“Actually, my parents worked it well before I did,” says Adrien. “Car was my very first word !” Summer jobs followed in karting and a car repair centre, before he got the chance to work behind the scenes at Car Meets at the Val de Vienne circuit in Le Vigeant. Now his dream is to become a sales consultant... for Renault Sport.

The R.S. world is one he’s already familiar with. “I drive a Clio 2 R.S. in the famous, fabulous Sirius Yellow,” he says proudly. “It’s my first major purchase, and the result of many years of hard work, saving up to be able to make the dreams I’ve had since I was a small boy come true.” While he often races, it’s always without his beloved Clio : “I try to keep it in perfect condition, and I’d be too upset if something bad happened to it on the track !”

It was while he was studying in Poitiers that Adrien first got behind the wheel of a Renault Sport – a friend’s Twingo R.S. Gordini. “I had absolutely no idea of its potential. What a great little car. An incredible chassis, a responsive engine with roar and charm… I knew from that moment on that I was going to buy a Renault Sport. The spirit of competition, the ingenuity of the concept cars and various models, the family spirit : I loved all of it.”

Adrien got the full measure of that Renault Sport spirit during the most recent Paris Motor Show. “That day remains my favourite Renault Sport memory ! One of my best friends and I had won tickets in a competition we entered. Renault Sport gave us an amazing show, with a series of Renault Sport events that lived up to our expectations. The Mégane IV R.S. Trophy left us dreaming about driving our own…”

The icing on the cake was the moment when Adrien was able to meet rally driving legend Jean Ragnotti : "It was a very special moment. I was so thrilled to meet him, I was almost speechless. Just thinking about it, makes me feel emotional. I met my idol, the guy who made me dream of motor racing since I was a kid. For me, Ragnotti is the perfect rally driver : touching, talented, close to the people, natural. Some dream of great drivers like Michael Schumacher or Sébastien Loeb. For me no one comes close to this legendary rally driver. I’ve spent hours watching compilations of his driving : his famous footwork and hand brake turns. But beyond that, what I love is how loyal this icon is to Renault Sport.”

It’s a loyalty matched by Adrien himself.

Photo credits : Emixam