Fernando Rees, 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship GTE-AM champion, is an Aston Martin Racing works driver for the 2014 season. The Brazilian will be driving in the #99 Bamboo Engineering V8 Vantage GTE at each of the eight rounds of the championship including the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Fernando Rees, 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship GTE-AM champion, is an Aston Martin Racing works driver for the 2014 season. The Brazilian will be driving in the #99 Bamboo Engineering V8 Vantage GTE at each of the eight rounds of the championship including the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Q: You've raced in the World Endurance Championship before. What is your favourite circuit in the calendar and why?
My favorite circuit is Interlagos, where I started my racing career in go-karts back in 1994, and also where I had my car racing debut in 2001. It's my hometown circuit, and it feels really special to race there - as a Brazilian, we have many good memories from our countryman racing there in the past.
Q: In 2012 you became a world champion in the GTE-AM class. This year you are in the GTE-PRO class. How much tougher do you think this will be?
It will be a really interesting challenge, and for sure a much tougher one. But being in this team, with these guys, it will also be a great learning experience for me, and I was missing an opportunity like this.
Q: You have raced the Aston Martin DBR9 in the past with some great results. What is your greatest memory of driving that car?
One of my most beautiful memories happened inside that Aston Martin car. Back in 2007, during the Mil Milhas Brasileiras, in Interlagos, last round of the European Le Mans Series season. It was my first race in almost two years - I had been away from racing, recovering from injuries sustained in a serious accident while testing in F3000. After a long time with so many questions in my head, and not knowing whether I would ever drive a race car again, it was very special to make my debut in sportcars with Aston Martin and to win the race in my comeback to motorsports.
- Follow Fernando's year as an Aston Martin Racing works driver on Facebook, Instagram @Fernando_Rees and on Twitter @Fernando_Rees