Mr. Le Mans

Yannick Dalmas is regarded as an excellent endurance specialist., having won the Le Mans long-distance classic three times: 1992 in a Peugeot, 1994 in a Porsche, and again in 1995 for BMW-McLaren.

Dalmas' career as a racing driver began relatively late. After tough years in enduro and motocross (where he broke virtually every bone in his body at least once), he made his first attempt on four wheels in 1982. His inaugural full season ended with an overall third in the Renault-Turbo Championship. Just one year later, the championship honors were his.

The Frenchman's entry into the Formula 3 monoposto proved to be smooth and highly successful, taking runner-up during his first year and a convincing overall title in his second season. 1987 saw Dalmas take the logical step into Formula 3000. Two wins were the new-comer's astounding harvest. His Formula 1 outing for the Lola-Ford team during the same year brought similar success. The flying Frenchman earned his first world championship points with a fifth place at the Australian Grand Prix.

The lean years from 1988 to 1990 were spent in the cockpits of less successful Formula 1 teams. During 1991, a frustrated Dalmas switched to the World Sportscar Championship. In his first attempt, Yannick Dalmas and Finnish ex-Formula 1 pilot Keke Rosberg won two rounds in a Peugeot. A year later saw Dalmas and teammate Derek Warwick go home as World Sportscar Champions.

Dalmas' finished first at Le Mans in three times in four years between 1992-1995. In 1996, he climbed the podium once again - this time after finishing the Sarthe marathon third in a Porsche 911 GT1. Despite his unshakable will to win, the quiet and unassuming Frenchman did not succeed in placing his Porsche 911 GT1 at the very front in last year's FIA GT Championship. At the Suzuka round, however, Dalmas held on to the pole position after an immaculate qualifying lap until shortly before the end of the session, when the AMG-Mercedes team pushed the Porsche pilot off pole and relegated him to second.

Seated behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT1, Yannick Dalmas is determined to turn the situation around this year.

Yannick Dalmas - Personal:

Born: July 28, 1961 in Toulon (F)

Lives in: Campione (CH)

Family status: single

Children: Paul, Pierre

Hobbies: jogging, mountain biking, karting, cooking, my job

Favorite dish: fish

Favorite drink: fruit juice, red wine

Favorite music: Beatles, M. Jackson, Tina Turner, Pavarotti

Favorite reading: Léquipe, La Gazetta dello Sport, Le Figaro, sports magazines, unfortunately hardly any time for books

Film/favorite actor, movie: Michel Serrault/Sigourney Weaver, "Le bonheur est dans le pré" (1995), Michael Douglas, "The Game"

Dream job if not racing driver: surgeon, pilot

The most beautiful place on earth, favorite cities: My parents' home in Provence

Impressive people outside racing: Jean-Claude Killy, Carl Lewis, Alain Prost as the team boss

Dream rival: My dream rival is fast, intelligent, professional, and plays fair

Favorite track in a GT:If the car is okay, every track

Best Porsche experience: The first works drive last year in this team where everybody had at least ten years of racing experience. FIA GT Championship 1997.

Yannick Dalmas - Career:

1983:	French Renault Turbo Championship, 3 wins, 3rd place
1984:	French Renault Turbo Championship, 6 wins, 1st place
1985:	French Formula 3 Championship, 3 wins, 2nd place
1986:	French Formula 3 Championship, 6 wins, 1st place 1st place at the Formula 3 Grand Prix in Monaco
1987:	Int. Formula 3000 Championship, 2 wins, 5th place
1987-1990:	Formula 1 (Lola-Ford, Lola-Lamborghini, AGS-Ford)
1991:	World Sportscar Championship in a Peugeot 905, 2 wins
1992:	World Sportscar Champion and overall winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours in a Peugeot 905
1993:	2nd place Le Mans 24 Hours (Peugeot 905) 2nd place 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Porsche)
1994:	1st place Le Mans 24 Hours (Dauer-Porsche 962)
1995:	1st place Le Mans 24 Hours (BMW-McLaren F1 GTR)
1996:	3rd place Le Mans 24 Hours (Porsche 911 GT1)
1997:	Porsche works driver in the FIA GT Championship and in the Le Mans 24 Hours
1998:	Porsche works driver in the FIA GT Championship and in the Le Mans 24 Hours