Guilvert: “All powerless in relation to this brutal situation”

Let's start with economic activity first. How is it happening at your place?

I am going to make the observation that many business leaders will make: it is in times of war that you see what you should do or not do as a job! I'm in the agri-food industry, which means that we are affected, but less than those who can no longer operate their business at all. And at the other end of the chain, there is the “leisure” activity which has come to a complete standstill. 

Concretely, how are you operating at the moment?
From the first announcements from the government, I took steps to assert the following three clauses: teleworking, partial unemployment or work stoppage for caring for children under 16, while maintaining a minimum "physical" service at the company because we are obliged to supply large-scale distribution and the manufacturers who supply large-scale distribution. Out of 22 employees, I kept one person in charge, one in billing, my father and me.

Activity is therefore slowing down…
All the orders placed upstream and which were floating, by sea containers, you cannot stop them and there is therefore a saturation effect at the warehouse level. We thought we would lose a little more than that the first week, but we still lost 60% of our business. In this context, you must make quick decisions, grasp what the State is proposing, even with the fear that it will go back a little. 

During this period, your activity as a racing driver takes second place…
Oh yes, completely. This is the observation made by all those involved in motorsport. I think that, for some, Covid-19 will serve as an excuse to stop. It will be sad, but understandable. In a crisis like this, you are firstly concerned about your health, that of your family and then your business which is your second baby and sustains you, as well as the people who accompany you. You have a duty to the people you employ. We are all powerless in the face of this brutal situation.

Largely financed by what we call “gentlemen drivers”, the motorsport economy can only suffer from this situation…
I think yes. In the presidential speech, everyone heard what they wanted to hear, that we were in a state of war and that no business would be left behind. Except that the reality on the ground is very different. There were already seriously ill companies, particularly in the catering sector, following the yellow vest crisis and repeated strikes, and they are now receiving the blow. Some will not reopen.

I admit that in this difficult first week, motorsport was not my main concern. Now, I'm going to get some news from my employer Saintéloc Racing. I pray that everything works out for the best for him, but I think they made the same arrangements that I was able to make. The more mobilized we are, the sooner things will start again.