Stéphane de Groodt: “I was not a pilot at heart. I became it »

Hello Stéphane de Groodt. Are you a ball or gum kid? Where does this passion for comedy and piloting come from?

No idea. These are perhaps cracks from my childhood journey. I was dyslexic, a poor student. I didn't have any friends, I didn't feel good about myself. We too often underestimate the flaws of our early years. In reality, they condition our lives afterwards. Around 13 or 14 years old, seeing Louis de Funès, I thought: “ This guy makes you laugh; it exists among my friends ". Some time later, Gilles Villeneuve killed himself in Zolder (in 1982. . Editor’s note). He makes the headlines, he is considered a modern-day knight. And I say to myself: “ But I also want to be a knight ". It went from there. My father was a manager at Texaco. He took me to Zolder once or twice. I was impressed by this extraordinary universe. I didn't want to blend in.

What was your first contact with car racing?

I must have been around twenty years old when I decided to sign up to drive the La Châtre circuit (Indre). A disaster. I had no experience other than driving a used kart on my street. Fortunately, Eric van de Poele, a winner a few years earlier, took me under his wing. He introduced me to team managers and sponsors. From there, I started applying myself. Particularly in Formula Renault au sein du team ERP qui l’avait fait rouler en Form