Interviews

Planetlemans talks to Ángel Burgueño

© Planetlemans - Gabriel Portos

It is almost time for the first ever Valencia 1000km in the Le Mans Series so the right time to talk to one of the top "home" drivers in this race, Quifel ASM’s Ángel Burgueño. Ángel has a solid experience in single seaters and GTs and he had a very good season last year with LMP2 victories and a championship that only escaped him and Miguel Ángel de Castro by a strange rule twist.
In the wake of his home ground race and having unfortunately retired at Monza after a very solid weekend we get some time from Ángel to answer a few questions.

PLM- -Like many other drivers in endurance you have a single-seater backgroud, why and when did you decide to move to prototypes?

AB- Last year was my first one on this category and this was thanks to Miguel Amaral’s proposal of racing in LMS. I decided to do it because I enjoy this kind of driving tremendously. 6 hours races are beautiful, you get to drive a lot and I enjoy every single lap behind the steering wheel.

PLM- What is your previous experience in GT cars?

AB- I started in 2001 in the Spanish GT Championship and I have raced many times since then. I’ve won twice the GTA class and the Trofeo Ibérico as well as many races.

PLM- How did your relationship with Amaral and ASM come to be?

AB- Through our relationship in the Spanish GT Championship.

PLM- How do you evaluate your 2006 season and what’s your goal for 2007?

AB- We were clearly the best last year, the team grew a lot as the season progressed. This year we have an even better car and the team does really a wonderful job. It’s the best team I have been part of, the atmosphere is great and this clearly translates into results. Our objective is the LMP2 title!

PLM- Last year you had to miss Le Mans after your shunt during testing, how did that feel? Will we see you this year on your first Le Mans?

AB- In all honesty it was very hard to miss on such an opportunity but these things happen… I am still not confirmed for Le Mans but indeed I hope to be there for the first time and to win it.

PLM- After that you had the coming together with Barbosa at the Nürburgring where you showed that one needs guts to overtake you. We had a talk in Jarama after that and there was still some tension with the Rollcentre folks, is that water under the bridge now?

AB- When I am on the car I try to do everything in a professional way and I am not out there to give away a race win to anybody. Every minute of the weekend I give 100%, always in a clean and sportive way. I think the Nürburgring incident was just that, a race incident and I am sure the Rollcentre guys see it the same way as I do now.

PLM- How do you feel at the Valencia circuit? Does it fit your style?

AB- First of all I am very motivated because it’s our home country race and I feel very comfortable there. I have won at the Antonio Tormo track in several classes included Formula Nissan. In reference to my style I normally feel good at every circuit, in Valencia of course I will be very competitive.

PLM- Do you qualify the car usually? Do you feel comfortable with your team mates?

AB- We take turns, De Castro and myself. It’s not really pre-defined who will do it. During the race we also do the same (to start and end the race) with Miguel Amaral taking the middle stint and it works just fine. I feel really good with the other drivers, De Castro is not only a very good driver but also a friend of mine for 15 years already. And what can I say of Miguel Amaral? I have an excellent relationship with him and he is a luxury as Gentleman Driver, I think he’s able to take the colors away from more than one pro….

PLM- Favorite circuit and car?

AB- ASM-Lola, Spa-Francorchamps

PLM- Your best race?

AB- I think I did pretty well at Spa last year.

PLM- Your ambition on the sports side?

AB- Be back on a full professional career and do endurance racing for many many years.

PLM- What do you do outside of racing? You have a karting track outside Madrid.

AB- Next to the Karting Centre my family owns a restaurant in Pedrezuela near the Jarama circuit and we are also into real estate.

PLM- Did you have any driver as an example in your early years? Who was your mentor?

AB- Not really, I admire a lot of drivers but I never had a single one as "the" reference. My mentor is undoubtedly my father and when I started I had the fundamental support of the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo (Royal Spanish Racing Federation)

Thanks a lot to Ángel for his time and… muy buena suerte en Valencia!

gabriel@planetlemans.com