Young drivers don't have the "right tools" for LMP1, says Davidson

Davidson was part of Peugeot's LMP1 programme in 2010 and 2011 before joining Toyota and winning the 2014 FIA WEC title with the manufacturer.

The #5 Toyota TS050 Hybrid he races is one of six factory LMP1 cars, and, despite the ever-growing interest in the category, only three of the 18 works drivers in the class - Porsche's Brendon Hartley and the Toyota duo of Kamui Kobayashi and Sebastien Buemi - are below 30.

Davidson said, while the new generation might be looking to join LMP1, older drivers make for better endurance racers.

"Young drivers bring energy but also an insecurity that makes them drive with a desperation and that's not necessarily the right tools to have in an endurance-based series," explained the former F1 driver.

"So it tends to bring or attract older drivers to this series because you need to see the bigger picture and if you're too much of a charger in the car, you can get into trouble and you can make mistakes.

"Also, when you're younger, you've got more of an ego that really gets in the way of a trio of drivers, you really need to put the ego aside, you need to be selfless and compromise on everything you do.

"That's totally not what a young person can do, they can't focus on anything else but themselves.

"They definitely have good attributes but I was young once, doing sportscars, and I definitely took more risks and I was more of a liability on the circuit than I am today - and I think I'm a better sportscar driver now."

In addition, Davidson also said the top-line sportscar drivers' ability to stay competitive for a long time is a factor that allows teams to not worry about switching up their line-ups.

"Now at 37, I'm on a higher end but I'm not still considered an old driver in sportscars.

"You can carry on racing until 45 years old, like look at Tom Kristensen, over 45 and he was still performing as good as ever."

Interview by Luis Ramirez