While the 24 Hours of Le Mans are taking place this weekend, this edition marks ten years since Fabien Barthez’s first participation.
There are many celebrities competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Paul Newman, David Halliday and more recently Michael Fassbender and Patrick Dempsey have all taken up the challenge. With a special mention for the first named, winner in 1954. Several renowned athletes have also tried their hand at the exercise.
In addition to Luc Alphand, nine participations to his credit between 2001 and 2009, Fabien Barthez made his dream come true just ten years ago, during the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans. “I hate being called a driver people. I’m a driver, that’s all,” warns the man who, passionate about sports cars and motor racing, has been racing multiple times since 2008, notably in the Porsche Carrera Cup France or the French FFSA GT Championship.
The 1998 world champion discovered the legendary Le Mans race at the wheel of a #58 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 from Team Sofrev ASP which he drove alongside Anthony Pons and Soheil Ayari. If he saw the checkered flag, he had to settle for 29th place in the general classification and 9th in the LMGTE Am category. Two years later it was within the Panis Barthez Compétition team that he competed for the second time the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this time in a Ligier JS P2-Nissan. This time he finished 12e in the general classification and 9e in LPM2. He hoped to do better the following year, in a Ligier JS P217-Gibson, but was ultimately forced to retire.
Barthez slams the door
“It’s an absolute joy to be from here. As long as we can physically and mentally do this kind of event, we take advantage of it, he confided before departure. We experience very emotional moments. Especially after the checkered flag. There, you tell yourself that you have won. » However, a few months later, the former Marseillais announced the end of his collaboration with Olivier Panis and therefore his withdrawal from the Panis Barthez Compétition team.
“ After four years of collaboration with Olivier Panis and Tech1 Racing, I decided to withdraw my name and my image from the team previously called “Panis-Barthez Compétition”, he says, sealing the end of his story at Le Mans.
