Spa winner Perrodo braced for tight LMGTE Am title fight
AF Corse stalwart François Perrodo is forecasting the toughest ever FIA WEC LMGTE Am category title fight this season after a successful start to the campaign for the reigning champion at Spa-Francorchamps.
Perrodo shares the No. 83 with fellow 2019-20 champion Nicklas Nielsen and new recruit Alessio Rovera who joins the crew after wrapping up the Italian GT Endurance Championship last year.
The newly-formed trio got off to an excellent start at the TOTAL 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps earlier this month as they headed home their competitors following a faultless display.
For Perrodo and the AF Corse crew it was the ideal way to start their title defence, although the popular French driver has warned that WEC Season 9 will be the most competitive ever in the LMGTE Am category.
“It's going to be one hell of a season because there's a lot of very strong powers out there,” said Perrodo. “The strength now is super competitive and I think there will be multiple winners and title contenders. I see it as the strongest season yet in Am.”
Perrodo has a remarkable record of success in the WEC since he made his debut with the ProSpeed Competition team in a Porsche 997 GT3R back at Le Mans in 2013.
Since then, he has taken two GTE Am titles with AF Corse (in 2016 and 2019-20), six class wins and a total of 24 appearances on a WEC podium.
His Spa race started spectacularly as he made up several positions from a fifth place class start in the AF Corse run Ferrari 488 GTE Evo. The Frenchman completed two flawless stints during the race before Nielsen completed the comfortable win by taking the chequered flag 44 seconds ahead of the No. 33 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage.
“I got a bit lucky at the start, because I gained three position in the in the first turn,” recalled Perrodo. “That wasn't expected but I just went for it. Then Ben Keating in the No. 33 car was absolutely flying.
“So, I tried my best to keep up but he was just too fast. Then I ended up fighting for second position with my old pal Paul Dalla Lana. We've been racing each other for years now and it's always a pleasure to fight against them. I'm thrilled with the victory and the whole team did a mega job and it’s a great way to kick things off for the season ahead.”
Perrodo and his team-mates will be back in action for the upcoming 8 Hours of Portimão, round 2 of the WEC, which takes place in Portugal from 11 – 13 June.
