Mathieu, what pushed you to leave Belgium for Dubai?
“It’s been two years since I moved here. I made this decision out of love because my partner, whom I met here during the 24 Hours of Dubai four years ago, was born and raised here. It was a big risk to leave the family cocoon and my comfort in Belgium but I have not regretted this choice at any time.”
What exactly are you doing there?
“I am a track coach. When I arrived in Dubai, I was driving for Haas RT and Maxime Soulet, who was my teammate at this race, introduced me to Brad Fincham, the CEO of Dragon Racing, the biggest team based in Dubai and who takes care of all the events for Ferrari in the Middle East I started working for them and then, little by little, I made my name and started working for several companies as a. instructor-coach I also have. recently purchased a Radical SR3 proto which I use for coaching with clients.”
Is your life different from the one you led in Belgium?
“It has nothing to do with it. In Belgium, I worked in the family company. I did that for 10 years. It’s great to work with family but in the end, I wasn’t passionate about my work. By moving here, I can make a living from my passion of flying and what’s more, the weather is magnificent all year round. It’s a little harder in summer because it’s 45-50 degrees but I still prefer it to eight! months of rain per year in Belgium.”
gullWhen it was necessary to find a driver to support Ajith, Fabian Duffieux mentioned my name.
How did you meet your teammate-superstar Ajith Kumar?
“Via Fabian Duffieux, my teammate and friend also living in Dubai. He met him by chance at his work (he works for the local BMW importer) and they hit it off directly. Ajith told him about his desire to come back to motorsport and as soon as we had to choose the third driver, Fabian mentioned my name. We met during our pre-season tests in Barcelona at the end of November.
How did the Porsche program come together?
“There was talk of Ajith doing the GT4 Europe with Fabian in the AM class. But with Ajith needing a lot of driving to get back to his level, the GT4 Europe does not have much time on the track, so the Creventic series is turned out to be the ideal solution. In addition, the calendar is nice, the organization is good and it’s a little more ‘permissive’ than the GT World Challenge, so to speak. The choice of the Bas Koeten Racing team. what support The technical side came naturally too, Fabian having competed in the 24 Hours of Barcelona with them. Plus the team is great, the atmosphere is great, they know the car and the series by heart.”
Is Ajith Kumar a “good” gentleman driver?
“He can become one, I’m sure of it. He has an incredible hunger to learn and he stores information very quickly, surely due to his job as an actor. But he still needs a lot of driving to reach his full potential. He expressly chose not to make a film in 2025 so he could concentrate on his sports season.”
What do you want to say to those who are tempted to start a new life abroad?
“They should not hesitate. I don’t know how it is elsewhere but here in Dubai, compared to Belgium, there are many more opportunities to meet the right people to advance your career. Unfortunately, in Belgium and in Europe in general, it is becoming very frowned upon to do motorsport, due to the pollution it generates, etc.”
