Talk us through your first experience in the E20…
Today was my first real time in a Formula One car. I drove the R30, however it’s two years old and was with different tyres, so it’s quite different to my experience today. I’m obviously very happy, and I’m impressed by the car; it’s a massive step up even from the R30 and the conditions in which I drove it. For me it was like a real test driver’s day; we tested a lot of parts. We also only worked on the hard tyres, so were obviously not looking for pace, but of course we have been comparing the data and I have been comparing myself with Kimi and Romain’s data. Obviously my pace is lacking in some corners relative to the race drivers, but I’m not far away in others, so for my first day I think it’s very positive. I’ve done the job the team asked of me, so it’s been a very positive test.

We know you’ve driven the R30 before, but try and put into words your feeling of driving the E20 today…
When I was watching the race on Sunday it was quite amazing to think that I would soon be sitting in a race winning car. I would say there are two things really; you are happy of course to be in a Formula One car, because it is what every single driver dreams of. When you see it on TV, it looks like a big go-kart, and the drivers can do whatever they want with it. Obviously you cannot do everything you want, but it’s quite magical how light and agile the car is, so I was very impressed. I am extremely happy, and I hope I can get back in it soon!

You entered racing pretty late in life, do you wish you had started earlier?
Maybe it would have changed my life, perhaps it would not. I think in life you should look forward and not regret anything. I can’t change things, I can’t go back ten years and to be honest I’m pretty happy with my life right now, so I always look forward. I can still race for a long time. I started racing at twenty three, so really everything has been a bonus. I won the European F3000, I won the World Championship in LMP1 just two weeks ago, I won Petite Le Mans – so everything is a bonus. Whatever life will give me is going to be good. I’ll fight as hard as I can to get into Formula One but it’s a difficult world, it’s very competitive, but you just have to push as hard as you can.

Do you feel any extra pressure when you step into a Formula One car?
I think anything you do you will have pressure, because people will always watch you. But to be honest, it’s always been like this since the beginning, having Prost as my surname. Whether I race Formula One or LMP1 or Formula 3 cars, any time you go in the car people will watch you so you have to be as fast as you can. So I think it’s really the same for everyone, and having a big name like mine has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s my name, I’ll always live with it, and I can’t change it!

If you could sum up today in just one word, what would you say?
I guess I would say I want more running in the car!

So, insatiable? Addictive perhaps?
Yes!