Try to imagine yourselves on the mythical circuit of Zandvoort, in a paddock at the effigy of the Ferrari horse, in the company of a mythical driver, that is, Jacky Ickx, with whom you are going to spend more than nine hours talking together, speaking about life, people, anything , exchanging jokes and laughing. What do you say? A dream? You are right, and this dream has come true.

Everything starts on May 31st when Michel Sterrenberg, who has already sent us his photos from Marlboro Masters 2004, writes in the website guestbook that Jacky Ickx will participate again in the Masters 2005.
The following day, I ask the team Barron Racing for a confirmation and Mark Koense confirms that Jacky will be present on June 11th and 12th and tells me that I am welcome in their facilities.
To have access to the paddock, I apply for a press accreditation to the Media Center of Zandvoort Circuit, which is granted to me almost at once. Finally, by security, I send a fax to Jacky Ickx asking him to confirm to me his presence at Zandvoort, just to be sure, especially when it is about a journey of almost 600 km. In the following days, my friend Paul Hendrick offers to go with me to avoid the strain of the journey. I accept this offer with pleasure. On Friday, June 10th, the day before Masters, Jacky phones me and confirms his presence at Zandvoort. The next day, at 5 am, we start, direction Zandvoort.

We arrive at about 8 am and receive our passes for the paddock and access to the media parking. A walk to the Media Center to obtain our accreditations and we are at the entrance of Barron Racing’s paddock. I would like here to congratulate and to thank the welcome services of Zandvoort Circuit who show an exceptional kindness and a professionalism which we rarely meet over here.

Very well welcomed at Barron’s Racing’s by Mark Koense, we wait patiently for Jacky who arrives shortly after 10. He is surrounded at once by a crowd of autograph hunters. With great pleasure and a happy smile on the face he responds to the request of his fans. He is very happy to see us again. I take his helmet and his luggage so that he can continue his signature session while going to the Barron Racing’s facilities.
When he arrives, he is required by the mechanics for the pedals and seat adjustments on the car he will drive during the weekend. Meanwhile, I meet the sister of René Arnoux who accompanies her brother because he hurt his knee while jogging and has to walk with crutches.

After this setting session, we go to the Barron Racing tent where Jacky introduces us to René Arnoux. From this moment, we are going to stay all together except, naturally, during the demonstration made by our champions in their Ferrari.
For hours, we are going to chat of anything, we are going to joke as old friends would do. There is no elitism, there are just five friends who enjoy a wonderful time together. René Arnoux and his sister are really charming persons with whom it is nice to talk and to joke.

At about 3:00 pm, our champions go up in their racing cars and drive 5 or 6 laps of the circuit, for the pleasure of passionates. The first lap is covered carefully because the track is cold and the grip is not good Then, we notice that the drivers enjoy themselves gradually accelerating in the course of laps. The show is marvellous. I take the opportunity of these moments to talk friendly with Michel Sterrenberg we have met earlier.
After the return of our drivers in the tent, the friendly conversations start again. Ah, what a happiness! We manage to forget the bad weather conditions and this very cold wind. We can’t forget that we are in the dunes, some hundreds meters from the North Sea.

At about 7:00 pm, Jacky settles down in a Ferrari Enzo and takes VIP for a lap of the circuit then. At about 8:00 pm, the day ends and Jacky leaves us to go to the hotel. A last gesture of friendship, he offers me the pullover Tommy Hilfiger that he received from Barron Racing, and offers his cap to my friend Paul.
We take the road back, the head full of these intense moments which we have just lived during this perfect day in the dunes of Zandvoort.

Next meeting: Modena Motorsport Ferrari Track Days on the Nurburgring Circuit on July 21st and 22nd.