FIA WEC – Davide Rigon: "24 Hours of Le Mans, a dream coming true"

This weekend the spotlight will turn on the 82nd Edition of the 24 Heures du Mans, the most important and eagerly-awaited race in the Endurance panorama, and not only.
Among more than 160 riders, there will also be Davide Rigon, at the wheel of the Ferrari 458 GTE #71 of AF Corse Team, making his debut at the Circuit de la Sarthe, in pair with James Calado and Oliver Beretta. “A dream coming true. All drivers wish to run the 24H of Le Mans at least once”, the 27-year-old driver from Veneto (Italy) says.

For Davide, it will be the fourth 24H race, but the first time at Le Mans, after the races of 2008-2012-2013 alongside the amazing ups and downs of Spa-Francorchamps, with the success at the first chance at Ferrari, in the FIA World GT. “The fact I already have an experience in 24H races will be an advantage. I already know what to expect and how to measure forces, although Le Mans remains a unique race. Both for me and my team-mate James this will be the debut, but we have worked hard in these weeks to get prepared. Sharing the box with Fisichella-Bruni-Villander is certainly very stimulating”, the driver of Maranello continues.

During the collective test of the beginning of this month, Davide has begun to become familiar with French track, long more than 13 Km. “I’ve never driven on a circuit where a complete lap takes nearly 4 minutes. It’s really something crazy. I’ve had the opportunity to study the circuit through the simulator and some videos, but actually driving it is something sensational. You have to keep the concentration level very high and also for a long time, and I’ve been working hard on this with my trainer. There will be the opportunity to do three consecutive hours of race and I want to be prepared”.
The 24 Hours will also be the third round of the FIA WEC and crew #71 will arrive at the start on the strength of the fifth position. “The evaluation so far is certainly positive. Now we have several kilometres behind and several hours of driving at the wheel of Ferrari. Both my team-mate and I are young drivers, with a great desire to learn and to get noticed. Thanks to AF Corse and Ferrari we have everything on hand to make it right”, the driver of Minardi Management concludes.

Curtains will be risen already on Wednesday night at 10 pm with the first of three qualifying sessions, which will conclude on Thursday 12 June, giving way to warm-up on Saturday (9.00 am) before the official start, with Fernando Alonso ready to wave the French flag at 3 pm.