Yann Ehrlacher starts season five of the WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup chasing a third title for Cyan Racing Lynk & Co. Still only 25, the flying Frenchman can count on the continuity of the tried a tested Lynk & Co 03 TCR on Goodyear tyres as well as his considerable talent behind the wheel.
With two events on French soil, next week’s WTCR Clean Fuels For All Race of France is followed by the WTCR’s first visit to Ehrlacher’s home region for WTCR Race of Alsace GrandEst in August, this is what he’s had to say ahead of the Circuit de Pau-Ville season opener from May 7-8.
On racing through the streets of Pau…
“I drove there in one of the first races of my career in 2013. It was in a small electric car but it was more like an exhibition race than a proper race. But I don’t really remember the track so I need to work a little bit more on the simulator and on the videos to be ready, but it will be okay.”
On racing on the streets again…
“It’s been three years since we drove on any street track and it’s always a little bit different than a normal circuit. For sure the commitment is really important. In Qualifying when you put on new tyres and you have to go for a lap it’s always a bit more risky and every mistake can cost you a lot because if you crash in Q1 then you are out for the rest of the session and for the races it’s a problem, so it’s always a bit more of a gamble for us drivers. Street tracks are the type of track I like the most but you can’t do mistakes and if you commit 105 per cent on a Qualifying lap, you have to make sure you don’t crash and sometimes 105 per cent can be too much because you can go wide and hit a wall and your weekend is finished. But when you go for a push lap on a street track so close to the walls and you complete the lap it’s like the Nordschleife, it’s quite insane with the adrenalin and what you feel, it’s incredible.”
On being ready to chase world title number three…
“I felt ready the day after Sochi [venue of the 2021 WTCR finale]. Every day is another day of training. With the postponement of the first event it means more preparation, more and more days to prepare. We’ve done some testing but it’s now the fourth year with the car and after four years you start to be at the end of the development phase with the car and you are more looking at the set-ups that you had no time to test during the season so that’s what we did in the winter.”
On keeping #68…
“I thought about changing to #1 because you never know when this opportunity might come back at this level so, for sure, it’s a big question. But, at the end of the day, I am quite linked to this number and I have won twice with this number so I just keep it. I hope one day I will have another chance to take #1 so I have ticked this during my career. It’s an important question but, at the end, it’s just a number and I am more focused on what is under the number, the car, the set-up and the way I drive. These are the main things, the number is just an accessory.”
On being even better in 2022…
“We can always be better. Even by winning the title in the two last seasons they were not perfect seasons. For sure we have two seasons in a row without a single DNF and finishing every race in the points so they are good stats and the way you need to behave to be at the front in the points, even though I have done mistakes in Qualifying. I could have done better in Q3, a few positions I could have optimised, there are always things to optimise and doing a perfect season doesn’t exist and will probably never exist. That’s why every day you have to improve and keep looking for a better you. I am improving myself with the experience but still I need to work and there are lots of ways I want to improve myself.”
