WH: After the two-day test in March at Paul Ricard, there were a few small adjustments regarding the shifting behavior. Otherwise, everything was checked routinely and prepared for racing before heading to the season opener in Imola for the WEC.

JP: And if something unexpected happens during the race itself—how do you react? How big is your team, actually?

WH: (Laughs) We try to solve those unconventionally, quickly, pragmatically, and professionally, just like professional racing teams do. Our data from the car also goes to India, where developers analyze and optimize the mappings and send them back to us so we can upload them to the car again. The team on-site is very small; it’s just two people besides me. A team principal who is also the data engineer, and a chief mechanic who handles everything around the car except the data. An extremely
professional and mega-competent team.

JP: Preparation seems enormously important. How intensive is the testing phase before a race?

WH: Most testing is done at the beginning of the season to make sure everything fits and that you as a driver feel comfortable in the car. There are always a lot of little things to optimize the performance of the car and the driver. With the Lotus Evora GTE, we spent two days testing at Paul Ricard with the team and Peter Auto in March, which was incredibly important to get as much data from the car as possible and to see that everything works after the long downtime and the thorough refresh of the car. We tried many mappings, checked if the engine temperature was right, improved shifting patterns, measured
fuel consumption, changed aerodynamics, and much more.

JP: And which of these findings were particularly decisive in the end?

WH: First of all, the collected data and the different mappings. A test and tuning day like that is always important for gathering data, trying things out, and optimizing. Making changes to the aero, balance, etc., and getting the driver and team in sync. Especially with slightly older vehicles like the Lotus Evora GTE, many details need to be fine-tuned. The adjustments to the aero alone gave us over 18 km/h in top speed.

JP: Especially in such an intense environment, trust surely plays a big role. How important is trust within the team for you personally?

WH: It’s very important because you’re sitting in a car that you’re always pushing to the limit, and for that, you need corresponding trust in the team preparing your car and, of course, in the car itself—that everything holds up and works. For this reason, I once changed a team where exactly that wasn’t the case and I crashed at the Nürburgring with my Lotus Eleven. You don’t want that.

JP: That shows how crucial the foundation off the track is. How do you prepare yourself physically and mentally for a race?

WH: The most important training for me is karting, jogging, and motorsport-specific training sessions, e.g., for targeted strengthening of the neck and leg muscles. But also reaction training and multitasking exercises, where I try to make the complexity that occurs during a race manageable. Food-wise, lots of fish, pasta, rice, and delicious vegetables. I really enjoy eating Italian or Japanese.

JP: Are there also rituals or routines before the start that help you get into the right focus?

WH: Not really. Maybe that I always eat a spoonful of Nutella as an energy booster before I get into the car. Otherwise, while sitting in the car, I mentally play through possible start scenarios and run through the race track in my head one more time.

JP: Nutella as a racing strategy—you don’t hear that every day. Moving into the race itself: What has been your most intense moment on the track so far?

WH: In Imola, in the third lap when I was able to overtake an LMP2. Before that, I had already managed to outbrake and pass the fast Aston Martin Vantage GTE (built in 2020) in lap one, but overtaking an LMP2 with a GTE is a special treat. They aren’t in my class; they’re prototypes in a much faster class, so of course, you’re happy when you can overtake a car like that under braking or in the fast corners. Usually, they catch up or pass you again on the straights due to their higher top speed. Then the whole thing starts over in the next lap.

JP: That sounds like an enormous adrenaline level. How does your sense of time and speed change during a race?

WH: Unfortunately, we don’t have air conditioning in the car, which, as in Imola, leads to temperatures of over 45°C in the car during qualifying or the race. That means drinking a lot beforehand and taking magnesium and electrolytes. In the race, the adrenaline is so high that you don’t notice anything—you’re so focused on your braking points, your racing environment, and the pit radio that it’s like you’re in a tunnel.

JP: Many imagine that a certain routine sets in over time. Does driving eventually become “automatic” so that you can focus more on strategy?

WH: It would be nice, but even in a race, many things change from lap to lap. The tires slowly degrade. Then you don’t have racing ABS or other electronic aids like in modern race cars; pebbles are suddenly lying in a corner because someone rattled through the gravel bed and your grip level changes, possibly oil, or as in Imola, where suddenly a bouncing wheel that an LMP1 had lost was jumping around in front of your nose.

JP: That shows how unpredictable motorsport can be. Is there a situation that has particularly stuck in your memory?

WH: A scene in qualifying in Imola, when an LMP1 overtook me before the Tosa corner, overestimated itself, and spun right in front of me. That was really close. You can watch it on Instagram. And in the second race, while standing on the starting grid, an LMP2 that wanted to get into its pit box simply drove into the back of my car—no words for these gentlemen drivers. Then in the race, my aforementioned overtaking maneuvers.

JP: Looking at the topic of success: What does a successful race mean to you personally?

WH: Success for me is when I manage to get on the podium. And then an extreme feeling of happiness (lots of endorphins) and anticipation for the podium, the trophy, and of course the champagne. And sharing/celebrating the success together with the team and the spectators.

JP: And how do you see the relationship between result and performance: Does the placement count more for you—or a flawless race?

WH: Don’t they both go together? I think there’s nothing more frustrating for a racing driver than not finishing, and you’re never flawless in any race anyway. If the mistake leads to you losing places, of course it hurts and you’ll be chewing on it for a few days and trying to learn from the mistake.

JP: Finally, a look back—and forward: What are you particularly proud of in your career so far? And what goals do you still have?

WH: The GT championship title in the Lotus Cup Europe 2024 in the new Lotus Emira GT4 and my completely surprising third place in my first start at Goodwood, with my Lotus 23C which I had just acquired and never driven before, at the Goodwood Revival 2025. That was just awesome.

JP: Thank you for these inspiring insights—and good luck on your further journey, perhaps soon in Monaco.