Nicolas Hammann: April Update & Dubai Recap

The following was written by Nicolas Hammann, 2014 United States GT Academy Champion, as he offers an inside look at the Nissan Driver Development Program which he joined after winning this past season of the competition. More to come soon as his racing season gets underway!

You can read more updates from his website, or chat with Nic here in the forums.

Ever since returning from Dubai all I have had on my mind is getting back on track racing.

The last few winter months have been very long and with each passing week I am getting more and more anxious. I have been fortunate enough to help out at Road America with driving schools as much as possible as well as work at my family’s small town repair shop but nothing comes close to racing on track with NISSAN and GT Academy.  I did have some exciting news around a month ago. I received my 2015 racing plans and cannot wait to get out on track with Doran Racing and their NISSAN 370Z in June. I continue to train both physically and mentally preparing myself for my hour and a half stints in the NISSAN 370Z.

My 2015 racing schedule begins on June 27 at Watkins Glen, then July 24 at Lime Rock, Road America on August 8, Circuit of the Americas on September 18, and Road Atlanta on October 2.

I am really looking forward to racing but it seems like forever until June. Being able to race at tracks like Watkins Glen and my hometown track, Road America is so exciting I would have never imagined last year at this time I would be racing all thanks to NISSAN and GT Academy.

As I look back to the beginning of the year and racing the NISMO GT-R GT3 at Dubai I hope to continue the solid results and will keep everyone informed on my racing year. Please enjoy my racing journal from my Dubai race in January.

The official start of the Dubai race weekend began with us arriving at the track eating breakfast and going to the driver’s briefing with Bob Neville, Rob, and Charlie. The briefing lasted around half an hour and discussed everything about the race weekend and all the regulations. We returned to the garage and immediately sat down and reviewed all the information making sure we all understood and would abide by all the regulations.

Immediately after, we had our first official practice session with the GT-R on track. I went out after Ricardo and could tell this was an official practice compared to the previous day’s test session. There were a lot more cars on track and I was constantly busy passing slower cars. I still worked on improving my weaknesses from the previous day’s session and I was able to run a 2:04.9 by the end of my laps.

I got out of the car and switched with Ahmed. As soon as Ahmed was ready to go out a red flag came out on the track. I was relieved that I got my run in but was sad for Ahmed who was anxious to go. We then all took a break for lunch. After lunch I got back into the GT-R and ran three more flying laps. By this time I felt very comfortable in the car and on track and it was all about getting clean laps to post a good time. I didn’t end up getting much clean track time and was disappointed with the time I posted. I was called in on the radio on my fourth lap and as soon as I parked the car, Florian was jumping back in. I walked around and the GT Academy camera crew was asking me how the run went. As I was getting my helmet off and answering all of a sudden my mom and dad were on my left and right side. It took me a while to truly comprehend what was going on and after around five seconds I understood.

My parents came to Dubai! I was very surprised to see them and almost broke out in tears. I couldn’t believe they were here and were going to be able to watch the race live! After talking with my parents awhile and asking them numerous questions, the GT Academy filming crew pulled me aside and asked if they could have me for a while to do some interviews. I looked at the schedule for the rest of the day, and saw qualifying was at 3pm and night practice was at 6pm. I discussed what time I needed to be back in the garage with the team and then headed up in the media suites for some interviews. I did this for a few hours and then came back to the garage. By the time I got back qualifying had started. Florian was out on track, so I just watched with the rest of the team the timing monitor. Florian was doing a great job, and one of his laps was a 2:04.009 placing us on pole for our class. Our class A6 Pro-Am was unique in a sense that it had a minimum lap time that we couldn’t run under.

The lap time was 2:04.00. For practice and qualifying we always made sure to run slower than this, and for the race we had 10 joker laps (laps that you could run quicker than 2:04) to use.  Florian’s lap was incredible and no one the rest of the qualifying session was able to run closer to 2:04. This placed us on pole and 14th overall. All of us were super excited and congratulated Florian as soon as he came out of the car. The team looked and prepped the car for the night practice and I talked a bit more with my parents about the trip over and how long they knew they were coming. We then got ready for night practice. The order for night practice was Florian, Gaetan, Ahmed, Ricardo, and I. I was very nervous to go out. I felt very comfortable with the car and track, but was worried about all the cars on track and the last thing I wanted was to be taken out by someone during night practice. I hopped in the car after Ricardo and went out. Luckily I had a nice gap in traffic and was able to settle in and get going. I ran four flying laps and then was called in. We then ate dinner at the track and headed back to the hotel around 9pm. We all knew we needed a good night’s sleep before the race day.

