Vautier Looking Forward to “Last Minute” Vanwall Drive

Photo: ACO

Tristan Vautier said he’s looking forward to the “pretty last minute” drive with Floyd Vanwall Racing Team, having replaced Jacques Villeneuve in the team’s Hypercar lineup for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The U.S.-based Frenchman has been drafted into the No. 4 Vanwall Vandervell 680 alongside full season FIA World Endurance Championship drivers Tom Dillmann and Esteban Guerrieri.

Vautier explained the deal stemmed from an initial conversation with the drivers and team boss Colin Kolles at Sebring International Raceway in March.

“It was a set of circumstances, I’d say,” Vautier told Sportscar365.

“I ran into Esteban Guerrieri at Sebring, who was my rival in 2012 through the Indy Lights title and my teammate as well.

“We just started catching up. Then Tom [Dillmann] was there as well; we were by the Vanwall structure in the WEC paddock. We started just chatting all together and it just happened that Colin Kolles was around and Tom introduced me.

“That was it. We went on and then I guess about two or three weeks ago after their three-day test in Monza, they called me. Then it happened.

“Tom put my name forward when they decided they needed someone. It worked out. It was pretty last minute.”

Vautier, who made his long-awaited Le Mans debut last year in ARC Bratislava’s Oreca 07 Gibson in LMP2, will get his first laps in Vanwall’s Gibson-powered non-hybrid prototype in Sunday’s Le Mans test day.

“I have to learn everything during the test day, which is a very similar experience to what I had last year when I showed up from Detroit and I had to learn the Oreca LMP2 on the spot,” he said.

“I certainly don’t underestimate the challenge but I really look forward to it.

“After so many years in the top class in IMSA, it’s quite cool. After I did it in P2 to be at Le Mans, to be in the Hypercar is a bonus for sure.”

When asked if the Le Mans drive could lead to additional races with Vanwall, Vautier stressed that his focus is on next weekend’s race.

Vautier does not currently have a full season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship drive, with his longtime team JDC-Miller Motorsports  having opted for Mike Rockenfeller and Tijmen van der Helm for its new Porsche 963 effort.

“To be honest, I really don’t know what [Vanwall’s] situation is for the rest of the season, with the seat, with their reserve driver [Esteban Muth], and all of that,” Vautier said.

“Right now I’ve been called just for Le Mans so I’ll take it one race at a time and I try to just focus on that challenge for now and we’ll see what happens.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John