The Grand Prix Drivers Club
The Grand Prix Divers Club was created in 1962 by Juan Manuel Fangio, Nino Farina, Luis Chiron, Tuolo de Graffenried, Paul Frere with other drivers of the time.
Every single Grand Prix driver, regardless of their success in F1, is a privileged person, having been able to fulfil their dream, reaching the pinnacle of motorsport, which is F1.
For many years, the Club, has been organizing three or four days of reunions at least once a year, in various places. These gathering have been seen and perceived, amongst all drivers, as an opportunity to spend time together in a relaxed atmosphere outside the racetracks.
Since I joined, fifteen years ago, as a member first, then as vice President and then as President, I have been enjoying these meetings a lot. I remember we have been a few times in Riccione, guest of Gabriele Fabbri, then in Stuttgart guest of Mercedes, in Montecarlo, in Piedmont enjoying great wines and so forth. We visited many motorsport-related sites, including, of course, Maranello when the Commendatore was still alive.
All these activities have been organized and put in place by our former Secretary General and now Honorary Member Theo Huscheck.
When covid arrived, everything came to a halt. Theo had to take a step back due to health reasons and the Club found itself without its locomotive.
After 60 years of being in Switzerland, there was no better way to ensure the GPDC a bright future than talking to Silverstone Circuits Limited to move there under their wing.
This milestone has been achieved thanks to the whole BRDC Board, and in particular to Stuart Pringle (President of Silverstone), Sir Jackie Stewart, David Coulthard and our new Secretary General Tanya Gilbert.
The most important thing has been to secure the large GPDC archive, which was laying in Theo’s place, by moving it to the Silverstone Museum’s climate-controlled archive. This means that all the important documents and memorabilia are now in safe hands.
In August, we had our General Assembly during the Silverstone Festival for what will be a yearly tradition. Combining a gathering of old friends with a weekend of pure historical passion.
Now let’s look at the future and be optimistic; there are not many clubs as exclusive as the GPDC.
With sporting regards,
Emanuele Pirro
President, Grand Prix Drivers Club