2017 CIK-FIA Best-Of: The Rouen GSK 1 team triumphs at Le Mans

The No. 55 kart Rouen GSK1 (Sodi / Vortex / LeCont) driven by Jean-Philippe Guignet (FRA), Maxime Bidard (FRA), William Godefroid (BEL) and Gautier Becq (FRA) achieved an outstanding victory at the 2017 24 Hours Karting at the Le Mans International Karting circuit which gave them the title of CIK-FIA Endurance Champion. A private team made up of volunteers, Rouen GSK 1 was led by Nicolas Scelles, who is visibly proud of having defeated the official teams of the CRG and Sodikart factories.

Nicolas, how does one become a winning team manager in Endurance?

– At 35, I have a long career as a driver behind me. I participated in the 24 Hours 16 times, including two victories in 2005 and 2008. The idea of ??forming a team came from the friendship formed between Jean-Philippe Guignet and I, when we were team-mates in 2011 and 2012. I stopped karting in the meantime when I bought an indoor recreational track in Rouen. We started Rouen GSK in 2016. Our first season in the French Endurance Championship went well and we reached the podium of the 24 Hours. This 3rd place left us a bitter taste because the race was very well prepared and victory escaped us because of clashes for some of our drivers. We had a revenge to take this year.

What are the secrets of victory at Le Mans?

– The OK engines introduced last year are very reliable. The difference is now more about the consistency of the drivers and the work of the technical team. For the engine, we trusted Cédric Sport who prepared us exceptional Vortex engines which allowed us to achieve the third fastest time of the Race, only 0.160 ” from the fastest. We made three scheduled engine changes eight hours apart and that was it, not a single breakdown. The Sodi chassis gave us complete satisfaction. The only problems encountered were the loss of an exhaust element and the breaking of a chain. It was fantastic to be able to compete with factories like CRG and Sodi, and professional Drivers like Paolo De Conto, Anthony Abbasse, Bas Lammers, Alessandro Irlando, etc. Our driver training was great. All four were fully dedicated to the team, united despite fatigue and stress, and they did not make mistakes. The team also lived up to the challenge, our technical team is made up of friends, enthusiasts and even customers of the REK track who came to see the 24 Hours. GSK had three teams at the start, and we had to gather about 80 people in the pits, all volunteers.

Can we count on you in 2018?

– I think everyone is ready to go again. We will see if the key elements of the team are available, but it is not the desire that is missing.

Info CIK-FIA / © Photo KSP