Pescarolo: “A wonderful gesture”

The fabulous destiny of Henri Pescarolo changed on Friday. Coming to attend the auction of the assets of his former stable, the record holder for participations in 24 Hours of Le Mans was given the keys to the late Pescarolo Sport workshop after the purchase of all the assets by Jacques Nicolet and Joël Rivière, two of his friends, who paid 400 euros for Henri Pescarolo to continue the work started a decade ago.

« At first I didn't want to come to this auction, explained Pescarolo on RMC. Finally, I decided to come with my whole team. I had the terrible feeling of coming to my funeral. Everything was the same, with friends who had a sinister face coming to sympathize, supporters who hoped for a miracle and those who were with a checkbook to acquire everything that had been accumulated in the Pescarolo workshops over ten years. I came as a spectator telling myself that I had to have the courage to witness the conclusion of the murder premeditated by Jean Py. »

Then, finally, the progress of the session surprised Henri Pescarolo and his entourage. “ The bidding skyrocketed, which proved that there was a lot of interest in what we had done. For example, the cups (64), which only have sentimental value, fetched more than 16 euros. I told myself that it was going to be incredible. The auctioneer was asked for the possibility of a reunion, that is to say to take back all of the goods put up for auction. »

It was at this moment that the biggest surprise was yet to come for all the members of the former Pescarolo team. “ There, I saw two people in the front row, two friends, Jacques Nicolet and Joël Rivière, plus Maître Hervé Poulain who was there to advise them, start bidding on everything that had been sold. We wondered what they wanted to do with that. At the last blow of the hammer, when they discouraged the last buyer, they came to me and, symbolically, they gave me the keys to the workshop "here it is for you and it is to help you to restart your stable » »

The record holder for participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans recognizes that the surprising outcome of this auction is a gift from heaven. “ A gesture like that, I will never forget it. Humankind had disgusted me a little with everything I had experienced all year with Jean Py and his collaborators. Seeing two friends, for love of sport, for love of Pescarolo and for love of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, buy back all of the team's assets and hand them over to me, is a wonderful gesture. There are people like that who are absolutely fabulous. »

Patron having allowed the property of the former Pescarolo team to remain "in the family", Joël Rivière explains what motivated him to join forces with Jacques Nicolet to win the bid. “ It couldn't be otherwise, he assured on the air of Motors. It was inconceivable that someone who had done Le Mans 33 times could disappear in an auction. There was no way it was going anywhere else. Henri makes people dream and, at the moment, we need to dream so much that we needed someone capable of writing a beautiful story. There was no question of the cars going to shows. They are made to go on the track. The idea was to give him everything back so that he could start on solid foundations. »

And the future? Pescarolo, before the 2011 season, is now back on track. “ The work tool had to remain in the Technoparc, explains Henri. Claude Galopin, the engineer who made the Pescarolo, is still by my side, even stronger than ever. We're in the starting blocks. I have to put into practice the contacts I have already made to raise the necessary budget to enter the cars in the race. I need to find sponsors to be able to enter cars at the highest level, with podiums as my objective. »

With newfound motivation and a surge of solidarity building up, the team boss has high ambitions. “ I hope that we will be able to put four Pescarolos on the track and that we will go, as I did for ten years, to tickle the big manufacturers. Jacques (Nicolet) is not becoming a partner again. Friday's buyout was not an acquisition by OAK Racing. It’s a helping hand to help us get going again. We are therefore complementary. »