Laurent Guerinaud, director of GiPA do Brasil, a Frenchman living in the country for 10 years, came back to car racing this weekend (08-09/08/2020). In the four races played, he climbed 3 times to the second step of podium in the Master category, and secured a third place in the overall classification.

The executive, specialist in intelligence in the automotive aftermarket, has always been passionate about motorsport. He raced a kart from 10 to 17 years old and won two titles of Champion of Île de France. To complete his MBA, and due to a lack of sponsors, he had to leave the tracks, but returned to compete in 2005, for another three years, for Peugeot in French tourism championship, before moving to Brazil.

«I haven’t piloted for 13 years, and when I saw the opportunity to race again in Brazil, I was very excited, especially at a legendary racetrack like Interlagos!» He said.

Laurent Guerinaud debuted in the second stage of the Formula Vee Championship, without having participated in the first. He had little time to test and adjust the single-seater, especially since some problems hindered the French driver during the training sessions, which he was unable to fully exploit. «This car is very different from everything I have ever driven, and I had little time to adapt,» said the pilot.

Even so, Laurent Guerinaud won second place in the Master category (for competitors over 40 years old) in his first race, and repeated the feat in the next two races, while a collision in the fourth race removed him from the leading pack.

In the overall ranking, he took the third step of the podium in his second race.

Computing the three stages of the Championship, despite not having participated in the first one, he already stands at the 4th place in the Master category and 7th overall.

«I am very happy with the result,» said Laurent Guerinaud. “To step onto the podium, while entering in the middle of the championship with a car I don’t know, competing with drivers who already have experience in the category, is an achievement! It is very promising and I realized that I can exploit even better the car’s potential, fighting for victory already in the next stages.”

“Now, I need to focus on looking for sponsors to go along with me in this challenge. Thanks to my experience in marketing, I have many ideas on how to help them take advantage of this partnership in a very efficient way, I just have to convince them!”, He declared.

The pilot even asks the entrepreneurs who wants to help to look for him on LinkedIn or by email: lguerinaud@gipa.eu

The next stage of the Formula Vee Championship will be from September 11th to 13th, again in Interlagos. In all, the competition consists of 10 stages, which must be raced by the end of the year.

GiPA is a reference in market intelligence in the automotive aftermarket. With 35 years of experience (20 in Brazil), it is now present in 35 countries, where it brings valuable information to its customers: carmakers, parts, tires, lubricants manufacturers, workshop chains, insurances companies, etc.

According to Laurent Guerinaud, complementing his knowledge of the market with a technical domain acquired through automobile competition is a great professional advantage.

Pictures : credit Fernando Santos/Divulgação Fvee

(photos at the end of this document and attached to the email – please get in touch if you need a larger definition)

For more information, please contact:

Laurent Guerinaud : lguerinaud@gipa.eu

Updated results

Overall result of the 1st race of the 2nd stage of the Championship, Saturday (8/8), in Interlagos

1) João Pedro Maia, 24min26s177
2) Pedro Fachini, a 54s987
3) Gerson Zarpelão Jr, a 1min17s772
4) Saulo Soares, a 1min31s662
5) Laurent Guerinaud, a 1min33s184
6) Octavio Nucci Neto, a 1min39s205
7) Andre Suenaga, a 1min42s471
8) Augusto Santin, a 1min50s318
9) Daniel Rienda, a 2min04s196
10) Maurício Lippi, a 1 volta

Overall result of the 2nd race of the 2nd stage of the Championship, Saturday (8/8), in Interlagos

1) João Pedro Maia, 24min34s263
2) Augusto Santin, a 49s849
3) Laurent Guerinaud, a 1min06s110
4) Gerson Zarpelão Jr, a 1min08s846
5) Octavio Nucci Neto, a 1min15s857
6) Saulo Soares, a 1min16s023
7) Andre Suenaga, a 1min16s205
8) Daniel Rienda, a 2min08s749
9) Pedro Fachini, a 1 volta
10) Maurício Lippi, a 1 volta

Overall result of the 1st race of the 3rd stage of the Championship, Sunday (9/8), in Interlagos

1) João Pedro Maia, 24min26s997
2) Pedro Fachini, a 49s184
3) Lucas Veloso, a 1min03s151
4) Augusto Santin, a 1min04s410
5) Laurent Guerinaud, a 1min11s573
6) Gerson Zarpelão Jr, a 1min13s949
7) Saulo Soares, a 1min25s599
8) Weidner Emmerick, a 1min51s330
9) Andre Suenaga, a 4 voltas
10) Wallace Martins, a 7 voltas
11) Ara Mendonça, a 9 voltas

Overall result of the 2nd race of the 3rd stage of the Championship, Sunday (9/8), in Interlagos

1) João Pedro Maia, 26min44s976
2) Augusto Santin, a 46s998
3) Andre Suenaga, a 47s704
4) Gerson Zarpelão Jr, 50s018
5) Weidner Emmerick, a 1min20s369
6) Ara Mendonça, a 1min31s950
7) Laurent Guerinaud, a 2min00s854
8) Saulo Soares, a 1 volta
9) Lucas Veloso, a 3 voltas
10) Wallace Martins, a 9 voltas
11) Pedro Fachini, a 11 voltas

Formula Vee Championship ranking (after 3 of 10 stages)

1) Augusto Santin – 90 pontos
2) Gerson Zarpelão Jr – 86
3) João Pedro Maia – 80
4) Saulo Soares – 63
5) Lucas Veloso – 57
6) André Suneaga – 51
7) Laurent Guerinaud – 49
8) Pedro Fachini – 43
9) Octavio Nucci Neto – 22
10) Elisio Netto – 20
11) Weidner Emmerick – 20
12) Wallace Martins – 18
13) Bruno Barbieri – 17
14) Daniel Rienda – 15
15) Francisco Costa – 12
16) Maurício Lippi – 12
17) Ara Mendonça – 10
18) Antonio Carlos Souza – 9
19) Jônatas Rezende – 0

Fórmula Vee Máster ranking

1) Augusto Santin – 112 pontos
2) Saulo Soares – 94
3) André Suenaga – 72
4) Laurent Guerinaud – 66
5) Octavio Nucci Neto – 32
6) Weidner Emmerick – 30
7) Daniel Rienda – 20
8) Francisco Costa 18
9) Maurício Lippi – 18
10) Antonio Carlos Souza – 14
11) Ara Mendonça – 14