In the realm of racing greatness, Andy Wallace’s illustrious career is a shining beacon. From being part of a very select group of people who have won the Triple Crown of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, to his key role as Bugatti Pilote Officiel, Andy’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary . But it is his unwavering commitment and unparalleled expertise that has made him an important part of Bugatti’s pursuit of performance perfection, ensuring that the brand always remains at the forefront of automotive engineering.
Raised in endurance racing, Andy developed his passion for speed and precision on the world’s most demanding tracks, which helped make him one of the most renowned racers in history. In 2022, he was even inducted into the Sebring Hall of Fame, joining truly legendary names like Fangio, Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney.
But Andy didn’t just have a lasting impact on the history of motorsport; He also left a legacy at Bugatti. When Andy joined the brand as Pilote Officiel in 2011, the transition into the world of hyper sports cars was seamless. “When I stopped competing, I feared that I would miss the adrenaline that I get on the track and behind the wheel of truly remarkable machines, but I quickly realized that I had embarked on a journey with something that was never before seen in road cars. Thanks to Bugatti, I quickly got back to the thrill of racing car performance.” he said. And in 2019, Andy set the brand’s third world speed record by driving the Chiron Super Sport 300+ to over 300 miles per hour – the first time that barrier has ever been broken in a production car.
Andy has played a crucial role in shaping the future of Bugatti from the moment he entered the world of Bugatti. His talent and years of experience were invaluable in the development of iconic models such as the Chiron, but also body models such as the Divo and the Centodieci, pushing the limits of performance and engineering to new levels and creating the most advanced hyper sports cars in the world .
His experience with extremely high speeds, sharp corners, physical and mental limitations of competitive driving, and his awareness of safety issues in high-pressure racing environments were a tremendous source of expertise that the Bugatti Bolide⁵ development team drew on. But in addition to these remarkable qualities, Andy’s passion and determination, as well as his tireless pursuit of excellence, have also contributed to the development of the Bolide, creating a program dedicated to offering only the best in modern Bugatti racing cars.
“Every Bugatti automobile is unique in its own way. “I have had the privilege of not only driving these stunning cars, but also working with the best engineers in the world and helping to achieve the technical optimizations of the programs we have been working on,” Andy continues. But the Bolide is something very special for me; It is simply incomparable – a true Bugatti masterpiece that has taken me back to the most exciting emotions and sensations I have experienced in my racing life.”
From the rain-soaked circuit of Paul Ricard in 2019 to the hallowed grounds of Le Mans last year, Andy’s experience in high-speed, high-performance driving on dynamic circuits around the world has been an essential and unique foundation for the Bugatti Bolide throughout the development and testing of the As cars advance, the engineering team works together to ensure every aspect of the Bolide remains true to the brand’s motorsport heritage and Ettore’s philosophy “If comparable, it’s no longer a Bugatti.”
The next phase of this epic journey between two racing legends is now in sight as Andy gets behind the wheel of the Bolide to unleash his full racing heritage on the racetrack for the final test session before production begins at the Molsheim studio.
