Bertrand Decoster: “There are no more open markets, it’s a shame”

For most of our readers, your name is associated with Mygale. We had to come to Magny-Cours to do this Carpooling...

We haven't always been here! We started in Vichy, mainly because I am from Clermont. We stayed there for about ten years, then I realized that, if you want to be something in Vichy (department of Allier. Editor’s note), you have to be a doctor. In the same way, if you want to be something at Magny-Cours, you have to be in car racing. When I arrived here in 2000, we had just lost the Formula market Renault. And Christian Contzen, the boss of Renault Sport at the time (see Carpooling n°2230. Editor’s note), told me: “ Bertrand, you are doing a big stupid thing by going to Magny-Cours, you have to go to Le Mans, because Magny-Cours lost the Grand Prix ". I said to myself : " The guy isn’t just anyone, maybe I should listen to him.” But by going to Le Mans, I would have lost 100% of my staff. And financially, Magny-Cours was more attractive. So I came here, and he said to me: “ Bertrand, so you never listen to what anyone tells you ". Except that 15 days later, we learned that Magny-Cours was winning the French Grand Prix. He called me back and said, “ Decoster, you are a visionary '. (Laughs)

How did you end up in this industry?

Like many people, mainly thanks to my father. He was a veteran of Michelin in the Competition department. So I did karting naturally. I wanted to become a pilot. At no time did I want to build racing cars. I was 18 or 19 and the deal with my father to keep going was to do well in school. So I entered ESTACA (Higher school of aeronautical techniques