Interview - Ghislain Robert - ACO
Pour Ghislain Robert la sécurité sur un circuit est primordiale.
Ghislain Robert – Responsable Pôle Le Mans à l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest
Ghislain Robert
Responsable du Pôle Le Mans à l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest
Le Mans. La simple évocation de cette ville vous donne des frissons. Comment ne pas penser à cette course mythique, emblème du sport automobile à la française ? C’est l’écrin des 24H. En guise de bijoux, un nouveau tracé. Le circuit Bugatti, est la cour de récréation de Ghislain Robert responsable du Pôle Le Mans à l’ACO. Il est ici chez lui, fier de son tracé et de l’application du nouveau « Shell Cariphalte Racetrack » de Shell. Tour de circuit à la découverte d’une piste exceptionnelle, déjà plébiscitée par les pilotes du monde entier…
Shell Cariphalte, On The Road Again - Ghislain Robert - ACO
Title: Shell Cariphalte, On The Road Again – Ghislain Robert – ACO
Duration: 3:15 minutes
Description:
A video interview of the Managing Director of Le Mans racing circuit resort, Ghislain Robert, by Florian Martin, a journalist for the series “Shell Cariphalte, on the road again”.
[Background music plays]
Uplifting music
[Animated sequence]
Initial title showing the flipping pages of a book.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
Hello everyone,
Great to have you here again for another meet-up.
[Title]
Florian martin – journalist « on the road again »
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
And believe me, this one is going to be something else.
Today we’ve got Ghislain Robert, He heads up the Le Mans. Let's go.
Video transition
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
Hello Ghislain
[Title]
Ghislain Robert – Head of Pôle le Mans Resort
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
Hello Florian
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
What a pleasure to be here at what is one of the treasures of French motor sport, the Bugatti 4km185 circuit. The circuit has changed with a new surface.
[Video footage]
On board camera of a race director’s car driving on this circuit.
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
The track has changed. It’s still the Bugatti circuit, it looks just the same as before, but it’s totally different. We have totally redone the Bugatti circuit track.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
In terms of performance, what has changed?
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
We got together with the Syndicat Mixte du Circuit for 24 Hours of Le Mans, our client, for a full review of the design of the surface, to improve the grip during racing, whether in dry weather or in rainy weather, of course for both safety and for performance.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
Yes and performance is something we’re going to test right away by taking a quick spin round the track.
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
Let's go.
Video transition
[Video footage]
Both have left the racetrack to get on the race director’s car for the 24h of le Mans race. Ghislain is driving on the racetrack while Florian is asking him some question
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
The race director’s car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
That's it, we're on the Bugatti circuit.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
Right, let's talk performance a bit. Give me the technical lowdown! For this surface, have you gone for different polymers with respect to other tracks in order to adapt?
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
We went for the full complement to give ourselves a real chance of making THE circuit
that we needed and meeting the demands of the drivers.
We went for a binder modified by polymers to give total grip and adhesion of the aggregates.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
In fact the racetrack has been adapted?
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
That's right, Shell was able to provide us with a bitumen that corresponded exactly to our needs. They supply prototypes.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
Did they also have to make modifications to improve braking distances?
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
Something that is very important in motor sport. Obviously, performance is important but so is safety: it’s all connected. You can’t have performance without safety. So, we had to respond to these requirements and get maximum grip for best results in terms of braking.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
The talk in the pits is that the new surface of the Bugatti circuit gives higher performance than the old one. Is this true?
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
At first it was just talk but I have to confess: now there’s substance to the talk. This was verified, at the 24 hours of Le Mans Moto. We reduced the lap time record, by more than 1 second, which is a real technical feat.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
Just by adapting the racetrack?
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
We also beat, or should I say blew out the water, the record number of laps in 24h.
Video transition
[Video footage]
Both are now out of the car, and talking on the circuit parking zone.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
Ghislain, what we always do is ask you for a comment. We’ve had a great time together. The pen. The comments book.
[Video footage]
We see a close up on the comment left by Ghislain on the notebook.
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
Honoured to sign the Shell comments book.
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
Ghislain, I’ll take the book back. Let me give you the Shell Cariphalte On The Road Again.
[Ghislain Robert, Managing director Le Mans resort]
Thank you very much, it's a pleasure to have shared this moment with you.
Video transition
[Video footage]
Florian is now alone on the parking zone, where he is heading toward the director’s car
[Florian Martin, journalist, On The Road Again]
You know everything about the racetrack and the legendary Bugatti circuit. I’m leaving you now, I’m just going to take a little spin.
See you soon.
[Background music plays]
Uplifting music
[Animated sequence]
End credit with the Shell logo
Pour Ghislain Robert la sécurité sur un circuit est primordiale :
« Ici, on n’a pas le droit à l’erreur. Les pilotes avoisinent des vitesses folles, le moindre faux pas, et tout s’arrête. Sur le circuit Bugatti, tout est mis en œuvre pour obtenir une adhérence maximale sur chaque portion du tracé. L’eau, le vent, plusieurs phénomènes peuvent perturber une course, il faut que les pilotes, qui jouent gros, se sentent en toute sécurité, quelles que soient les conditions de course. C’est un de nos principes ! »
Les propos recueillis auprès des tiers ne sauraient être interprétés comme étant la position de Shell ni engager la responsabilité de Shell à quelque titre que ce soit.