For the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Dindo Capello was called by the ACO as a Legend driver to celebrate his three victories with a ride on the R10, the 2008 Audi. the warm up recognized a warm tribute to the champion from Asti who was almost moved on the podium walkway from where he greeted the public.
“I was very pleased with this call – explains Dindo – but I won’t hide the fact that I had a strange sensation before re-entering the car: I thought I had forgotten all the procedures for starting the car and the switches on the dashboard. And instead, once in the R10, which remains my favourite, it’s as if I felt at home”.
“The last time I drove it was in 2008 and so we’re talking about 15 years ago. Although so much time has passed, as soon as I lowered myself into the cockpit everything came back to me and I rediscovered what were automatic movements: it was a strange sensation because I rediscovered the same smells I was used to and, for a moment, it was like I went back in time, so for me it was very emotional. It seemed that nothing had changed since 15 years ago: when you feel sensations and smells experienced for years, the emotion is strong. Then stopping in front of the full grandstand was impressive. I was already impressed that the grandstand was packed on Friday, but this edition of Le Mans is truly something incredible…
Is the… climate of the Centenary different?
“The environment has changed and for us Italians there is something different: I have seen many tricolor flags appear that I have always missed. The sensation to be experienced today is extraordinary: there is a great sense of belonging and I am very happy: I can’t wait for an Italian driver to take away my primacy of being the last Italian to have won the overall at Le Mans . As an enthusiast, I am waiting for my successor to arrive…”.
Those who hold a record usually don’t want to see them taken away…
“It’s human, of course, but I think it’s good for our motorsport that an Italian gets back on the winning path. With this I don’t mean that he doesn’t care, because I won my races and nobody takes them away from me ”.
Three pole positions, three victories and ten podiums in fourteen participations…
“I have wonderful memories here at Le Mans. The victory I have in my heart is that of 2008 which, also by Autosport, was considered the most beautiful in the history of Sarthe. My best race was in 2007, even if we lost it with a few hours to go because a wheel had come off in Indianapolis”.
“Among the pole positions, the most significant was that of 2006, because I only discovered the following day, while the race was underway, that I had conquered the position at the pole not having the tires for qualifying, but with a racing train. The Audi technical manager had come to meet me and told me that they had made a mistake in taking the set of tires and that I had achieved a pole that was worth much more”.
What should we expect in the Ferrari – Toyota challenge?
“Being the first edition with a debut regulation and with new cars, I don’t think the fastest car wins, but the most reliable. We saw it in the first three WEC races that everyone had small or big problems, so I imagine this 24 Hours as an elimination race, so whoever has the least problems will win”.
Is it a two-way match or could Porsche and Cadillac also be in the running?
“I said the best victory was in 2008 when we were four seconds slower than Peugeot. And that says it all…”
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