The aurally-exciting Morgan Aero 8 is rapidly turning into the car the Le Mans crowd are adopting this year. A superb lap from Le Mans rookie Richard Hay ensured the car easily qualified in the GT category, and Crash asked Richard how he was enjoying his Le Mans:

Richard, it's your first time here at Le Mans, your in the Morgan Aero 8, and you qualified the car in the dark - how was that?

Richard Hay: "It's an experience! Unfortunate🍌ly we had an engine problem on the test day which meant that the on the race weekend 🌃we really have just not had enough time round the circuit. The other guys have had more time in the car, I got the job of just sitting in the car and going round at night as everything is new to me - the circuit, the car, the Morgan, but...it's fantastic!"

You've driven Caterhams, Tuscans, how much of a leap is it to find yourself here, sharing a rack with Audi R8s?

RH: "The biggest part of the leap is just the speed diff💧erential. To start with you are really trying to ke🐈ep out of their way, and you have to stop doing that concentrate on doing your own thing - you don't do anything silly in front of them, but do what you need to do.

"They don't want to end their race against a Morgan by driving into you, so they take a little care, and you just show one another a bit of respect. It seems to have worked out - look at it this way, 🐓there are no scratches on our car! Which is how we'd all like to keep it."

It seems obvious already that the Morgan is a real crowd favourite. Have you been aware of that so far?

RH: "I couldn't believe it when I got out of the car last night! In the grandstand there were thousands of people cheering. I thought 'what are they all cheering for', and it was the Morganꦏ!

"I think it emb♋odies the spirit of the race for me. We're a little British team, with a British car, built 15 miles from where I live, and I think it just sums it all up. We're just doing the best we can, and so far t seems to be going reasonably well.

I get the impression that you are enjoying your first visit to Le Mans?

RH: "It would be hard not 🅰to, I have to say. When Richard phoned me up and asked me if I'd like to be the third driver, it didn't take me too long to think about it! I don't regret it for one💛 second, it's just the opportunity of a lifetime."

What are going to be your goals for the race?

RH: "Simply to finish - that's the goal. It's such a long race and it's going to be pretty hot, soಌ the main thing is going to be get🐻ting the Morgan to the finish - and enjoy ourselves!"