“Living our passion to the fullest”: we met the boss of the Idec group in the paddock of the 4 Hours of Le Castellet

Same, it’s him. At the turn of the year 2000, Patrice Lafargue takes over a company in difficulty whose employees can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Today, this native of Nivernais leads a radiant group in all areas of business property activity which has more than 500 employees.

And he also holds the helm of Idec Sport, the entity bringing together commitments on various fronts: football, rugby, basketball, sailing and… motorsport, the boss’s number 1 passion.

This weekend, at Le Castellet, the Idec team returns to the European Le Mans Series one month after the resounding pole position obtained on the capital stage of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 category.

Summer deadline in the new garden of a structure that has just moved in close to the Paul-Ricard circuit, on the Signs side.

Patrice Lafargue, when you see the light of day in Nevers in 1961, the year of the inauguration of the Magny-Cours circuit, you necessarily embrace the passion for motorsport on the edge of the track, right?

(Surprised) Wow! Imagine that I was not aware of this concordance. Glad to learn it! (He smiles) To tell the truth, the passion was already present in the family. My father passed it down to me. And indeed, I went to the circuit very young. As a kid, the motorcycle riders particularly impressed me. Thanks to a race steward friend, sometimes I could see them up close in the paddock. I was 10, 12, 14 years old… I loved this atmosphere.

Much later, in 2015, you created the Idec Sport team. With what ambition?

I was racing with the Ruffier Racing team. The owner (pilot James Ruffier, editor’s note) wanted to sell his structure. I bought it, that’s it… I didn’t want everything to go up in smoke. Without this recovery opportunity, maybe the Idec Sport team would never have existed, who knows? At the time, my son Paul was getting his start in motorsport. In short, we seized the windfall to found a family team. With the objective of living our passion to the full. The ambition that continues to drive us today.

Happy with how far you’ve come so far?

Yes. Without pretension, I am more than satisfied. The team has continued to progress over time as shown by our results, particularly in LMP2. Two pole positions at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2018, 2023)and on the front of the European Le Mans Series, victories, a title (2019)… The work orchestrated since 2018 by our Team Principal (Marseillais Nicolas Minassian, former Peugeot Sport driver in Endurance converted to management) bearing fruit. Nico is a humanly adorable and professionally ultra-motivated boy. A great guide. Thanks to him, we have taken a step forward in performance. The family team has become a safe bet, a force that counts.

The team has just left Seine-et-Marne to settle next to the Paul-Ricard circuit. Why here and not in Magny-Cours?

It’s my job that allowed us to take root in the Var region. One of the subsidiaries of the Idec group has just developed the Queue de Sartan subdivision, an 8-hectare business park adjoining the circuit. Given this appropriate location, I had initially reserved a plot. Up there, we were starting to feel cramped. We wanted to move. Done this winter. The Idec team is thus making a new start. And he saw his first home race there, suddenly.

How is your brand new base camp laid out?

It is a block of three buildings covering nearly 5,000m2. The first houses the Idec Sport team: workshops, offices, parts storage. The second will house the historic vehicle activity – maintenance, racing operations… – which we are in the process of developing for customers. As for the last linking one to the other, it includes a gym, a vast reception area and our new simulator, a very nice tool. In addition, I negotiated with the management of the Paul-Ricard circuit the authorization to have direct access to the track. This emerges in the straight line of the Mistral, just before the curve of Signes. Practical, pleasant layout.

Last month, under the spotlight of the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, what did you need to convert the magnificent pole position conquered by Paul-Loup Chatin into a podium?

Third place in LMP2 was just waiting for us. The car was working wonderfully. Hope was shattered by a puncture two hours before the checkered flag. Laurents (Hörr) has nothing to do with it. To make matters worse, it happened to him at the exit of the pitlane. He must therefore complete a full lap, more than 13 terminals, with a flat rear tire. Enough to lose three ranks and finish P6. A gearbox problem had already deprived us of victory at the end of the race in the past. Hopefully the wheel of fortune will turn in our favor next time…

Your target, now, is this ELMS title to reconquer?

(You tac au tac) Oh yes! We have the drivers, the staff and the car to achieve it. In Barcelona (the opening round played on April 23), despite the small mechanical problem that slowed them down at the start of the race, Paul-Loup, Laurents and Paul (Lafargue) took 3rd place. Nice climb! The performance is there. We will throw all our forces into battle, here and elsewhere.

Let’s move from land to sea for the final word. Idec Sport supports Riviera sailor Alexia Barrier, who will set off for the Jules Verne Trophy with an all-female crew in 2025. How do you view this challenge?

Alexia, I didn’t know her. She came to present her project to me and she quickly convinced me. I’m very happy! Firstly because it has formed an international crew (5 foreigners and 2 compatriots at his side). Then because it gives a second wind to the maxi-trimaran Idec Sport which holds this record for the round the world without stopover or assistance (established in 2017 by Francis Joyon). Alexia has the necessary experience and determination. She’s the perfect captain for such an adventure.