80 Day Race is pleased to announce that Pierre Fillon, President of The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) – the organisation behind the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours – has become an ambassador of the global sustainable race.
Mr Fillon shares the passion for racing, team spirit and innovation that can be found in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the pinnacle of endurance racing, as well as 80 Day Race, a global competition in which competitors cover 40,000 kilometres solely with vehicles that don’t consume fossil fuel.
80 Day Race is inspired by Jules Verne’s famous book ‘Around the world in 80 days’, betting that new means of transportation make it possible to achieve this challenge. As announced at Hôtel de Ville in Paris last year, the race will start in front of the Eiffel Tower. Once underway, the competitors are free to choose their own route to circumnavigate the globe between eight major cities in which events will take place, such as qualifying events, an educational programme and tradeshows. The teams will visit the Le Mans track just before they depart on their final stint back to Paris.
The ACO is the creator and organiser of the Le Mans 24 Hours since 1923. It is a unique, one-off event and is a laboratory of innovation. It represents the philosophy that motorsport should be useful for road cars, so it is an event where manufacturers can innovate and show their road car-driven technologies. In addition to that, fans are able to get close to the machines they dream about, to speak with the drivers and teams and there is organised entertainment for the entire family.
Pierre Fillon, President of The Automobile Club de l’Ouest, said: “Le Mans 24 Hours is a unique event and the top of the endurance pyramid. It’s the laboratory of innovation where future technologies for road cars are tested during the race. Passion for racing, team spirit, ethics, durability and fair play are the values of what we call ‘The Spirit of Le Mans’. This is exactly what can be found in 80 Day Race. That is why I became a proud ambassador. The event promises to be inspiring and exciting and we are happy to become part of it.”
Frank Manders, co-founder and General Director at 80 Day Race, said: “For generations the Le Mans 24 Hours is one of the most iconic races in the world. ACO is showing great vision by introducing new, innovative and fuel efficient technologies in the race regulations that benefit road cars. It is a true living laboratory for the automotive industry, yet it hasn’t sacrificed any of its charm and allure. A great example of how relevance and exciting racing can go hand in hand. So we are extremely proud that Mr Fillon has given his support to 80 Day Race.”
80 Day Race is in discussion with global partners, constructors, cities, local promoters and media partners to set a date for the start of the race. The city of Paris has already embraced the event; of where it will depart.
Other ambassadors who are committed to 80 Day Race are: Hubert Auriol (Three time Dakar Rally winner and former race director), Michael, Sebastiaan & Jeroen Bleekemolen (entrepreneurs and racing drivers), Charley Boorman (modern-day adventurer), Albert Bosch (adventurer and electric Dakar Rally participant), Tim Coronel (Dutch racing driver with electric aspirations), Jan Lammers (former F1 driver and Le Mans 24 hours winner), Erik Lindbergh (electric aviation pioneer), Robert Llewellyn (British actor and e-mobility specialist), Louis Palmer (sustainability specialist), Claudio von Planta (award winning film director), Didier de Radiguès (former Grand Prix winner and lap record holder for electric motorcycles at Spa-Francorchamps) Javier de Rocafort (successful entrepreneur and strategic advisor), Maarten Steinbuch (Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology) and Eric Vigouroux (successful off-road racing driver and team manager).
About the ACO
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) founded in 1906 is the creator and organiser of major motor sporting events including the first grand prix in the history of motor racing in 1906 followed by the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1923. The ACO’s aim is to develop long-distance racing and since 2012 it has been the organiser and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The club is also the creator of the continental series: the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, former American Le Mans Series (1999), the European Le Mans Series (2004), and the Asian Le Mans Series (2013). On its own circuits at Le Mans, the ACO organises the 24 Heures Motos, the 24 Heures Karting, the 24 Heures Camions and the French Motorcycle Grand Prix. But above all the ACO is a club made up of enthusiasts who defend the rights of car users on a daily basis, and it gives its members a privileged welcome to enable them to live their passion for motor sport at the events it organises.
The ACO also has a driving school, Le Mans Driver, a leisure and kart competition complex and simulators, an Enterprise department for the organisation of seminars, a team of guides providing tours of the installations of the Le Mans circuits, three official boutiques in Tours, Le Mans and Paris as well as eight regional agencies.