For the past three years, Grand Prix Drivers Club President Emanuele Pirro, Club Secretary Theo Huschek and Vice-Presidents Mario Theissen and Tim Schenken have been in discussion with Silverstone Circuits Limited to agree a move of the Club Secretariat and administration to their head office, at Silverstone.
This was driven by the need for additional support in growing and developing the club and securing its future as one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.
It was a logical move that has brought grand prix drivers of the past closer to the grand prix drivers of the present.
In recent years the Club Secretary, Theo Huschek, has run the Club’s entire affairs from his headquarters in Bergamo but he has been ill for some time and the Club also needed to restructure to meet with the many changes in racing and drivers, over the past sixty-two years of its existence.
Theo has now been made an Honorary Member of the Club for his great services over the years (See separate story)
Arrangements were agreed and complete in time for the Club to hold an extraordinary general assembly at the Silverstone Festival on August 24.
Clearly many of the Club members are still deeply involved in international racing and its organisation, so the GPDC AGM 2024 was held at Silverstone Museum, with several members joining online.
Former assistant Secretary Agnes Carlier, who joined the call from France, was thanked for all her work in developing the Club.
Among others who participated on the call were Tim Schenken the former Brabham grand prix driver directly from Australia, former Vice-President Teddy Pilette from Thailand and Marc Surer from Switzerland. Other club members attending in person included past-President Howden Ganley, Brian Henton, David Piper and Richard Attwood, plus Bernie Ecclestone.
Thanks were also given to member Derek Warwick for his help in creating this accord with Silverstone and apologies were received from Thierry Boutsen, Ivan Capelli, Derek Bell and Stefan Johansson for being unable to attend.
Finally, the Club welcomed our newest Club member Jan Magnussen to the AGM. The Club now plans to implement a new recruitment strategy and is excited to look forward to welcoming more retiring drivers from the Grand Prix circuit.
A further benefit to our new partnership with Silverstone is that the Grand Prix Drivers Club archives have now been successfully transported to a new secure home at Silverstone Museum, not only for safekeeping but also as a historic reference of this great club that we will then be able to share digitally with generations to come.
The occasion was also the first time members could meet the new Club Secretary of the Grand Prix Drivers Club, Tanya Gilbert.
