To our dear friend Jean-Paul…

It’s not easy to find the right words that encompass everything that our friend Jean-Paul Driot was… He was a true racer, a passionate man, a fighter and a well-respected competitor.

When we launched the GP2 Series back in 2005, he was the first in line to take on that new challenge. As always, he was very enthusiastic and eager to rule the category. They earned a maiden win in the first season in Spain with Jose Maria Lopez. He and his team DAMS worked relentlessly to reach the top and so they did, first in GP2 Asia Series with Kamui Kobayashi in 2009, and then in 2011 in GP2 Series with Romain Grosjean, followed by Davide Valsecchi in 2012, also adding that year a team title to their already prestigious records. Thanks to Jean-Paul’s leadership, DAMS were victorious once again in 2014 claiming the top spot in both the Teams’ and the Drivers’ Standings as Jolyon Palmer was crowned Champion. For the last six seasons of the Series, DAMS always featured at the top, earning 25 wins along the way.

When we became the promoters of the Formula 2 Championship, Jean-Paul had zero doubt that DAMS were going to be one of the strongest outfits on the grid. Since the beginning of the category, his squad has featured in the Top 3, and this season they’ve been in the lead since Round 1.

He has built a team that has attracted some of the most skilled drivers throughout the years. He knew how to nurture them, make them grow, push them to the limit so that they would perform at their best. Looking at today’s F1 grid, five of the current drivers have worked with Jean-Paul and they could all tell you how much of an impact he’s had on their career.

On top of that, Jean-Paul was a true and sincere friend. He was not afraid to come to us when he felt something was not right, with his heart on his sleeves. It was always interesting to hear about his opinion as I knew it was an unselfish one and he always meant well. I consulted him regularly since we got together often.

He has been a key actor in our paddock for almost fifteen years, and he leaves a great void behind him. Since the news of his passing yesterday, we’ve seen a lot of people express their affection and respect for him which shows how greatly esteemed he was, notably by his competitors. He will be dearly missed.

I know every member of DAMS will work even harder to keep his team in the limelight, and bring home this season’s crown in his honour.

Bruno Michel