Nicki Thiim is looking ahead to the title fight in GTE Pro in this weekend’s 8 Hours of Bahrain, claiming that fight for a world title is what ‘you dream about as a driver’.
Thiim and partner Marco Sorensen come into the final round of the 2019/20 FIA World Endurance Championship as points leaders in GTE Pro. With wins at Fuji, Bahrain and Circuit of the Americas, the pair have scored 157 points with one race remaining.
They lead their team-mates, Maxime Martin and Alex Lynn, by 15 points. Lynn will not be taking part in Bahrain, as Aston Martin revealed on Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado sit in third place, 26 points down on the leaders but still with a mathematical chance at the title.
Should Thiim and Sorensen win the title on Saturday, they will take their second title in the WEC. They’ve already won it once before, in 2016, which was also the last time Aston Martin won the championship in GTE Pro. Ferrari won it in 2017, while Porsche captured the title in the 2018/19 Super Season.
“It comes down to this after all the blood sweat and tears that have gone into this both from the team, who have already won the manufacturers’ championship with this amazing Vantage GTE, and from the drivers,” Thiim said.
This is what you dream about as a driver, the chance to fight for a world championship. To have done it once with Marco in 2016, and to have the chance to do it again is simply amazing.
Despite strong form and a healthy championship lead, Thiim refuses to be complacent heading into the last round of the championship.
“But we still have a job to do, eight hours is a long time in racing, and we have a big fight on our hands. We will give it everything. These last couple of months have not been like any other. Every second of every minute you are thinking about it. It means so much.”
Like Thiim, co-driver Marco Sorensen says he is also focused on the job at hand.
There is only one thing in my mind and that is to get the job done,” said Sorensen. “To win this championship. Nothing else.”
“It’s been a difficult year for everyone for so many reasons, and to finish the season as world champions would give us all more motivation to go through the winter. Being able to call yourself a world champion will do that! I just can’t wait to get to Bahrain and get started.”
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