Interviews

Planetlemans talks to Liz Halliday

© Team Modena

Another busy week is about to end but there’s still a pending appointment Friday evening. The phone rings and we have the privilege of sharing a conversation with Liz Halliday who was announced as a Team Modena driver a few days ago next to Antonio García.

© Liz Halliday

Even when she has been a full-time ALMS driver for the last two seasons, Liz has been living in the UK for over 7 years now. It is not a secret that her sports career is divided between motor racing and 3-day eventing as an equestrian so this seems to be the perfect homebase to develop both activities. But Planetlemans is all about endurance racing so that’s where our conversation begins.

PLM- Liz, you have just joined a new team where you’ll be partnered by one of the quickest drivers in the class. This will be quite challenging I expect.

LH- It is great to have a good driver as a partner.You have a base time to compare yourself against, the car development is accelerated. I have been one and a half years out of a GT car so this will help me a lot. I will actually drive the Aston for the first time at Sebring which is going to be quite a challenge. I need to get used again to having a roof above me!

PLM- You will be back with your old colleagues and rivals of ALMS there, how do you see the race?

LH- Sebring is about reliability more than anything else and last year’s victory with Intersport was a clear proof of that. I think the scenario is similar for me, we were facing Penske in LMP2 now it will be the Corvettes in GT1. But we do have a good shot at the win. Corvettes have proved extremely reliable, particularly in the longer races so we know it will be tough but we can do it. Modena is a team with a great car, they had a top 10 finish in Le Mans last year so the endurance is there. However at Sebring you face heat, bumps and this is a different class, different car, the traffic is different so you have to watch much more for the prototypes wanting to overtake you.

© Liz Halliday

PLM- You come to the LMS with 6 LMP2 wins and 12 podium finishes, can we expect the same from you here?

LH- My track record is a good thing but it could also be a bad thing. I am very confident and I think we can achieve good things in 2007. This is a great package: reliable car, quick team mate, very good team…that’s why I chose this offer above all others. I am also facing the season very thoroughly in terms of fitness, training, etc.

PLM- Have you raced in the circuits where LMS will be present this year?

LH- I have raced in Spa (also the 24 Hours), Silverstone and Monza, luckily also in GT cars. I love European circuits but we’re planning to do the Brazil round as well. I am very keen on racing at Interlagos.

PLM- What are your expectations for the season?

LH- I like to believe I can win. Whenever I start something is because I strongly believe I can do it. We can win our class at Le Mans this year. The LMS is also very stiff competition but our team can face that. With Intersport we had the same approach last year and we did win races, so it is possible. Even a miracle is always possible.

PLM- What about further aspirations? Beyond 2007.

LH- I want to win outright. That’s what I race for, LMP1 is where I always wanted to be. It’s the biggest class, the fastest cars, it’s what I really want to do. But GT1 is also exciting, it is my first time in GT1 and you don’t know where it is going to lead. I have also other projects and I am keeping very close ties with America. I will announce some of this soon, it is not racing but…you’ll have to wait.

PLM- It is time for a silly question but I need to ask it, do you see any similarities between the two sports you practice? Horses and cars?

LH- Cross country has some links to motor racing. As a matter of fact it is also a high speed sport where you need to take quick decisions, have very fast reactions and get that right. And if you don’t, …well, the consequences are painful! I also believe that the weight shift balance needs a similar approach. Both car and horse need to be steered taking this into account. There is still one fundamental difference: a car has no brain.
PLM- Liz, your schedule seems a real nightmare combining both disciplines and all the travelling, how do you survive it?

LH- It is really really busy, to give you an example I have every single weekend booked from March to October. I am extremely thankful to all the team that helps me manage and train the horses, the support I get from them is enormous. At some stages I get off the plane and I go straight to the horses, I can guarantee you I have no time off at all. I do enjoy travelling but my schedule is indeed enormously busy.

Liz is still planning to qualify for the Olympics in her "equestrian" side but this will not deviate her attention when it comes to the LMS GT1 class in 2007. She’s eager to win and ready to do battle. And the roof? She’ll get used to it again in no time, I’m positive. Sebring will be her first opportunity to show it.

Thanks to Liz and Andy Wilkinson for the interview.

gabriel@planetlemans.com .