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 with a view to moving the Club secretariat to our own office at Silverstone in partnership with the British Racing Drivers Club.
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 GPDC 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 needed to restructure to meet with the many changes in racing, and drivers, over the past sixty-two years of the Club’s existence.
Theo has now been made an Honorary Member of the Club for his great services over the years ( See separate story) and former assistant Secretary Agnes Carlier, who joined us on Zoom from France, was also thanked for all her work in developing the Club.
As a result, arrangements were complete in time for the Club to hold an extraordinary general assembly at the Silverstone Classic on August 24 2024.
Clearly, many of the Club members are still deeply involved in International racing and organisation so the Silverstone AGM included an on-line Zoom call to bring in members who could not attend in person.
Amongst those who participated on the call was Tim Schenken the former Brabham Grand Prix driver directly from Australia, former vice-President Teddy Pilette from Thailand where he now lives and Marc Surer from Switzerland. Other club members attending included past-President Howden Ganley, Brian Henton and Richard Attwood.
On the evening before the Assembly some of the members met at Silverstone for dinner including Daniele Audetto, Vice-President Mario Theissen, President Emanuele Pirro and David Piper with their wives and honorary member Dr Gerry Brandstetter front left, Graham Gauld and Larch Gauld.
Tributes were also paid to members John Watson, Derek Warwick and Jacky Ickx for their help in creating this accord with the BRDC and apologies were received from Thierry Boutsen, Ivan Capelli, Derek Bell and Stefan Johansson for being unable to attend.
Also present was our newest Club member Jan Magnusson and the Club plans to recruit a number of new members from grand prix drivers who have retired in more recent years.
An additional benefit to Silverstone is that the Grand Prix Drivers Club archives have been moved to Silverstone for safekeeping and reference.
The occasion was also the first time members could meet the new Secretary of the Grand Prix Drivers Club Tanyia Gilbert, which means that the Club and its members are likely to be more prominent at future events organised by the BRDC at Silverstone.
