New talent Gregoire Saucy relishing WEC experience
One of the new bright young things of the LMGT3 category, Gregoire Saucy, is aiming to make a strong career out of endurance racing in the next few seasons.
A resident of the northern Swiss town of Bassecourt, Saucy made the switch to endurance racing earlier this year with the announcement of a dual programme in the FIA WEC with United Autosports and in ELMS with the Richard Mille by TDS squad.
It has looked like an inspired decision as Saucy sits atop the ELMS points table with teammates Mathias Beche and Rodrigo Sales, while in the WEC he recently scored his and United Autosports best LMGT3 result to date with fourth place alongside James Cottingham and Nicolas Costa.
The challenge of doing two series in two very different cars is not lost on Saucy. However, the 24-year-old is revelling in the variety, saying that he “loves the fact I am in a different car one weekend to the previous race.”
“It's easier to go from LMGT3 to LMP2 than the opposite way,” explained Saucy.
“It's a bit harder to adapt to the car because the brakes are not the same. LMGT3 you just can brake as hard as you can because of ABS. But the LMP2 you need to manage more. So, it's a bit more difficult but you just switch your mind to it and adapt. So, after Le Castellet last weekend in LMP2, my mind was totally focused on Spa and LMGT3 and I already forgot about the Ricard weekend.”
Sportscar rookie Saucy is in good hands with the experienced United Autosports squad on hand to impart their wisdom. So far the dynamic of the team is working well, peaking with a strong qualifying and race in Spa earlier this month.
“It's my first time in a GT3 and everyone is helping me a lot too in the team,” he says.
“We are all together to grow up. And to learn from this car my engineers have already done a few years in GT3 which is cool. Everyone is close to each other which I think is most important. It's better on my side, inside the team, because we're progressing race-by-race. And I'm really more and more confident in the car to push, trying to find the limit.”
Saucy and his teammates are learning via every lap they complete in the papaya and black McLaren LMGT3.
“I would say better and better through each time I go in the car,” says Saucy. “We progress with the team in terms of setup, in terms of me knowing the car more so it's really good for the moment, we need to be continuing to work like that.
“We are helping each other. We are working like, like three brothers at the end. And I think that's really, really good. I'm pretty sure we will get some more good results soon because we are working so hard.”
Saucy and United Autosports will be back in action next month for round four of FIA WEC, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which takes place from 15-16 June.
