"Philippe Gurdjian, my father, who worked in advertising at the time, liked to create cars that didn't go unnoticed. "

MY FIRST TIMES

Stanislas Gurdjian, co-founder of Eleven Cars, has always been immersed in the automotive world, thanks to his father Philippe, a gentleman driver deeply involved in motorsport. Therefore, it's difficult for him to single out one memorable automotive experience. He doesn't want to feature just one car here, but all those that have thrilled him at some point.

Some people remember their first day of middle school, their first outing with friends, or their first kiss. As for me, my unforgettable "first times" smell strongly of gasoline and motor oil.

I was just 6 years old when I had my first memory of motor racing, attending the French Production Car Championship at Montlhéry. It was also the first time I puffed out my chest, filled with pride, applauding my dad at the wheel of that BMW 635csi.

In 1991, I attended my first Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Paul Ricard circuit. My ears bled at the sound of the Ferrari V12's screech. I have no recollection of the winner's name; I mainly remember how perfectly natural it felt, at the ripe old age of 12, to walk into the pits and greet Jackie Stewart and Ayrton Senna, my idol. It was much later that I realized how extraordinary those moments truly were.

Around the age of 14 or 15, I took my first driving lesson at the Nevers Magny-Cours circuit behind the wheel of a Renault Clio William. Despite being incredibly scared, my karting experiences suddenly seemed quite bland in comparison.

Then, I took my first driving course behind the wheel of a Formula Ford. By practicing heel-and-toe shifting, I discovered humility: everything remains to be learned.

I remember the first car I drove right after getting my driver's license. A friend's mother lent me a Fiat 500, which was born in 1979, just like me!

Around the age of 20, I spent my first night as a spectator at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, hours of madness feeling the breath of the Cadillacs right at the edge of the tracks, before the S-bends in the forest.

A little later, my boss lent me his car and I drove my first Ferrari, a 355 F1 spider. Despite its notoriously complex gearbox, a smile never left my face during those few hours behind the wheel.

On my first date with the woman who would become the love of my life and the mother of my children, I tried to impress her by driving her around in a Dino 246 GT. Things didn't go as planned, and she quickly made it clear that driving around Paris like that was far too pretentious for her. She's definitely not a Danny Wilde fan.

I exceeded 300 km/h for the first time driving a Porsche 997 Carrera S, my way of celebrating my brother's engagement and fortunately, I didn't encounter any patrols on the motorway!

Before I turned thirty, I made my first appearance at the Spa 25 Hours with some friends. Confident in our limited experience and full of enthusiasm, we imagined we could achieve a good result. During practice, my hopes were quickly dashed, finishing 11 seconds off pole position. It was a real humbling experience, and from now on, my place will always be that of a "gentleman driver," like my father.

A few years later, I discovered the magic of the Tour-Auto start at the Grand Palais. Another enchanting experience behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper S.

Finally, there is my first straight from Mistral to Castellet aboard a Formula 1 car. From the first carbon braking maneuvers of unprecedented violence, I understand in my bones that everything I have done up to this point is just a vulgar last resort.

I finally had to wait until I was forty to start up a Lamborghini Miura, one of the most beautiful cars I've ever owned. The ignition, the fuel pump, the two revs, the starter, the explosion of the twelve successive spark plugs are breathtaking.

I hope the story of my "firsts" will continue to unfold and that my children will want to share them. My 7-year-old son is already dreaming of his first "Little Big Mans"... another budding "gentleman driver"?

Stanislas Gurdjian for MyLittleRedCar

"I have never forgotten the pride I felt accompanying my dad during that round of the French Production Championship in 1985."

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