Salih Yoluç, Race Car Pilot

Can we call you a speed freak? Or was it something else that led you to car races?

Of course I love speed; but only if I’m the one behind the wheel! I have always followed races since my childhood, and since then it has been my dream to be one of the pilots there. This dream was already a sufficient driving force.

You made history as the first Turk to participate in the Le Mans 24h race! What type of obstacles did you face leading up to this point?

In order to get the invitation for the race, we had to become the champions of the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup, which we participated in last year. The hardest part was having to win at a platform in which high level competition took part. I can say that in order to succeed in this, we worked so hard as a team. We were in different countries nearly every week of the championship. We didn’t have a social life. Though the positive outcome makes you forget all of it.

Where do you find the motivation to go on a race followed by preparing for the following one?

I assume going on a race is no different than a kid going to Disneyland for me. Thus I get happy, and this feeling already motivates me for each race.

Do you have a routine, a belief you follow before going on a race?

I don’t do anything other than regular warm up exercises. But I can say that I always focus on success.

Would you say stress or excitement overtakes on the road to Le Mans 24h?

Excitement, of course. I don’t have much stress. I am confident that our performance as a team will be great, as long as the car can take the 24 hours. I believe we will get a good result unless there is an obstacle on our way to complete the race.

What do you usually do after the end of an important race?

If the result is positive, I celebrate with friends. If not, I just forget about it and concentrate on the next one. And I watch the tapes of the race, of course.