It must be difficult to carve a career out for yourself in motorsport if you're dad's a former F1 driver and a previous Le Mans winner. Rather than a leg-up there's the convincing sponsors and team owners of your talent, that you deserve a seat on merit and not because of your genes.
Keeping up the family business, Brundle style
But for Alex Brundle his father's shadow hasn't been a problem.
This year you'll find Brundle somewhere near the sharp end of the LMP2 field at Le Mans in a brand-new Nissan-engined Ligier JS P2 coupe.
So a few days before the LM test day 2014 we gatecrashed sponsor GAC's event to catch up with the supremely cool, calm and professional 23-year-old to chat about his chances of going one better this year and winning his class at La Sarthe, as well as jumping in for some slippy, sideways laps chasing down his dad at a very wet Bedford Autodrome.
Brundle's LMP2 Ligier likely to be in thick of it
What's going to be the biggest challenge for you at Le Mans in 2014?
"With the new car [the Ligier] the biggest challenge is development - specifically downforce - because the resources required to test a car for downforce and balance are massive.
"Drivers set a sportscar up mechanically - stiffer, softer, bump, rebound - all the time. We don't often go to an airfield and do downforce runs that have to be absolutely consistent to deliver a balanced aero package. You have to then validate it on the race track, or sometimes against a set-up that you drove three weeks ago. That's the real challenge of it.
"It's the most important bit if you're talking about a Le Mans car. That's what will be vital for us with the new car - I've seen all the numbers and I know what it should be capable of, but there's only one test of what it can really do: the race track, me and the car. I'm looking forward to it - it's going to be a big moment of truth at Le Mans."
PH joined Brundle at a sodden Bedford Autodrome
Do your GT Academy teammates have a different driving style to you?
"The guys have both come from GTs in the initial phase, so they do like the car a little bit different to me, but it doesn't affect finding a set-up too much.
"The reality is when you are at the madness that is Le Mans, two things matter: straight-line speed, and if you get into a tricky situation with the car, is it going to be controllable enough for you to save it and carry on?
"The level of preparation Jann [Mardenborough] and Mark [Shulzhitskiy] have through GT Academy, to call them gamers at this point is not comparing apples with apples. They're prepared, they're fit, they're focused and I'll treat them and they will treat me exactly like every other teammate would. No matter how much some people might want to sniff, you can't argue they're quick."
You're racing quite a few different cars this year - is it a challenge hopping between them?
"From the Ligier in LMP2, to the Morgan in the United Sports Car Championship and the GT3 McLaren in Blancpain http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=29795 , sportscar racing is like that. I might lose a bit of pace at the start of the weekend, but by race day I'm right there.
PH man Sean jumps in alongside Brundle Jr
"You have to turn up to the track with your head switched on and ready to drive that car on that day. You don't get a lot of time to do that with three drivers and only three hours of practice; it's only in the race where I really feel like I'm where I want to be with the car."
And what about Formula E now you're a member of the Drivers' Club?
"I think we need to wait and see on Formula E and that when it gets to race on track if it'll be something that'll work or not.
"I think it'll be a great thing to be involved with. I haven't got a drive of any sort, but I have expressed interest, so I'll just have to wait and see. As a spectacle I think it could be very good, I just really hope that when it comes to fruition it won't be something that makes people lose confidence in motorsport."
Back to this year, LMP2 is going to be close, isn't it?
"LMP2 at Le Mans - now that is a race... Everyone will be quick. The Orecas have a new package, the Zyteks and the Morgans are proven, but we've got to focus on our own car. [With only one privateer LMP1 team] the number of works level guys in LMP2 is incredible. You're out there proving yourself against the best, effectively doing the job that works cars do.
"You're not in a 15-minute F3 race - you're at Le Mans delivering strong, solid stints over four hours."
"LMP2 - now, that is a race..." says Brundle
What are your career goals for the future?
an LMP1 car
. I've not driven one, but I'd love to. I'd target a seat anywhere. Any drive in LMP1 is a good one, but my goal is preferably with a manufacturer."
And what about racing alongside your dad again?
"I'd love to race with my dad again. He's still very good, still more than capable of doing it at 50. As he's a silver-rated driver now, according to the ACO, he could jump in on that basis and we could race together with another pro. We haven't thought about it and there are no plans to, but it'd be brilliant."
Brundle senior and Brundle junior battling at Bedford, PH in the passenger seat
Additional Le Mans photos: LAT Photo