THERE’S a few things about being a motorsport driver at the highest level that Allan McNish doesn’t miss one bit. The Dumfries man did almost everything there is to do in the sport having raced in Formula One, won 24 Hours of Le Mans three times and won the World Endurance Championship but success on such a level required all-encompassing commitment. And that can, acknowledges McNish, be utterly exhausting.

When the Scot hung up his helmet in 2013 however, he was not finished with motorsport for good. Last year, McNish became team principle for Audi’s Formula E team although his lack of experience in such a position ensured he went into the 2017-18 season as something of an unknown quantity. He may still have been learning the ropes in terms of being a team principle role but there was one quality that remained from his driving days that stood him in good stead; a ferocious will to win.

“I don’t miss being a driver,” the 48-year-old said.

“I raced for 32 years and if you think of working at a high-level job where there is no second place, it’s total investment and so after doing it for so long, my fuel tank was empty. I didn’t have any energy left to do it any longer and I was ready to move on.

“Being team principle is very different to being a driver because as a driver, you’re only interested in yourself.

“For 30-odd years, my primary focus was for me to win. That we won as teams as well was an added bonus but ultimately, it was about personal success. Whereas as team principle, you have so many things to things about.

“But the selfish part of me is still there in that I still have that burning desire to win.”

McNish - as well as many observers - may have been somewhat unsure as to how he would perform in his debut season as team principle but things could not have turned out better. After a somewhat shaky start which saw reliability problems with the car look like McNish’s first season was going to be less than successful, the team, spearheaded by drivers Lucas di Grassi and Daniel Abt, surged through to secure a remarkable championship victory.

And the win was, admits McNish, right up there with anything he achieved as a driver.

“When you go into a new championship, you want to prove your credentials and that was the same for the team,” he said.

“One of the proudest moments of my whole career was standing on the podium to collect the trophy for the team championship. I’ve stood on a lot of podiums in my career and that was one of the highlights and one of the proudest. From a personal perspective, it felt a little bit like my first karting championship – I felt yes, I can do this. But, it was also the fightback that we, as a group, staged.”

The success of the team may have validated McNish’s credentials as a team principle but he admits the transition was not entirely smooth.

“It’s been challenging,” he said.

“It was a juggling exercise to manage and oversee every aspect of the team and that was something I’d never been too involved in before. But at the end of the day, racing is a business and we’re in the business of winning races and that doesn’t matter what your role is. So the fundamentals haven’t changed, it’s just the width of the job that’s changed.”

McNish and his Audi team may have gone into last season without significant expectation upon their shoulders but this year, as defending champions, will be very different. The first race of the 2018/19 season is in December and until then, McNish and his team will be working on the car to ensure it is at it’s very best when the new campaign kicks off. And while he admits it is impossible to know where the other teams will be come the start of the new season, he is confident that Audi will be in contention for the championship title once again.

“You’re only as good as your last race – that’s something my dad used to say to me when I was younger,” said McNish.

“We might have won last season but come December, it’s a new car, it’s a new season and it’s a clean slate.

“We’re lifting up our level but everyone else is lifting up their level too because nobody wants to finish second. I’m quite sure we’ll be in the mix - although I have to admit that I’d prefer it if we had a slightly less stressful start to the season next year.”