Giammarco Levorato lines up for his second 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving the Ford Mustang LMGT3 for Proton Competition. The Italian teams up once again with the experienced Stefano Gattuso, while former F1 driver Logan Sargeant makes his debut at the iconic race to complete the trio. The 22‑year‑old Ford driver has his eyes set on finishing his first endurance race after misfortune in both the Daytona 24 Hours and his Le Mans debut last year.

Taking on Le Mans With a Family‑Like Trio

Proton Competition and their Ford Mustang finished the first practice session in 20th spot and the second in 21st.

Despite that, the driver doesn’t think the car is lacking any pace:

“We are trying different things on the setup. From free practice you never really know how it is,” he explains to GT REPORT.

He continues by saying that he actually expects to be strong out there: “I think the track suits the Ford Mustang a lot. We are improving quite a lot over the years.”

The team is working hard to get the most out of the practice sessions. “It’s a long race, so you need to try a lot of things to be sure the car is fast.”

Where the car truly stands will become clear later, when it all counts during qualifying. “From there you will really understand the potential of the car.”

But the Proton Competition driver already has an idea of where they stand.

“I think we are in the middle of the pack,” he says, adding that he isn’t sure it will be enough to reach the second Hyperpole session on Thursday.

“We are not 100% confident yet. For me and Logan, for Hyperpole one and two, we still need to fix something. But we are close to getting to the point we want.”

Being in a team with the 25‑year‑old former F1 driver brings valuable knowledge from a very different racing world.

“He’s bringing a lot of experience from Formula One. He’s not that much older than me, so it’s good to have him in the lineup this year.”

The Italian adds that he has helped the American adjust to GT3 machinery.

“I think I helped him a little bit to understand everything, not the Mustang specifically, but more the category. He’s learning very quickly because he has the knowledge and the speed. But what I improved a lot with him is more the debriefing side. He’s basically feeling everything about the car.”

The #88 Ford driver tells GT REPORT that this is an important skill to have.

“That’s a huge thing when you have to debrief with the engineers and tell them what you’re feeling in the car. He’s very good at this, and you can really see he has experience with race cars.”

The third driver in the lineup is 42‑year‑old Italian Stefano Gattuso, Levorato’s teammate for the second time at Le Mans and in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He finished on Wednesday in tenth during qualifying and secured their first Hyperpole session spot for Thursday.

“It’s my second year with him, and I think he’s doing a pretty good job. He’s improved a lot from last year. I think he was fast back then as well, but he had more pressure because it was his first year in WEC.”

He continues: “Same as me. But for him, as a Bronze driver, he had to gain some confidence. Now he’s getting better, and I think he has the experience to handle the Bronze job.”

About the mix of drivers, he concludes that the trio feels like a family.

“Me and Logan are like the kids of this lineup; Stefano is the father. We’re having fun, and I think we’re a good mix. We have a lot of confidence together, and the feedback is more or less the same.”

Chasing a Milestone in Ford’s Anniversary Year

Last year the two Italians failed to finish the 24‑hour race in France in the Mustang.

“We had an issue with the wheel nut, which was not well connected during the pit stop. That’s something that can happen to anybody during a 24‑hour race.”

To blame any of the mechanics is something Levorato doesn’t want to start thinking about doing.

“They, and the rest of the crew, are not resting. They are always on it, so a mistake from them can happen. It’s not the fault of the guy, it’s just something that can happen in a 24‑hour race. A lot of cars last year had the same issue.”

Besides the aim of finishing, the targets are set for this race.

“To win the race and get the best result possible. This weekend is really important because it’s double points. So it’s crucial to get the best result possible for the championship.”

Also on a personal side, the Ford driver has his eyes set on ending the race on a good note, as this would be a milestone for him.

“I’ve never finished a 24‑hour race because in Daytona, when I did it for my first time, I had an issue during the night. We had to stop the car, so it’s really important for me to finish this race.”

The driver born in Padova, Italy, says the following about his role at Ford Racing driving for Proton Competition in WEC:

“I’m part of the Mustang GT3 program, as a Silver driver, since last year and the year before in IMSA.”

He is also involved in the Ford Hypercar program.

“It’s a big project. Ford is giving everything, it’s really important. And it’s really good that Ford is getting back into this program. A lot is happening behind the scenes. The program is progressing well and hitting all major milestones.”

The new hypercar should hit the track in July.

“The car is almost on the first test day. The drivers are doing a lot of simulator work and they are developing everything quite fast.”

To have this whole program up and running means more for the American manufacturer than it normally would.

“This year is very special in particular because we are celebrating the 60th anniversary since the first victory in Le Mans for Ford in 1966. All the steps that Ford is doing are with the aim of going forward completely. We are trying to do everything perfectly, the GT3 program and for next year when the hypercar will arrive.”

The number 88 Mustang scored four points in the first round of the WEC championship in Imola and failed to score any in the second round at Spa‑Francorchamps.

“The first goal at the beginning of the season was basically to put everything together. Last year we had a pretty strong year in terms of pace and speed, but not in terms of luck during the races. We wanted a cleaner year and to show our true potential. We had some issues in Imola. We were very fast there, but we had problems with the AC. It was not easy for me and Logan to finish the race. Actually, it was one of the most difficult races of my life, and for Logan as well. In Spa, again, we had the pace, but some issues during the race didn’t allow us to get the result we hoped for.”

Still, to call it a failed campaign is way too early.

“The championship is still very long; it’s still quite early to judge.”