Marc Gene has settled straight into the Audi team and is targeting a podium finish in this weekend's Le Mans 24-hour race with the German outfit he once considered to be his major rivals.
The 38-year-old drove for Audi's adversary Peugeot between 2007 and 2011, winning the iconic endurance race in 2009.
But Peugeot have now pulled out of the sport, with former Formula One racer Gene then signing as a reserve driver for Audi before being promoted to a race seat following an injury to Timo Bernhard. The Spaniard instantly felt at home.
"Because I have raced since I joined the team I have done all the programme so far so I don't feel like a reserve driver at all. I have felt like a racing driver from the very beginning so I feel no extra pressure," he said.
"The first time I looked at the car close up and put the Audi overalls on, that was a strange feeling. Now I'm used to it, time goes by and human beings always adapt to things.
"I adapted very quickly, it helped me lots that it is a close car, like the Peugeot. On my first long run my pace was already good so it didn't take me long."
The Ferrari F1 test driver, and his co-drivers Romain Dumas and Loic Duval, performed well in qualifying and will start the race this afternoon from second on the grid, after being beaten only by one of Audi's hybrid e-tron Quattro teams.
Despite their impressive showing, Gene is all-too-aware that over a 24-hour period qualifying has little to do with the final outcome of the race.
"I know qualifying here counts for nothing but it is nice to see that the gap is not big, they have more pace than us but we will be good in the race," he said.
Gene has occupied both the first and second steps of the Le Mans podium in his two finishes during his Peugeot years and would like to replicate that come on Sunday afternoon.
"I'd be very happy with a podium," he said. "We have everything in place to try and win it but if I end the race on the podium I will be happy."
