FIA WEC 2023: D’Station Racing’s Erwan Bastard Shares Frustration Over Hypercar-LMGT3 Encounters
Following the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, D’Station Racing driver Erwan Bastard expressed his concerns about the relationship between Hypercar and LMGT3 cars, citing two incidents caused by contact from Hypercar machinery during the race. In an exclusive interview with Motorsport Week, the #777 AMR Vantage driver vented his frustrations about the Hypercar drivers’ aggressive behavior on track.
Bastard emphasized that LMGT3 cars are often forced to yield to Hypercars, stating, “Sometimes you see that they just dive too late, and you have to let them go. You have to move out of the way or you’re out.” He believes that Hypercar drivers often expect LMGT3 cars to give way, which is not always possible.
The French driver recounted his experience during the race, saying, “At the end of my stint, I was like, ‘Okay, I don’t want to take any risk if I see a Hypercar. I’ll show him that I’m gonna move so he can go easily.'” Bastard was referencing the incident involving the WRT BMW M4 LMGT3, which was taken out by the Cadillac V-Series.R Hypercar, resulting in a red flag.
“Sometimes you see that they just dive too late, and you have to let them go. You have to move out of the way or you’re out.”
The incident, which occurred during the third FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) race at Spa, led to a lengthy 1-hour and 44-minute stoppage. Bastard witnessed the crash firsthand and narrowly avoided the debris that littered the circuit.
The #777 D’Station Racing team ultimately finished seventh, with teammates Clement Mathieu and Marco Sorensen also contributing to the effort. The team’s result was a testament to their perseverance, considering the challenges posed by the Hypercar-LMGT3 dynamic.
The WEC 2023 season continues to unfold, with the FIA WEC calendar 2023 promising more excitement and drama. As the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes continue to compete alongside each other, drivers and teams will be keeping a close eye on the relationship between these two categories.
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