He fell into it when he was young. Julien Gerbi has had his head in racing bucket seats ever since he started walking. His passion comes from his uncle Pierre Henri Raphanel, a former Formula 1 and 24 Hours of Le Mans driver, and from the family’s best friend, Roberto Moreno, who boasts 42 Grand Prix starts, one second place finish, and was a predecessor of the famous Michael Schumacher at Benetton.
Julien naturally started with Karting to learn. He even won a race in 1993 in Monaco. From a young age, he set his sights on the United States, aspiring to race there. Today, after a learning year, Julien, amidst American drivers, proudly represents French colors. Two races have been contested: he finished second in one and won the other. It’s hard to do better than that. The US Barber Mazda Series championship isn’t the most well-known. The single-seaters resemble Formula 3 cars. The 2007 edition drew 350,000 spectators. “It’s very spectacular. Unlike Formula 1, where there are very few overtakes, here you’re constantly overtaking in fast races (note: under 45 minutes). The audience loves it especially since the top speeds can reach up to 250 km/h.”
The life of a racing driver isn’t easy. Up until a year ago, Julien had to work on the side to make ends meet. While the world of Formula 1 isn’t too distant sportswise, it is worlds apart in terms of lifestyle. By finishing tenth last year, he earned a small sum of money that funded his season. The sponsors do the rest. “I hope to become an official Mazda driver,” Julien aspires. His results will likely allow it. Even though he races in the United States, he continues to live in Nice. Julien says, “I commute by plane. I leave two days before the races and return the day after. There are fourteen races spread over seven weekends, so I only cross the Atlantic seven times.”
It is very difficult in Europe to break through without significant financial backing. Julien struggled on the old continent. He has a very interesting record: 5th in the European Championship of Formula X Sport Prototypes (1 pole position in Dubai, 1 podium in Monza) and best rookie in 2004, 5th in the Turkish Formula 3 Championship (participating in 8 out of 14 races – 3 victories, 5 podiums, 2 pole positions, 2 fastest laps) and Rookie of the Year in 2006 and testing in Formula Renault, Gloria. In 2007, he entered the “100 Future Racing Stars” ranking, featuring the top 100 global racing prospects. His strategy follows in the steps of “Sebastien Bourdais”: to go as far as possible in the United States, where a driver’s skill is valued more than the size of their bank account. This begins with a final victory in the US BARBER MAZDA SERIES to further attract NASCAR teams which, like Michel Disdier, another Nice native, or CHAMPCAR, like Sébastien Bourdais, are already eyeing our Nice champion. That’s all we wish for him.
