Julien Andlauer and the Nordschleife are set to reunite soon. For the Frenchman, the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring remains special. Looking back at how his journey with Porsche started, he’s proud to join the biggest events in the best cars each year.

When GT REPORT catches up with Andlauer, he had just returned from testing in LMP2 for Le Mans and the IMSA weekend at Laguna Seca. Effortlessly he jumps from two prototypes into a GT3 car for the N24 from May 14 – 17. Andlauer is yet to turn 27, but he’s already a regular on the entry lists of races where the best endurance specialists compete.

“I had a lovely month in California,” Andlauer starts. “I stayed over there between the two races as well and had a great time with some friends living over there. The trip back to Europe… was a bit of a trip,” he laughs. “I can’t complain. It’s good to be back a few days before the N24.”

Where other drivers like to train on the simulator until the very last minute, Andlauer prefers to clear his head and then switch into race mode. “For me, going to a race, it’s what I love, but it’s also my work. I take it very seriously, but I need to go there with a free mind. To have a few days off is very important to me.”

“I catch up with some friends and family, have a good physical preparation, but also go to a nice restaurant and do things to relax a little bit. Then I’ll get to the N24 and then I just switch into race week and race mode,” Andlauer says. “I’m really enjoying my time at home and when I have to switch into race mode, I will do so.”

Andlauer and iconic liveries go hand in hand

Flipping that switch is easy when you look at the car Andlauer will be steering around the Nordschleife in a few days’ time: the #17 DUNLOP Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo. He was set to drive it during NLS1, but that race got cancelled due to the weather. The Frenchman loves driving iconic liveries.

“I love to be part of special liveries, different liveries, like stuff that’s a little out of the ordinary,” he explains. “If you look at some historic liveries, there are some iconic ones I’d love to be associated with. This DUNLOP car is fantastic, it’s beautiful,” Andlauer praises.

“I can also correlate it to the one I drove in Laguna Seca, with the Apple livery, which is an iconic design from many years ago. So, hopefully, in ten, twenty or thirty years time, I will look at the DUNLOP, hopefully with a good result this year, and say: this is a special one, with my name on it. That would be awesome.”

Andlauer’s season has started amazingly, with a win in the 24H of Daytona. He already has a win at Le Mans on his CV. How great would it be to add a N24 win to that? “For a few years now, I have gone to the Nürburgring wanting to win, but it’s always a kind of a revengeful feeling, because the Nürburgring takes me nearly every year,” he continues.

“It’s been a few times where we were really close to doing something great, but the Nürburgring decided differently,” Andlauer says – referring to the Nordschleife as a place with its own mind, taking its own decisions. However, he trusts his capacities, his teammates – Nico Menzel, Alessio Picariello and Dorian Boccolacci – and the package, and that they can compete for the win.

“Like last year, we have a strong team, I have great teammates, we have a good car. We had good preparations. I had an amazing test day before I left for California. I’m looking forward to this one, and hopefully… It would be awesome to clinch this one too.”

‘I’m thankful for this adventure that is far from finished’

Talking about his achievements takes Andlauer back to 2015, the year in which he was still racing single seaters, but stood out by doing some guest appearances in Porsche Carrera Cup France. It sparked the love story between him and Porsche. Eleven years later, Andlauer has become one of the faces of the Stuttgart-based marque as a Porsche Works Driver – something that seemed so far away when he started racing in GT cars.

“Over the last year I really learned how to think differently and reflect a bit more, open my eyes a bit more. I’m a stubborn person,” he admits with a laugh. “I have my ideas, I have my objectives and I sometimes keep looking at the negative things to improve, just to make everything perfect. I lost a little time to appreciate what I have, what I’ve done, and what is yet to come.”

“So, yes. I look back at everything with a smile. Where I come from, which is an amazing place, but very far from thinking that I could be here today. Especially when I talk about 2015, the first spark with Porsche, it’s very important and the start of it all. I almost stopped my career in motorsport in 2015, at the end of the F4 season.”

Andlauer expresses gratitude that he could continue to live his dream with Porsche. “I’m very thankful to all the people that helped me through this adventure, which is far from being finished. I do look back at everything, I do appreciate everything.”

What the Nordschleife means to Andlauer

Eleven years ago he could barely imagine he’d drive all those spectacular races he’s competed in many times by now. Battling for the victory in the N24 is one of those special events. “I think purely for the track, it’s one of my favourites. I love Le Mans, especially as a Frenchman, it’s beautiful! But it’s not like the Nürburgring,” he says.

“I like Daytona, but when when I drive around the track, I don’t enjoy it as much as I do on the Nürburgring, or even in Le Mans. I love typical tracks like the Nordschleife. It’s one of the top ones in terms of how special it is, the feeling you have when you drive around.”

He can recommend everyone to experience at least one Nordschleife lap in their lives. “You go on the track, just at your own speed, and see how special it is. There are so many different tarmacs, you go up and down the hills, middle of the forest, and different track conditions. It’s just so special,” he summarizes.

“I really hope we’re going to have a fast car this year, and an enjoyable car, that gives you a bit of trust and confidence to push. Because when you do so, it’s the best feeling ever.”