Le Mans Classic. Commissioner Jacky’s 1200 Hours of Le Mans

He is one of those anonymous silhouettes dressed in orange jumpsuits, without whom the 24 Hours of Le Mans would be nothing. Track commissioner since 1970, stationed at Tertre Rouge from 1973, Jacky Fleuridas is one of the essential cogs that allow the Le Mans track to have this reputation as a safe circuit. After fifty editions spent on the rails, the native of Chartres bows out under the sun of this tenth Le Mans Classic.

For this retired electrician, the story with the circuit began in 1963, on the occasion of a first 24 Hours shared with his father, a fan of motorsport and amateur driver, but limited in his passion by modest means. In front of the scene of his father taking off his helmet, Jacky projected himself : “I said that what my father could not do, I would do it”. At 20, the dream becomes reality for the young man, who embarks on the world of piloting. “This year, I took my 52nd license”, confides to us, not a little proud, the one who does not hide his particular attraction for the rally.

In parallel with this baptism behind the wheel, Jacky made his debut as a track marshal, in the Maison Blanche sector. The evocation of this symbolic moment and the context of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Classic, anchored in time, bring back memories gathered over all these years. With restrained emotion, Jacky recalls the death of a station chief in 1979, during an intervention, as well as the fatal accident of Allan Simonsen in 2013, reflecting a mission where danger is omnipresent. However, if the life of commissaire is not only made up of joys, it also allows you to be at the heart of legendary races, such as the victory under the deluge of Jean Rondeau in 1980.

In fifty years, the safety of the guardian angels of the pilots has also evolved. “I saw cars pass me flush with the suit”he recalls, explaining that the introduction of new measures, like the slow zones, brought more comfort and serenity. »

Being a curator also means traveling across borders, like “in Belgium, at the 24 Hours of Spa”, and responsibilities. This role allows “to approach motorsport in another way, we are closer to the track and our behavior can affect the life of a colleague or a driver” . Pointing to his friend Thierry, whom he brought into the world of orange coveralls, Jacky explains: “It’s part of our role, as elders, to train”. These words sum up this spirit of transmission and this sense of community governing this ” big family “, from different backgrounds but brought together by a passion for motor sports. To see them chatting happily under the awnings of their motorhomes, these words are beyond doubt.

This same passion is the source of Jacky’s longevity and there is no question of retiring from the automotive world after this jubilee. “I will continue to lend a hand in the organization of rallies, I intend to remain very involved”.

So why stop his Le Mans epic here? “I always said that I would stop at the fiftieth participation as commissioner”. The golden wedding anniversary celebrated, Jacky can now retire serenely, before taking full advantage of the centenary of the 24 Hours next year, but this time as a spectator.