The following morning we arrived at the track around 8am and then ate breakfast in the catering tent. After that we had team pictures with the car out on pit road and this lasted for around an hour. I did some more interviews and media presentations. Florian ran the car in the warm-up session trying to get a good benchmark time for the data logger. They were not able to get a clean enough lap to post a time that we could follow. The goal was to run a 2:04.5 with the timer in the car that way when all of us were out during the race we could use this timer as a gauge. It does split times instantaneously so we would know how much faster or slower we were going. The lap time that they wanted to save with the data logger needed to be a clean no traffic lap that was relatively even all the way around. Florian wasn’t able to get good clean laps so we were going to have to wait until the race to save a reference lap. After the warm-up we worked on driver changes. The initial order was Florian, Gaetan, Ahmed, Ricardo, and then me for the race. We went through orders of what to do when getting out of the car and what to do getting in. Luckily most of us used the same padding and seat position so it saved some time as well. The team decided to have a crew member help the driver getting in so the driver getting out could just run over and rest in the garage. The overall plan for pit stops from the beginning of pit road was the driver coming in had to loosen his belts, disconnect his A.C. and then as soon as he pulled into his stall undo the belts and the side net. The driver getting in would bring his drink bottle along with him, open the door, disconnect the radio and drink bottle helmet connections and pull the driver out. After this the new driver would hop in set his drink bottle on the dash connect the right side belts and the crew member would then connect the left belts, change the drink bottle, and connect the radio and drink tubing and lastly hook up the window net.

By the end of a couple driving changes we felt like we had a good rhythm and were happy how they were going. We had two sets of waist belts in the car so this saved time with not having to tighten or loosen waist belts. After practicing driver changes we then got ready for the grid walk. Florian hopped in the car and took it around on the start finish line and the rest of us hopped over the pit wall. I sat with Rob Barff for a while and talked about the race. A little while later I went by the car and took some pictures. The race was getting ready to start so all of us besides Florian headed back to the garage. I quickly ate lunch before watching the start of the race on the TV monitors in the garage area. Florian did a great job and got away cleanly. Then the game of waiting began for me. Florian did a great job and before I knew he was handing the car off to Gaetan. The Hankook tires did such an incredible job that we didn’t even have to change tires every hour. We could easily run the tires for two hours and only have to stop around an hour in for fuel. Gaetan did a great job in the car and then Ahmed was next. During this time I just sat in the garage, talked with crew members and media personal and watched onboard footage. Ahmed ran clean and consistent laps and then Ricardo was up next. He got in the car around 7:30pm so it was already dark on track. Ricardo ran for around two hours. About at nine o’clock I started getting ready for my stint. I ate some dinner and then did some stretching and warm-ups with our physical trainer. I got my helmet and gloves on and waited in the garage for Ricardo to come down pit road. I got some advice from my parents as well as my coaches and then walked out on pit road. This is where the nerves started to set in. I anxiously waited for Ricardo to pull into the spot and I quickly opened the door. The next few seconds seemed to happen so fast but before I knew I was strapped in and heading to the fuel pumps. I hooked up my A.C. and switched my driver ID before getting to the fuel station. Once at the pumps I got advice on where to go and I pulled into the spot and switched off the engine.

I waited patiently as I heard the RJN crew guys yelling the fuel pump readout. I finally heard 115 and knew it was go time. I fired up the engine after getting the command and headed out on track. Once out on track I didn’t even remember the rest. I enjoyed driving the car so much and had a blast flying past the slower cars. During the week when I would only get three or four laps I truly did not get to enjoy this incredible experience. I just kept putting on laps making sure to not put the car in any dangerous places and run as close to 2:04 as possible. I felt really comfortable and I was able to get a good rhythm. Before I knew I was getting called in around an hour in my stint for fuel. I responded on the radio and came in that lap. I slowed the car down to pit road speed and then went to the fuel station. I got fuel and headed back on track. The rest of the stint went uneventful and I was called in a little later for the stop. I returned on pit road, and quickly came to a stop handing the car off to Florian. I immediately walked in the garage and saw my parents standing there excited to see me. I took off my helmet and talked with the crew a bit. After that I ate some very delicious pasta made by the team’s catering staff and ate with my parents. I enjoyed talking with them about my stint and I was relieved that after waiting many hours to get in the car my first run was done and I had done a solid job. Having my parents at the race was very rewarding and looking back I can’t even imagine running the race without them. After eating I tried sleeping for a bit and was able to get around an hour of sleep.

