Pierre Gasly hopes to be “in a good car to participate in Le Mans one day”

Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly was spotted at the 2024 Le Mans 24 hours race as he hinted at taking part in years to come.

16 ex-F1 drivers were on the grid at Le Mans this year and Gasly admitted he could see himself following that path.

Gasly’s focus for the time being remains on F1, but with Alpine already in the Hypercar class, the French driver would have a direct route into the historic race.

Speaking on the grid to Eurosport, Gasly said: “I think it’s every kid’s dream. I’ve watched this race since I was that tall [gestures low to the ground],"

“I actually lived in Le Mans for five years. I studied here, and I’ve got a close proximity to this city and this track. For sure, it will be a dream to win Le Mans one day.”

“For now I’m fully focused on Formula 1. It’s not in the pipeline but seeing these guys today, wearing normal sneakers and jeans doesn’t feel right.

“Hopefully one day I’ll be in a good car to participate in Le Mans.”

Former F1 drivers taking part in Le Mans is nothing new, but with the Hypercar class drawing huge interest over the last two seasons, the appeal to take part, even for current drivers, appears to be on the up.

“I find it fascinating,” added Gasly. “I’ve got many friends racing today which makes it even cooler because I'm on the grid and I’m seeing a lot of guys I raced against.

"You know, 4am, one hour’s sleep, it’s going to be absolutely p*****g down. It’s going to be very extreme.

“As a racing driver, I really appreciate how hard it is. Hopefully people on TV can realise as well, because it’s tough.

“To focus for an hour and a half, it’s a big challenge, but to focus for a full 24 hours and sharing a car, a lot of respect for these guys.”