Dixon “can’t wait” for Le Mans, seeks help from Bourdais

Chip Ganassi Racing’s ace will board his team boss’s jet immediately after tonight’s ninth round of the IndyCar Series at Texas Motor Speedway, and head to Le Mans for scrutineering, in preparation for the Le Mans debut of the Ford GT. He will be joined by IndyCar rival and Le Mans native Sebastien Bourdais, who is also driving the French classic for Ganassi-Ford’s four-car team.

Said Dixon: "I haven't been there before. Everybody I'm sure has watched the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It's an amazing event. Looks like a European version of the Indy 500, the support it has over there.

“I’ll be eyes wide open, taking in the experience… but I can't wait to get on track. The weather looks a bit iffy right now, but I can't wait for the experience, it will be so cool.”

Dixon said the fact that the race would also mark the 50th anniversary of fellow New Zealanders clinching Ford’s first Le Mans win in the Ford GT40 meant a lot. “Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the '66 win for the Ford GT, with Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren driving that car, is great. The whole point is to go there and see if we can replicate that win 50 years later.” 

Leaning on Bourdais’ local knowledge

Dixon, who won the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2006 and ’15, said that he will be hoping for tips about the track from fellow Ford GT rival Bourdais.

He said: “Bourdais and myself have worked together at some of the other races. I wasn't part of the [GT’s] Rolex 24 Hour program this year because I was still in the [Riley-Ford] Daytona Prototype.

“Then in the Sebring 12 Hour [when Dixon did switch to a Ford GT], I think there was so much going on with the program, we had many more things to talk about than just Le Mans.

“We're in different cars, so the debriefs have been somewhat separate. Seb’s very accomplished, has run there before.  I've only done a simulator test. Haven't been on the track or seen it.

“So I definitely will be asking him a lot of questions when it comes down to it. We'll have an eight-hour flight from here to catch up on some of the tricks. Being a hometown person living right down the road, hopefully he can point me in the right direction for good restaurants.

“He can be my translator, too. I was hoping to bring [daughters] Poppy and Tilly because they are in French immersion and they speak fluently in French, but they can't make the trip unfortunately.”