2017 Daytona 24 Hours preview with Ford GT driver Richard Westbrook

Can you talk about your best memories of Daytona?

“Probably debuting here with the Daytona Prototype [in 2014]. We lead for a really long time and came very close to a victory, but a seatbelt issue brought us two laps down and that really cost us.

“Last year was also very special with the debut for the Ford GT. We had a real buzz around our garage. Everyone wanted to see it and that was very special. I have come in second and third a few times in this race but I have never won it.”

How does racing at Daytona differ from Le Mans?

“Daytona is special. You can be four laps down in the night and make it back because of yellow flags and safety car periods. That does not happen in Le Mans.

“Being a lap down at Le Mans, you’re pretty much out of contention for first place. In Daytona, you are never out of the race, the most important thing is that you’re on the lead lap with an hour to go. That’s when the gloves come off. It’s an endurance race but it’s all about the sprint in the end.”

Is Daytona particularly hard on the car?

“For a 24-hour race, you really have to look after the car, you cannot hammer the curves around here. You have to treat the car with respect and the track with more respect than you would in a normal two-hour sprint race.

“After the race, they pretty much rebuild the entire car, apart from the carbonfibre [structure]. A 24-hour race is pretty much the lifetime of the car.”

What speeds do you expect to reach, and what's it like taking the banking in a GT car?

“Plus 180mph depending on the wind. That is the target level for GTLM, even though the cars will go much faster. Racing in the GTLM class, we need to be a step below the prototype cars.

“You don’t really feel the banking so much when you’re on track. The time when you do notice it is behind the safety car going really slow. At that point you feel like you’re almost holding yourself in the car. But when you’re at high speed, the forces are pushing you back into the seat.

“Yesterday was the first time I walked on the banking and you can barely walk up to the top. It’s that steep. It’s incredible. When you’re on track you don’t notice it that much. It’s when you’re going slowly that you do.”

How have you prepared physically for this race?

“I don’t really do anything different for this race. It’s not massively physical because it’s a fast track, you are wide open on the throttle for long periods of time and the banking makes it easier, so it’s not as hard on your neck.