André Lottererthree-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, believes that the world Endurance title he won this year is even more significant than the one he achieved during the 2012 season with Audi.
The German, who took the crown in Bahrain last weekend with his Porsche Penske Motorsport teammates, Laurens Vanthoor And Kevin Estresuggested that his second world crown is more important than that achieved in the inaugural campaign of the revival WEC.
“There is more recognition for such achievement, in current circumstances“Lotterer said Motorsport.com. “You have to see how far the championship has come. Many manufacturers came, and not just to participate: they all came to win.
“Current competition and the Balance of Performance, which levels the grid, mean that What is rewarded is execution, operation and strategy, doing a perfect job throughout the season.. I would say it’s very important,” he continued.
Lotterer, however, also pointed out that That didn't necessarily mean choosing this year's Hypercar title with the Porsche 963 LMDh over its 2012 triumph with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro LMP1. as the most memorable moment of his sporting career.
“I wouldn't say it means more to me, it's just different“, said Lotterer, who will leave the Roger Penske structure in 2025 following the German firm's decision to reduce its squad for next year to two drivers. “But we were quite dominant in 2012, and there didn't have as much competition, if I did say so. I’m honest.”
Newcomer to the LMP1 category at the time, Toyota, was Audi's only official rival after making the late decision to run more than a limited number of development races, which was its original plan after the withdrawal of Peugeot shortly before the start of the season.
Lotterer suggested that the world title should stop being seen as something inferior to winning in Le Mans. Although Porsche won the Drivers' Championship with Lotterer, Estre and Vanthoor, its best result in Sarthe this year is fourth place.
“Before, in LMP1, Le Mans was what everyone wanted; then everything revolved around Le Mans,” he explains, before adding that in the first years of the WEC revival “you thought you had lost the season” if you didn’t win on the French track. He thus describes his triumph with Benoit Tréluyer and Marcel Fassler as the “heroic part” of the 2012 WEC, which included two more victories and four podiums.
Lotterer and his teammates won the battle with the other Audi driven by Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Rinaldo Capello despite their R18's hybrid system failing at the start of the race.
Lotterer, 42, has no plans to retire after losing his job at Porsche Penske Motorsport at the end of his contract. He revealed before the 8 Hours of Bahrain that is in talks with the Teutonic brand about a possible new roleand is also in contact with other manufacturers.