Portrait – Stop and Go, winner of the OSRAM x Autohebdo video competition

Congratulations Théo on your victory in the OSRAM x Autohebdo competition! Can you introduce yourself to those who will be following your travels during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?

My name is Théo, I am 23 years old and come from the Var where I grew up not far from the Paul-Ricard circuit. My father is passionate about cars, I have been immersed in this world since I was little. I do not know at what age I was put in front of a Grand Prix of Formula 1, but very early! As a kid, I rode quads, karting and caught the bug, then came the simulators on PC and consoles which accentuated my passion for piloting. At the same time, I followed a very traditional school curriculum – school, college, high school – while being a little lost on what I wanted to do.

Despite everything, with the aim of working in the automotive industry?

The question of my career path arose after obtaining my Bac S. I really like architecture, the challenges of combining an art that could be similar to sculpture, painting, with pure technology and physics. So I left for five years of architecture studies in Nancy. Having graduated last year, I am currently doing a double Master's in wood construction engineering in the Vosges. I hope to have a comprehensive background to face the new challenges of buildings, namely being less energy-intensive and more responsible. At the same time, I maintain my passion for motorsport on a simulator and by going to see as many races as possible.

What circuits have you already visited?

I was lucky enough to watch the Monaco Grand Prix for many years from a balcony, a very good experience! I have also been to Barcelona, ​​Monza… and Abu Dhabi!

Abu Dhabi, wow!

Yes, in 2013, so I still remember it quite well! I was 12 years old. It was the last year of the V8s and Sebastian Vettel had made donuts like he did for each of his victories. He was then in a series of seven consecutive victories (he would ultimately have nine in a row that same year. Editor’s note), and he celebrated in front of our stand, at the hairpin that ends the first sector. It was crazy, the noise was extremely impressive. I also attended other competitions like theELMS at Paul-Ricard. If I was very attracted to F1 when I was little, I really like discovering all kinds of competitions now.

Did the fact that the competition offered a trip to Abu Dhabi motivate you even more to participate, or was it just a coincidence?

It was a coincidence, because I was definitely planning to enter this contest. I had entered the one Porsche x Autohebdo for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but I misread the rules and my video was a bit long. I still posted it because I was happy to make a video about one of my favorite brands. I then entered the contest Alpine x Autohebdo, I enjoyed doing the history of the brand. I made it to the final, so it was a great experience. And these are the same reasons that pushed me to participate here. I found the subject interesting to deal with in video, and for an F1 enthusiast, the gift is exceptional. I tried my luck, and it paid off!

How did you get started creating content on social media, and what is your style?

The good thing about social media is that everyone can talk about a subject, Formula 1 in this case, and approach it from different angles. Some are interested in the technique, others in the history. I also spoke with Nadia_race, another creator who took part in the OSRAM x Autohebdo competition, and I find her content very interesting, she goes into specific themes like sponsorship, fashion, that kind of thing. For my part, I make content that is more focused on engineering with a series called "Under the hood" which looks at the technique of current single-seaters but also at older solutions like the DAS, or Gordon Murray's Brabham vacuum cleaner... I like to mix technique and history. I also appreciate my 5-point format on the past race which forces me to bring out strong elements while being concise. I make content for fun, to share my passion.

What do you expect from your stay in Abu Dhabi? What would you like to reveal to Autohebdo followers?

I'm going to live a waking dream. It's incredible to imagine myself entering the paddock, a place that few people have access to. Discovering what goes on behind the scenes, meeting the players in F1... I'd also like to introduce people to the behind-the-scenes professions; we know the drivers, the engineers, the mechanics, but there are many other professions that are essential to holding a Grand Prix. I can't wait to discover the atmosphere of this last meeting of the season, where the constructors' title will most certainly be at stake.

ALSO READ > OSRAM x Autohebdo competition: @stop_and_go__ wins!