Jean-Luc Beaubelique: "Jérôme Policand's work corresponds to what I want"

Jean-Luc Beaubelique, one of the most famous driver of the French GT Championship, is not on his national series this year to concentrate on the GT4 European Series, again with Jim Pla in a Mercedes-AMG GT4 entered by Akkodis ASP. Prior to the Spa-Francorchamps meeting, the #87 duo could count on five podiums in six races and the lead of the Pro-Am championship.

The last meeting at Spa-Francorchamps was more complicated due to recurring electrical problems and 14 (12 + 2) points from Belgium. Nevertheless, Jean-Luc Beaubelique and Jim Pla are still in the lead of the Pro-Am championship with a 30 point lead over Alex Fontana and Ivan Jacoma.

In addition to his driving programme, the native from Limoges closely follows the performance of Akkodis ASP and 11 years after winning the Pro-Am category at the 24H of Spa with Guillaume Moreau, Franck Morel and Ludovic Badey, his favourite team has finally won the overall victory. 

Why didn't you return to the FFSA GT?

"I got tired of the instability of the sporting rules and the behaviour on the track. In Europe, we know each other less and I think that plays a role. The behaviour is more professional, the teams come from different backgrounds and the BOP is more reasonable than in France. With Jim, we finished runner-up in 2021, so it was normal to come back for the title."

Is Europe managed differently to France?

"The big difficulty is to have a well-balanced BOP. I am surprised to see different BOPs between France and Europe on the same circuit as we saw in 2021. I am also lucky enough to drive with the best Mercedes driver in GT4. I also find that GT4s are very demanding. The cars are being abused and they all have extra weight, especially the bigger cars. My feeling is that the teams with new chassis are quicker to get into the swing of things. The Aston Martins, Mercedes and Porsches work straight away."

So you have to be more aggressive on the track?

"The GT4s that are penalised in BOP have to attack even more to compensate. The hardest circuit is Paul Ricard with a lot of tyre problems, not to mention the suspensions."

Is the GT3 category no longer part of your plans?

"Two years ago I realised that GT3 racing at a high level was no longer for me. I've clocked up a lot of miles in GT3, but you have to accept that. I'm in a championship where I'm having fun. What's more, Jérôme Policand's work corresponds to what I want. The GT3 championships have now towards professional solutions and that's good."

Could the new GT2 category be one of your desires?

"Stéphane Ratel has asked me to drive with him. I've already done some tests with Mercedes on this type of car. The car is pleasant to drive but you have to see in which environment you drive. Be careful not to repeat history and that things don't go like in GT3. It's interesting to drive with a Pro driver to get the car right and it makes the gentleman safer. The Pro-Am mix is very interesting."

You have always resisted the call of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Could you change your mind with the arrival of the GT3s?

"Seeing the GT3s at Le Mans is a great opportunity. We should already see if it is possible to attract partners to go to Le Mans. Until now, I was not a big fan to compete in this race. For many, the dream of Le Mans is not necessarily a dream of performance but a dream of participation. The 24 Hours of Spa represents more performance with only one category. It is true that I know the GT3 environment well, so we shall see..."