In order to best introduce the Indian Le Mans Project, we've asked Yves Courage to explain it.

Patrick Brignoli: "Yves, can you first let us know why and how you have started racing?"

Yves COURAGE: "You know, for somebody born in Le Mans it would have been rather unusual not to be a racing fan! From childhood I have always come to the main track and to the Bugatti track to attend the races. When I completed my studies, I was not rich and I have started racing hill climb."

Patrick Brignoli: "And you were successful!"

Yves Courage: "Well, let's say I've been working hard and I've won some 80 races, and I've been on an equivalent number of podiums."

Patrick Brignoli: "And you've started racing Le Mans 24 hours."

Yves Courage: "As said previously, when you live in Le Mans, and when you're a driver, Le Mans is your Must, your dream, the race you would like to win. I have therefore been driving several cars for private teams."

Patrick Brignoli: "And in 1982 you have had the incredible project to manufacture your own car. How comes?"

Yves Courage: "As a race car driver, you always think you could improve the car you're driving, but you cannot do it because you're only the driver. This is most frustrating and this is precisely what led me to start manufacturing. I did not know then that I would still be a manufacturer 25 years later. I would never have thought that my idea would turn into a real company manufacturing and selling chassis worldwide!"

Patrick Brignoli: "How did you manufacture the very first car?"

Yves Courage: I had some friends, of which some used to work in the automobile industry, some in very different fields, but all were very much interested in the project, and were ready to invest time to see our car on the starting grid of the mythical Le Mans 24 Hours."

Patrick Brignoli: "So, this is how the story goes for Courage Compétition..."

Yves Courage: "Yes. A group of friends with a strong motivation. By the way it has not changed today: one of our team's main strength is undoubtedly the team spirit and the real strong human relationships."

Patrick Brignoli: "Why did you stop driving in 1987?"

Yves Courage: "Well, 1987 was a turning point in our team's history. The team was only 5 years old and we finished Le Mans 24 Hours with a 3rd position overall: I thus deemed it no longer possible for me to be both a driver and a team manager. Quite a hard decision for me, but we were facing a major challenge and I know today that it was the right decision to make. There has always been major manufacturers in the world of endurance racing: Ford, Renault, GM, Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Audi, etc. In order to achieve results, we had to further develop the team."

Patrick Brignoli: "The team has become a real company in 20 years!"

Yves Courage: "Well, as I said, if you want to succeed, you have to be a professional, and you have to be most demanding if you want your partners -whether they are technical partners or sponsors- to have a positive feedback. If you want to endure in the world of car racing, you have to be honest and to work in close parnership with those who trust you. Everyone at Courage Compétition gives everyday of his best."

Patrick Brignoli: "What about the drivers?"

Yves Courage: "They are one of the fundamentals! If you go to our "History" section of the website, you'll understand why we are so proud of the high number of drivers that have been driving our cars. Of them, quite a number come from abroad, which proves Courage Compétition's international calling, and among the French, some have been driving a F1, a must in the world of car racing.

Patrick Brignoli: "Now Yves, could we speak of the great project launched a few months ago. Firstly, what are the reasons for your chosing India?"

Yves Courage: "Well, everybody knows that India is becoming one of the world's leading economic powers. It is a technologically state-of-the-art country, it has some of the best computer scientists, and it is a country well-known for its marketing and commercial dynamism... not to mention its fabulous century-old History and civilization! France has dedicated a lot of efforts to make its citizens discover this beautiful country: festivals take place all over France, and there are many TV programmes about India.

Patrick Brignoli: "Now, what about your project?"

Yves Courage: "As said previously, car racing requires top-level technologies, and it is a very performing and attractive communication medium that can help companies to improve and to give value-added brand image. On the other hand, India hosts numerous very talented your drivers with no infrastructures to show their skills.
Last October, on the occasion of the last LMS race (LMS: the European endurance championship) in Madrid, we have invited Sirish Chandran, assistant editor at "Overdrive" to be our guest for the week so that he could then come to Le Mans and discover our team and endurance races. We have explained our project and all the discussions we've had have confirmed we hade made the right choice.

Our main objective, with the support of Indian companies, is to make it possible for young and talented Indian drivers to win Le Mans 24 Hours in the 4 coming years. The first step consists in offering them to drive a LMP2 in all championship races and to take part in all the development tests; on completion of this first driving season, they'll be in a position to drive a COURAGE LMP1, both in championship races and in Le Mans 24 Hours.

At the same time, we wish to have one "Indian-branded car" (see below) participating in Le Mans 24 Hours 2007: the car will be driven by already confirmed Indian drivers."

Patrick Brignoli: "Will such project take place for one or more seasons?"

Yves Courage: "Courage Compétition intends to work on a long-term basis. We're working on a long-term partnership with Indian companies. Launching such a project with no future would be uninteresting. We really would like to offer these Indian companies a real opportunity to develop their market share in western Europe, and at the same time we wish to favour the dawn of new talents."