Gabillon retirement: 2021 last NWES season with RDV Competition?
Frederic Gabillon will be back in the EuroNASCAR title hunt with RDV Competition in 2021 – For the Frenchman, it could be his last season in active racing
“I’m 45 years old and I spent 30 years racing, so maybe this will really be my last season behind the wheel,” said Frederic Gabillon in the new episode of ‘Pure Racing Pit Reporters’. The Frenchman will be back with RDV Competition in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (NWES) in 2021 and will be chasing the EuroNASCAR PRO championship title. It could be the NWES veteran’s final season.
This is not the first time Gabillon has hinted at ending his career, “I’m definitely closer to the end of my career than to the beginning of it and I’ve been saying this the last couple of seasons.” The year 2021 may indeed be the final season for the unique Frenchman, who has finished second three times in his EuroNASCAR career.
A true NWES veteran
Gabillon is the record holder with 84 race starts in the official European NASCAR series. He has finished 53 percent of his races on the podium, meaning he lifted a trophy to the sky 45 times. Twelve times the 45-year-old from Uzes finished in first place – eight times he snatched the pole position. The only thing Gabillon is missing is the EuroNASCAR PRO title.
Although it could be his farewell tour, Gabillon is hungry for the overall win. “We have a brand new car and we had almost a year and a half to get it ready and I can’t wait to bring it to the track,” said Gabillon, who has good relationships to RDV boss Franck Violas and crew chief Claude Galopin. “It’s really important to build a solid relationship and work year after year with the same great people.”
Old-school crew chief
Praising his crew chief and team manager to the skies, Gabillon said: “I think my crew chief is one of the best there is. He’s an old school guy and when he trusts you, he’s really making a difference turning your feedback into a better car. Franck is such a great friend and we spend a lot of time together when I’m in Paris. I am really happy to continue with them.”
The 2021 NWES season kicks off at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, on May 15-16 following the postponed season opener. RDV Competition and Gabillon skipped the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The French powerhouse will be back in the mix in 2021.
