Image: Richard Washbrooke / Adrenal Media
Co-WEC World Champion Anthony Davidson says a revitalized approach with Toyota team-mate Sebastien Buemi part-way through the 2013 season laid the foundations for the duo’s successful assault on the World Endurance Championship in 2014.
Speaking at the series launch of in London last week, Davidson reflected on the change of approach which has seen their relationship go from strength to strength with each passing race, culminating in a first title for the Japanese marque at their third attempt last season.
“The relationship between drivers is an important one in endurance racing, but when Seb first arrived on the scene in sports cars he didn’t know anything about it. He was very rough around the edges and he approached it in the same way he did Formula One, which isn’t the right way, but it’s the only way that you know when you leave that world; he was there to beat me, I was there to beat him. I was the known quantity in sports cars, so he was out there to try and prove that he was better and faster, or whatever,” said the Englishman.
“But in the second year we recognised that it was never going to work, we had words and since then our relationship has been fantastic, to the point where we don’t really need to give any direction before we jump into the car. We sing from the same hymn sheet, we’re there as a unit now, rather than as individuals.
“Although showing your speed is important, we know it’s not the be-all and end-all. We just accept each other’s talents and one day he’ll be faster and the next day I’ll be faster, and that’s just how it’s worked since mid-way through 2013.”
Now with the prized number one adorning their car, Davidson and Buemi – who finished fourth in last weekend’s Long Beach e-Prix – will be joined by Kazuki Nakajima as they seek to defend their title and conquer sportscar racing’s holy grail, the Le Mans 24 Hours, for the first time. Defending their Tourist Trophy win at this weekend’s Six Hours of Silverstone would be a good start, but for Davidson, the main prize comes in June.
“I feel like for the first time in my career I’ve achieved what I set out to in that given category and its only really know Le Mans that remains in LMP1 that I’d like to win; I wouldn’t say need to win, but I’d like to win it!” he said. “It’s nice just to have the world championship as a feather in your cap and it was job well done last year, but you move on and you want to win again.”