Albuquerque Looking For Better Luck in Austria

The Portuguese driver is once again racing with United Autosports in the LMP2 category and is paired with 18-year-old British driver Phil Hanson.  After a tenth place finish at Monza and a DNF at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the American team will be looking for a return to form in Austria.

Q: LMP2 is an ultra competitive class this season and it hasn’t been the easiest start of the ELMS season for you and the team. Are there going to be any changes for the next race at The Red Bull Ring?
Filipe Albuquerque: “Yes, we didn’t start on the right foot. We will keep everything the same because in Monza, other than knowing the track, it was not the strongest circuit for our car and the race didn’t come to us. We had three or four safety cars, which didn’t help our driver line up, and if you think Le Mans this year having 20 hours more racing and we had the same amount!”

Q: You won at the Red Bull Ring for United Autosports in 2017, do you think this will help your preparations for the 2018 race?
FA: “We are very optimistic about Red Bull Ring. We were strong there last year and with the Ligier package now, for sure we will be faster. I am pretty sure, if we have a clean race, we will be on the podium.”

Q: Your 2018 teammate Phil Hanson is one of the youngest drivers on the grid, but he has a few years of endurance racing experience already. How are the two of you getting along and in what areas are you helping Phil?
FA: “Sometimes I forget that he is so young because his working behaviour is very good - he listens and goes out and reproduces what we tell him. We are putting him into hard races because due to the regulations he is often doing four stints in a row in ELMS, which is not the same as Le Mans…”

Q: What are your thoughts on the circuit at the Red Bull Ring? What is your favourite corner?
FA: “I really like the track. The facilities, landscape, asphalt are all amazing. My favourite part is the last two corners. They are more technical than you think they are, it’s easy to make mistakes but you can gain a lot of time if you make it properly.”