Colombian driver Oscar Tunjo has enjoyed success since switching to Le Mans Prototypes, finishing third in the European Le Mans Series LMP3 standings in 2023 with WTM by Rinaldi Racing. The 29-year-old took three podiums alongside Torsten Kratz and Leo Weiss, including his first ELMS win in Portugal at the end of the season.
This year Tunjo is racing in the LMP3 category in the Michelin Le Mans Cup for German team Gebhardt Motorsport alongside Valentino Catalano. After a disappointing start in the opening two races of the season, it all came good in Le Mans when a good haul of points, including a podium finish on Saturday morning ahead of the 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, gave the German team a boost.
Now Oscar Tunjo looks forward to the second half of the season, beginning with the next two hour race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday 23rdAugust.We caught up with Oscar to discuss the season so far and his hopes for the race in Belgium next month.
Q1: The start of the season in Barcelona and Le Castellet didn’t go to plan for you and the team. What happened in those two races?
Oscar Tunjo: “Barcelona and Le Castellet were two very hard races for us as a team. We started in a new championship, a new car, new crew to go to such a big championship as the Le Mans Cup.
“Unfortunately, Barcelona was a really tricky weekend for us, because we had some ups and downs. Mainly, we had a lot of limitations to run, the new car came with some issues, and we could not fix them at all during the whole weekend. The race, we started in the top 10, I think was around P7, and we made our way to the first five, then to the top three.I was fighting for the podium spots and we had small contact with a GT3 car, which put us out of the race.
“Then Paul Ricard, we could not really run in the race. We started with some issues directly in the beginning of the race, and Vale, who made the start of the race, told us on radio that car was having some issues.
“So, it was a few tough weekends for us so and that's why for us, Le Mans was a very important race to take some rhythm and momentum for the rest of the season.”
Q2: You had a better result in Le Mans with two points scoring finishes, and a podium in Race 2. What are the positives you have taken from Road To Le Mans as you look forward to the second half of the season?
OT: “Well, the good things from Le Mans for sure, is being on the podium in such an important race, and to do it in the way we did, it was amazing.
“So we started out of top 10. Then we managed to fight our way through the pack and fight for the podium at the end. As a team, and also as a driver, it is always a dream to be on the podium in such a important track with so much history.
“Also, I think we make a big step forward in our reliability with the car and also as a team, we think we got stronger. It also gave us an extra boost for the next races and it's a result we need. We are very thankful that it all came together and it worked out.We’re happy to to get the first points on Saturday in the first race, and then get the podium and more points in race two, which was a great.”
Q3: The opposition in the LMP3 category is very competitive. How do you rate the championship this year?
OT: "Well, I think for me right now, the Le Mans Cup with the new driver lineups, with silver-silver and pro-am, I think, is one of the toughest LMP3 championships in the world. For me right now, I think is the highest one in level, with top teams, also top drivers and a lot of young guns.
"They also come from single seaters, a few from GT racing, a few from LMP2, because we have some drivers from LMP2 in the Road To Le Mans, which is amazing to see. If you see their speed and you can compare yourself with these LMP2 drivers, which is good because you know you have the speed to be also fast in a bigger car.
“I think the championship is doing a great job, because also gives the chance to have really good competition. I mean, as a driver, I’m very happy to be in such a big championship. We try to do our best, and to keep growing in this important category.
“I hope we can still also deliver great results in these three last events we have.”
Q4: Looking ahead to the next race in Belgium. What are your thoughts on the track, and do you have a favourite corner or sequence?
OT: “For me, my favourite corners, I will say, Eau Rouge is obviously nice in an LMP3. But I'm also I really like the section of the Les Combes, the second sector where it starts. Also Pouhen, the fast left hander is a very, very quick left hander. All that section I feel is just mega.”
Q5: What would you consider to be a good result for you and the team in Spa?
OT: “Well, for sure, we will aim to be on the podium. For sure, it's always a tough call, or it's always a challenging goal, because everyone is very fast. I think there is great crews, there is great teams, but we always try to do our best and we try to put a maximum effort to try to get the result we are aiming for.
“We really hope we can deliver in Spa, which is a track that is very important to have a good qualifying.In the race, you can have some chances to overtake in case qualifying doesn't go as planned.
“I will have a new teammate for this race, because, unfortunately, there is a clash between IMSA and Le Mans Cup, so Valentino will not be there. So also will be a learning curve for a new teammate that is his first time in the car, and I hope we can just speed up his learning process, and we can fight for the result we're aiming for as a team.”
