Interviews

Planetlemans talks to Vanina Ickx

© Planetlemans - Gabriel Portos

After an absence of 2 years she is again behind the wheel of a prototype, a sort of homecoming for Vanina Ickx after her DTM experience. Vanina is returning as well to Rollcentre where she actually had her prototype debut and this is an extra incentive to perform this year.

PLM- How does it feel to be back in the Le Mans Series?

VI- It feels good, DTM and LMS are very different, like day and night. In DTM there’s a lot of investment, the pressure is high, nothing is left to improvisation. In fact, the paddock is super organized, there’s no cars driving around, it is very similar to a Formula 1 paddock.

PLM- So what makes you feel so good about the LMS?

VI- Well, even if the racing in DTM is incredible, the cars are impeccable, they look great…LMS has a different attitude. The LMS is as professional but the environment is completely different.

PLM- Can you be more specific?

VI- You can talk to any driver, walk into any team’s pit, exchange opinions, communicate; you cannot do that in DTM. (Editor’s note: this interview took place at the Pescarolo hospitality area. While we are discussing this point Henri’s wife, Madie Pescarolo passes by and emphasizes to Vanina that this is “her home”)

PLM- And at your current team you are no stranger…

VI- I am happy to be at Rollcentre, I had my best result ever racing with them, they are a friendly team and I fit in their philosophy since I race with my heart. Their environment, their approach means a lot to me.

PLM- What about the other drivers?

VI- Joao (Barbosa) is very professional; he is also very quiet and peaceful. Martin (Short) is always on “top rev” so they are a very good combination. I respect Martin a lot for what he has achieved: he has his own team, his own car and it is an LMP1! His wife is also there and puts a lot of energy in the team. As I mentioned he has done a lot by himself and at Rollcentre he is simultaneously manager, driver and husband.

PLM- So when did you start as a race driver? Was it pre-determined by your family history as many people think?

VI- No, not at all. It was a coincidence, or better said a series of coincidences. It was not obvious at all that I would go into motor racing. I was not attracted by cars and I was very involved in horse riding and jumping at an early age. I was fully occupied by that but at 18 I quit horse riding to focus on my studies. At that point I felt a sort of “emptiness” in my free time so I looked for other alternatives and sometimes I went karting with some friends.

PLM- Was that the start of your interest?

VI- Only partially, I did have fun but that was it. It was a bit later that I was in the gym and I met this Belgian girl who was into racing, she was racing a Peugeot 106 and wanted to move up to a BMW compact class. At a certain point she had arranged everything to race the whole of the following season and she became pregnant. She had literally everything ready and could not race and then she thought of me, you know, daughter of Jacky Ickx, etc.… I did try it and I liked it. I am usually curious and like to try many things so I went for it.

© Planetlemans - Gabriel Portos

PLM- So what would you like to achieve this year?

VI- Well, the most important thing for me is to enjoy the racing, if I enjoy myself I will perform. I want to go back home happy with what I did. I want the team to be happy with me and I think I can achieve that by respecting the work my team-mates do, not making any mistakes and delivering a car in good shape back to them.

PLM- So how did you feel on the car this weekend?

VI- I had forgotten how busy the traffic was in this class! (laughs) Sometimes you are behind a battle of GT2 cars and it is challenging. They are focussed on their own space and forget to look in the mirrors…

PLM- So what do you do when you are not racing?

VI- I train drivers. At this moment I am busy with a project in Saudi Arabia. There’s a training facility being built to coach drivers, both men and women. Women could drive there since it would be a private facility. It will be a racing school and they wanted a woman to teach other women. I am curious to go and feel what many women feel over there where some things are restricted, including driving a car.

A very welcome return to the LMS, Vanina Ickx is looking forward to enjoying herself and therefore perform on the number 18 Rollcentre Pescarolo. She is focussed and dedicated to this opportunity and the LMS relaxed, homely off-track environment fits her perfectly.