Alain Prost likes big children toys
It's at Cannes' Port Canto, just before the Film Festival kicks off, that we meet Alain Prost, on the finish line of the first Toys Club Members' Rally. The club was launched in 2007 and can boast the four-times F1 World Champion as their ambassador.
By Romuald Clariond. Photos by Arnaud Taquel
How did this Toys Club story start? Are you the man behind it or just the ambassador?
I knew about P1 as Damon Hill was involved, and we wanted to do something similar, but were looking for someone able to manage the company and run it. Fortunately we met Maxime Bertin-Mourot, and actually it evolved here in Cannes thanks to the publisher Paul Dupuy, who knew Maxime and me. We put together a committee at meetings with all the business partners, each of us having expertise in a certain field. It was back in 2007, so not really a perfect time.
Do you mean it was tough because of the financial crisis?
Not tough, but at some point the development had been stagnating, in part because of the rates of resale for the cars, that is not exactly the same when the financial crisis hits.
What's the best time to resell a car in terms of mileage?
Less than 20.000 kilometres, or one year.
How many cars did you get when you started the company?
We started with a Ferrari 599, an Aston Martin DB9, an Audi R8 and a Maserati GranTurismo. And pretty soon we had an Alfa Romeo 8C and an Aston Martin V8 Volante.
Does it help in your business to have a four-time Formula 1 World Champion among partners?
As far as possible I only intervene when there's a valid reason. It happened a couple of times with Bentley to get one more car or Aston Martin for a partnership. But if we get into doing this, I've the feeling that it's not so good. In the beginning, the retailers didn't embrace us, they thought we were not good for their business. But now they realize we were not harmful for them.
What about Ferrari? You've been one of their drivers!
Ferrari have such an exclusive approach that for the last 20 years it hasn't made a big difference if it's me or a collector who orders their cars! At least so far.
The Toys Club has been organizing its first rally for members for May. Was it planned since the beginning to go that way or did it come along?
Yes, it was in the plans. Up until then we had been doing some track days with three or four members, but never something as big as this, over a few days, with 11 teams of members. But Maxime could knows more about this side of things, as he's in touch with members on a daily basis. What's key to me about this first members' rally is that it makes the club work like a club. That's the most important thing.
How has it worked so far socially speaking? Did the Toys Club organize some soirées or such?
Some events - and I was surprised when I saw in Paris the way it unfolded: the members were exchanging contacts, business cards, planning to go golfing the next weekend, or "We go to Cannes, I'll take the Bentley. What car do you pick up?"… It's crazy! This human factor is fascinating; it connects people; and it's much more fun to go with people who also love cars, than taking your car alone to drive the mountain roads.
Are you into clubs, outside this one?
Not really. Even the Formula 1 Drivers Club, I attended only a couple of times. I'm very happy when I meet some former colleagues randomly, but the organisation of such an event of veterans bothers me. The Toys Club is not in this perspective, it's not your typical dinner of veterans, they share a common interest, and there's all the lifestyle around, sleeping in nice places and sharing good meals. By the way when I say I'm bothered by veterans events, it's just that I'm not into meeting people just to remember the good old time. There's nothing pejorative meant. And maybe in ten or fifteen years from here I'll think it's not that bad! Sometimes people ask me about old times, and I'm happy to explain or share, but it's a different context.
You're pretty much into other sports alongside racing. Are you still crazy about golf and snowboarding?
No, I had to calm a bit down on snowboarding because of knee and foot injuries, but it's true I loved snowboarding in powder! I've focused a lot on cycling for about fifteen years. And I just play golf two or three times a year.
Next winter will you still be racing on the Trophée Andros, the very popular snow racing series in France? Will you be racing on the electric series they've developed? It's pretty big as it will go down in history as the first electric series in the world!
I can't do both, it's always a bit complicated as the fuelled and electric races follow up through the weekend. I've been helping to develop the electric Andros Car and my son does take part in the series, but on the racing side of things I'll stay on the main historical series with Dacia. We're on an original project, mixing sport and marketing.
You have a lot of former Formula 1 drivers on Trophée Andros! The most popular is you, but there's also Olivier Panis, and another World Champion who joined last winter and had a lot of fun – Jacques Villeneuve.
You can explain it easily: when you've been into Formula 1, there's nothing beyond, so you won't have that thrill anymore. Then what can you do? You can pop into Dakar or rally for fun, but Trophée Andros offers very good fun and there's no big physical risk. It's completely different and it's a real challenge when you come from the track and especially the F1. The track changes all the time, even between the morning and the afternoon, it's incredible! And you need different skills.
Have you been consulted for the FIA electric series that Jean Todt wants for 2013?
We've been talking about it, yes. Formula 1 can't go electric, but it's true it would be interesting to have a FIA world electric series alongside other ones, as there is on Trophée Andros. It will promote the technology and, on the top of this, develop it in the worse conditions you can imagine – the race and the competition. It doesn't evolve the same way when it comes to mainstream or competition. It's always been the point of competition, as you know.
What do you think about the debate around the 2013 new engines?
In the cars we drive in everyday life, we'll go more and more into downsizing regarding engines. And in this way, turbo is perfect. I did a study about biomass fuels a few years ago, and I think the perfect match would be the mix between them and a turbo. So as far as the F1 is a window for the automobile industry, they should go that way as well. The engine is still the heart of the car and of the Formula 1. I even think the size of the tank should be restricted: it would incite manufacturers to produce the best and most powerful engine that consume the less. Engine suppliers have to be given a big role. But it would have to be well explained to mainstream public, which is not always the case at the moment. I think globally, Formula 1 deserves better than it has at the moment.