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FIA victory ceremony in Le Mans

FIA victory ceremony in Le Mans

19. October 2015The official FIA prizegiving ceremony rings down the curtain on each truck racing season. And here too, the difference from every other motorsport series is manifest. It’s not weeks later that an illustrious circle gathers in an elite and exclusive locale - in the FIA European Truck Racing Championship the teams celebrate together as complete entities. They celebrate the conclusion of another season, they celebrate the winners, and above all, they celebrate themselves. Because in the FIA ETRC every pilot and pilotess, every team is a winner, has always been, and will always be.
Like the last four FIA galas in Le Mans, this year’s ceremony too was hosted by the Truck Race Organisation TRO spearheaded by its president, FIA co-ordinator Fabien Calvet.
The ceremony started with a brilliant 6,5 minute video clip by the TRO TV crew - available to view on our Facebook page.
Calvet and the TRO sprang a surprise once again with some special new prizes.
Patrick Folleas of the Lion Racing Team was given the award for best-presented team in the paddock.
Erwin Kleinnagelvoort, a professional trucker on Europe’s highways (when he’s not racing), was honoured for his team’s undying loyalty to the sport. This almost exclusively family outfit keeps on truckin’ with the smallest of budgets.
The women’s award went to Steffi Halm, who at one time had given up hope of climbing back into a race truck this year. But then she was called up by René Reinert, team boss of Reinert Racing, for a one-off “Women Behind the Wheel” promotional drive that eventually expanded into a stunning six-race campaign.
Ellen Lohr, the second lady among the 32 pilots and pilotesses that took part in this season’s racing, was given a special award for her record engagement in motorsport and in truck racing particularly.
In between the individual stages of the ceremony, the guests and teams were regaled with successive courses of the lavish banquet.
The trophies were then handed over to the drivers and teams to a replay of the highlights of the season in stills and motion pictures.
The FIA ceremony 2015 is the last under the aegis of the TRO; from 2016 onwards it will be the responsibility of the new promoter ETRA.
And so, many of the drivers and team members were understandably emotional as they took their moments on the stage to thank Fabien Calvet over and over for his tireless efforts all these years, particularly the especially difficult ones that followed the withdrawal of the large truckmakers.
But the evening obviously didn’t go down in sentimentality.
The official festivities segued into the obligatory season-ending bash in the paddock, and that lasted – like it ever does – till near dawn.

Impressions:

FIA victory ceremony in Le Mans
FIA victory ceremony in Le Mans