For his first prototype race, Marlon Hernandez was immediately successful in the NP02 at the 4H du Castellet. Accompanied by Jesse Bouhet and Yohan Rossel, the COGEMO driver quickly got to grips with the situation, taking his team to victory.
How did the opportunity to ride for COGEMO come about?
A few years ago, my father raced a GT car in the Am in the team run by Georges Kaczka, COGEMO's team manager. I knew Georges from back then. Two months ago, he contacted me to do a test in the NP02. We spoke at Magny-Cours when I was racing with the Martinet by Alméras team in the Ultimate GT Endurance Cup. I also got to meet the team. Initially, it was just going to be a test, but the N°154 was short of a driver and they offered me the chance to race.
What were your first impressions of the Nova NP02?
I'd never driven a prototype before. The NP02 is obviously very different from the Porsche Cup, the only car I've driven in recent years. The team helped me adapt very well. They guided me on the important points I needed to pay attention to. The biggest challenge was getting used to the aero in the fast corners and on the braking phases, but that came fairly quickly.
Did Jesse Bouhet and Yohan Rossel, with whom you shared the steering wheel, also give you advice that was more focused on driving?
Whether it's Jesse, Yohan or the drivers of the sister car, they all helped me enormously the day before and just before I got into the NP02. We have a lot of driving time, but if you divide it by three, it's not that much. Thanks to them, I was able to get my bearings and be efficient from the very first laps.
Tell us about your night stint in the middle of the race!
It was great! I really enjoyed driving at night and felt good behind the wheel. The big novelty for me was traffic management. I had to be able to avoid losing time by overtaking competitors without taking too many risks. I think I did well. In the middle of my stint, there was a long Full Course Yellow followed by a Safety Car and I was able to take a breather. We also made a strategic stop for petrol, which probably helped us to take the win.
When did you start believing in this victory?
Honestly, right from the start of the race. We knew that, in terms of the consistency of the three drivers, we had the pace to challenge for the podium and even first place. It was important not to make any mistakes and to be good at strategy. As soon as Jesse finished his first stint, we were certain that a top-3 finish was within our grasp. We realized that victory could be ours when Yohan started his last stint. When we did the calculations, we saw that we were virtually in the lead.
The end of the race was punctuated by the long-distance battle between Yohan and Gaël Julien (Graff Racing N°9). How did you experience it from the pit?
It was very stressful! Gaël Julien was coming back quite strongly, and we had the pressure of being in the lead. It was all going to come down to the final laps. You could hear the flies flying! (Laughs)
You began the year at Le Castellet with victory in the Porsche Cup category of the Ultimate GT Endurance Cup with Martinet by Alméras. You had a more complicated season in Porsche Carrera Cup France. Is it a relief to finish 2024 with success in your first prototype race?
It feels really good. I hadn't won for a long time, and I've had a difficult time in the PCCF. To be back on the podium, to hear the Marseillaise, to see the team below us, it's very pleasant.
Can your future be written in Prototype or is the GT page not yet turned?
These are the questions of the winter. I don't think my story in GT and Porsche is over. Continuing in proto is not out of the question, as I've really enjoyed the team and the car. We'll see what happens in the off-season.