I woke up with Gaetan now in the car and was excited to see the car was still running great. We were currently 6th overall and second in class. A code 60 was out on track (basically this is similar to a full course caution but you cannot run any faster than 60km/h, keeping all the cars spaced equally apart on track and the speed is monitored from lap times and sector splits). The team then called Gaetan in for a brake change. It was around 2am in the morning and when other teams were sleeping or barely able to keep their eyes open the RJN Motorsports team was performing flawless brake changes. The team changed front pads and rotors as well as rear pads. I enjoyed watching the team and before I knew the wheels were going back on and the air jacks were going down. Gaetan was sent back out and I just sat around with the team ready for my next stint after Ricardo. Ricardo went in after Gaetan and did a great job. Ricardo had to make a drive through penalty for forgetting to change his driver ID but this did not cost too much time.  Around halfway through Ricardo’s second stint I suited up and got ready. Allen, our trainer, did a great job throughout the entire weekend making sure we were ready for our stints, and made sure I was physically and mentally awake at 4:50am in the morning. I heard on the radio Ricardo in this lap and grabbed my water bottle for the car and stepped out on pit road. I anxiously waited for Ricardo and as soon as he stopped I opened the door, disconnected his helmet wire, and pulled him out. I then sat in the car and got all strapped in, and as soon as my door shut I fired up the engine and went for fuel.

After being fueled up, out on the track I went. I definitely wasn’t as nervous as before and enjoyed the entire run. About 40 minutes into my stint I started to feel the car loosening rear grip. I radioed to Geoff, our engineer and told him what I felt, and continued on. Around a lap later I could tell something was up, and I told Geoff I think I have a puncture. Within the next corner I immediately knew I had a flat. I called it in and said I was pitting this lap. Geoff told me to slow down, saving any bodywork damage the flat could cause and I safely got back to the pits. The tire was changed and to the fueling station I went. After filling up I fired up the engine and took off out on track. I was able to get going again and run a 2:04.065 which was very close to 2:04.00. I don’t even know how Florian was able to get a 2:04.009. It was around 6:50am and I was just beginning to see light on track. This was really cool to see and I wish I would have been in the car longer to see the sunrise. Around 45 minutes after the tire change a code 60 came out and I was called in for a driver change. I handed the car off to Florian and was a little disappointed with my stint since I had the flat tire. I talked with the team and my parents a bit before changing and grabbing some food. I have to say I have some of the most dedicated parents. They stayed for the entire race and were always there when I got in and out of the car.

Florian did a superb job in his stint. He used some of the joker laps and was able to gain a few positions. By the end of his stint we were 2nd in class. I enjoyed watching from corner 14 and 15 and couldn’t believe how well the race was going. I then ate breakfast and relaxed with the team. I didn’t know if I was going to be getting back in the car so I just waited anxiously to find out. Gaetan ran next and did a great job as well. The car continued to run strong and Ricardo hopped in after that. I then heard that I would be hopping back in next and I was immediately excited. I was going to get to drive during the day and get more laps behind the wheel of the amazing NISSAN GTR. Ricardo did one stint and then handed the car off to me.  I went and filled up with gas and headed out on track. The first thing I noticed was all the rubber marbles and junk offline. I now understood why I got a flat tire in the first place, and how important it was to not run offline if possible. The next hour I just took it really easy on the car.

I short shifted wherever possible, saved brakes, and didn’t use any curbing. I got passed by a Ferrari and two Mercedes out on track but remembered to stick to the game plan of taking care of the car. I received a message pit this lap and pulled into the pits and handed the car off to Florian who did a great job bringing the car to the finish.  The entire team watched anxiously in the garage and the last 25 minutes seemed to take forever. We all climbed on the pit fence with two minutes to go and watched as Florian crossed the line 2nd in class and 5th overall. We were on the podium in Dubai! We received all kinds of congratulations from everyone and headed to the podium. There we met Florian and couldn’t tell him enough how great a job he did. We were then announced on the podium and given our trophies. It was really cool standing next to Rob Barff on the podium, the man I had to prove to that I should win GT Academy and now I am racing against him. We then headed back to the garage and took all kinds of pictures. I was told I had to do an interview with the GT Academy TV crew so I had to pack my bags and head back to the hotel.

After looking back on my adventure it truly is amazing!  At 21 years old I am living the dream and am the luckiest person on earth. I cannot thank everyone at RJN Motorsports, NISSAN, GT Academy, and my family enough for all their support and help the last few months. It truly is incredible what I have done and I cannot wait for my 2015 racing season to continue at Watkins Glen!

See more articles on GT Academy 2014 and Nicolas Hammann.