José María López made history last weekend in France, when aboard his No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing he took the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours race, in a competition he shared with Britain’s Mike Conway and Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi, and was the second Argentine to do so. In 1954, José Froilán González was the first to join him along with the Frenchman Maurice Trintignant aboard Ferrari and the feat is again fulfilled with “Pechito”, who was close to achieving it in the two previous editions and now he took the thorn and enjoyed it as never before. The Cordoban, already calmer with the confession, gave an interview in which he expressed his feelings before such a feat worldwide and told the moments he lives while waiting to know what will be his future in the endurance category of world motorsport.
“It’s a very nice thing, but very difficult. I think about the achievement and I get goosebumps. Now to enjoy it, “said Lopez in dialogue with Russian Roulette (Rock and Pop), where he also told what it felt to be the second Argentine to get the victory in the 24 hours of Le Mans. When I arrived at the hotel I felt a happiness impossible to describe in words. It is something that not many have been able to achieve and it is incredible to have been able to achieve this. I had the chance to meet Froilán González and I never imagined being the only two Argentines who have achieved it,” he said. On the other hand, he highlighted the work together with Conway and Kobayashi: “They are my battle partners that we have been running with for the last four years. It’s a sibling relationship because it’s already very difficult for a driver to give the car to another and here everyone did a huge job. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Lopez, Conway and Kobayashi, champions of the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Argentine motorsport has long had at least one figure in one of the important divisions, and López highlights it, despite the fact that no drivers have been seen in Formula 1, the most popular category and in which “Pechito” had his tests but his career took another direction.” Motorsport is in our DNA and we have an impressive quality of drivers. All the renowned drivers from outside have had a hard time winning and the Argentines who competed outside always did very well. Motor sport is expensive and to reach these instances you have to have a support, “he closed.
