donaldson.  Through Kevin Buckler, we were offered the opportunity to team up with Lars Erik Nielsen to drive The Racers Group entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2004. As you can imagine, it was an incredible experience!

Do you remember your very first laps on the Le Mans circuit? How was it?
My first laps at the Le Mans Circuit were a very memorable experience indeed! We did the Le Mans test in 2003 as a team-building exercise (there was not much change in entry that year). The track was everything I had hoped and expected, although I was incredibly surprised at the speed difference on the high-speed corners between the Porsche and the Prototypes.

How was the transition between the Porsche 911 and LMP2 and LMP1 prototypes with the Lola and Courage chassis?
The transition between the Porsche 911 and LMP cars was quite steep. It took a bit of time to get used to that incredible downforce that the LMP generated compared to the Porsche. That particularly reflected on how late you could brake in the LMP cars and how much speed you could take through the Porsche Curves.

When you came back to GT, how useful and helpful was your LMP experience for traffic management on the track?
When I came back to GT, having driven an LMP, I found having experience in both categories helpful. When it comes to traffic, it is so much easier being in the faster LMP car than a GT car.
 
What was your feeling when you took the wheel of the Aston Martin compared to the Porsche 911?
The Aston Martin compared to the Porsche 911 felt a little bit like a hybrid between an LMP car and a GT car. The Aston Martin generated a reasonable amount of downforce in the high-speed corners and of course, with the benefit of downforce, you could brake very late compared to the Porsche. The Aston Martin was much noisier inside,  although the noise was wonderful especially when going down the gearbox and blipping that wonderful V12 engine! Many fans told me that the Porsche 911 sounded superb as well, but obviously, with the Porsche being rear-engined, most of the noise was coming out the back!

How did you work with your teammates, especially with Sam Hancock, with whom you competed twice at Le Mans?
I always consider myself very lucky with my teammates. I learnt a lot from Ian Donaldson and especially found Sam Hancock’s guidance very helpful going into LMP2 and LMP1. Sam brought an enormous amount of Le Mans experience with him. As a great professional and coach, Sam really helped boost my confidence both in LMP2 and LMP1. He qualified our cars extremely well and could always hold his own when needed during the races. I also really enjoyed racing with Liz Halliday, who proved that she could hold her own as much as any of us guys could do. She was incredibly committed and her example should encourage more women to come into motorsport. Whilst the three of us were disappointed that our Lola retired due to an engine problem in 2005, at least we retired in the lead of LMP2.

Considering the fact that your two Le Mans finishes were on a GT car, which type do you think was the most suitable for you, an LMP or a GT?
Whilst my two Le Mans finishes were in a GT car and I can say that I enjoyed all the cars I drove at Le Mans, my favourite of all to drive was the LMP2 Lola. Whilst we did not finish Le Mans in 2005, myself, Sam Hancock and Liz Halliday were leading the LMP2 class at the time and the Lola was absolutely wonderful to drive! You could brake late and it was quick with the Porsche Curves. 2005 was a particularly hot Le Mans, so being in the prototype in the evening was the nicest place in the world to be!

PHOTOS (© ACO ARCHIVES): LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS – The four cars driven by Gregor Fisken at Le Mans: (top to bottom) Porsche 911 GT3 R in 2004 (with Lars Erik Nielsen and Ian Donaldson, 18th), Lola B05/40-AER LMP2 in 2005 (with Liz Halliday and Sam Hancock, DNF), Courage LC70-Mugen LMP1 (with Sam Hancock and Alexander Frei, DNF) in 2006, and Aston Martin DBR9 in 2007 (with Patrick Bornhauser and Roland Bervillé, 29th).