Sunday April 5, 2009
Mr GP still excited and nervous even after managing 25 races in 24 years
By AUDREY EDWARDS
SEPANG: He has managed 25 Grand Prix races in the past 24 years and will oversee another two this year.
But Philippe Gurdjian is still excited and nervous before each one.
"Once it is done, I am happy. If the people are happy, I am happy"- PHILIPPE GURDJIAN EXECUTIVE F1 CONSULTANT “Once it is done, I am happy. If the people are happy, I am happy. Before that, I am always stressed out,” said the 64-year-old Frenchman who was the executive Formula One consultant for Malaysia’s first three F1 Grand Prix races.
Since finishing in Malaysia in 2001, Gurdjian has gone on to manage other races including in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, which makes its debut at the end of this F1 season.
To date, he is the man who has managed the most number of GP races. Appointed in 2007 as chief executive of Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, Gurdjian was charged with the organisation of the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi ahead of the country’s first F1 Grand Prix.
Among his other achievements are as promoter and organiser of the French F1 Grand Prix in 1985 at the Paul Ricard circuit. He organised six races there until 1990.
He played a key role in developing the Magny-Cours circuit where he organised and promoted the race until 1997.
Besides this, he was also consultant to the organisers of the Spanish GP at the Circuit de Catalunya in 2001.
He has won numerous awards and was conferred the prestigious Chevalier de Ordre National du Mrite honour by the French government for his services to the development of motorsport.
”I get my ideas at night. I work harder than others. I am never satisfied because I am a perfectionist,” he declared.
Gurdjian, who had looked fierce and stern during his earlier times here, is more relaxed this time.
He said Sepang was still modern and exquisite after 11 years but added that the management needed to do different things to take it to another level.
“The world has changed and the spectators are also different. They have different tastes now,” he said.
On Abu Dhabi, Gurdjian said that it was his responsibility to create the “most incredible circuit in the world.”
“It is going to be unique and will have the spirit of Abu Dhabi.”
The circuit is 5.55km long and has 21 turns. It is managed by the Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management and its founding chairman is Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak.
“There has not been any problem so far and we are working very well together getting ready for the race,” Gurdjian said, adding that the economic downturn would not affect the race as everything had been put in place before the crisis began.
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