"At 4 years old, it wasn't this miniature I had in my hands, but a real MGB green racing car."

My Uncle

Eric Gallardo, founder of Lapland Ice Driving, had a childhood reminiscent of the lightheartedness of Jacques Tati's eponymous film.

Even though my uncle was a little less of a dreamer than Monsieur Hulot, I owe him many childhood memories, and above all, my passion for cars. The earliest of these dates back to the day he took me for my first ride in his brand-new green racing MGB. I must have been three or four years old. Since I wasn't the driver, I reveled in being his passenger on the coastal roads of the Costa Brava between Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar. The scent of pine trees and the azure blue of the sea mingled with this incredible feeling of freedom, and I imagined myself, hair blowing in the wind, being able to control the car. From then on, my only ambition became to sit behind the wheel, despite my legs being too short to reach the pedals. My Uncle Roger probably didn't realize it, but those timeless moments we spent together forged my true passion for cars.

 Just like Monsieur Hulot did for his nephew, my uncle instilled in me a kind of aptitude for dreaming, and I wish every child could have an Uncle Roger! He was a constant presence throughout my childhood and was like a second father to me. As a child, I had no complaints about the life my parents provided, but my uncle made me dream. For me, a little boy in the 1960s, his elegance behind the wheel of his MGB was further enhanced by the aura of his profession as a private jet pilot. My uncle embodied all the qualities of a modern hero. 

However, unlike Tati's hero who never missed an opportunity to disobey his nephew's parents, my uncle sided with them when they pushed me to pursue aeronautical engineering, rather than encouraging me to fulfill my childhood dream: "to be a Formula 1 driver." They were certainly right, but my passion for cars was already too deeply rooted, and even though I quickly gave up on becoming an F1 driver, I kept a foot in the door by choosing to study automotive engineering and later becoming a test driver specializing in vehicle dynamics. I had ten extraordinary years in this profession, the highlight of which was the annual ice testing campaigns on Lake Uddjaur in Swedish Lapland.

 It was much later, in 2006, that, based on the knowledge I had acquired on ice over those ten years, I was able to realize my ultimate professional project: to allow all enthusiasts to drive the most beautiful sports cars on the planet in a breathtaking landscape, at the world's largest driving center and in a completely  Secure. Today, I dedicate my entire professional life to this goal, and even beyond; it has become my reason for being. None of this would exist if my uncle hadn't instilled this passion in me, and if he hadn't helped me as he did during my early years in business. I owe him everything I am.

 In July 2019, when he was 86 years old, I bought a perfectly restored 1964 MGB Green racing car especially for him. After the initial excitement of seeing it, he was astonished by the size of the car, which had resurfaced from the past, imagining it to be much larger and more spacious. I couldn't help but notice that behind this seemingly simple reaction, a kind of veil had clouded his gaze, the same veil that clouds mine today as I tell you this story and look at my miniature in the photograph. It's a beautiful tribute I wanted to pay him to express my deepest gratitude… 

 Today, I'm restoring to concours condition the Mercedes 220 S (W111 model with the shark-fin rear fenders) that my grandfather bought new when I was born. This car had never left our family, and my uncle gave it to me a few years ago when I told him about my desire to restore it to mint condition. This Mercedes is another story that connects me to my uncle, as it was behind the wheel of this car that he taught me to drive when I was only 14 years old. Unfortunately, my dear uncle passed away two months ago, and I didn't have the pleasure of visiting him with this finished Mercedes, but I'm certain he'll be with me when I take it for its first spin, and it will be his turn to be my co-pilot.

Eric Gallardo for MyLittleRedCar

"In the background, the elegant silhouette of my uncle and me at the wheel, barely three feet tall."

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