Truck racing meets 24 Hours of Le Mans
It’s the most iconic endurance race in the world – and this year, three Goodyear FIA ETRC drivers got a front-row seat to the spectacle that is the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Thanks to our title partner Goodyear, reigning champion Norbert Kiss, reigning Chrome and Young Drivers’ champion José Eduardo Rodrigues, and Young Drivers’ runner-up Bradley Smith were invited to experience the legendary event first-hand – and it’s safe to say they were blown away.
For Eduardo, it was a weekend full of firsts: “It’s hard to pick a favourite moment – we had so many incredible activities, from going up in the Goodyear blimp to exploring the pits and seeing how everything works behind the scenes,” he said. “But if I had to choose, it would be watching the pit stops – seeing how quickly they change tyres, swap drivers, and manage everything. It was impressive.”
Le Mans also marked his first time at such a massive international event. “Everything surprised me – the size, the people, the weather, the cars,” he added. “The Hypercars stood out the most. The speed, the design, the technical detail.. For any driver, Le Mans is a dream. It would be an amazing learning experience to race here one day.”
Bradley echoed the sentiment: “The atmosphere was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The crowd was insane – I’ve never seen that many people at a race. They put on a brilliant show before the start with fighter jets flying over, the whole build-up - Le Mans really knows how to put on a show.”
Bradley also enjoyed watching Valentino Rossi race: “That was really cool to see, he’s always someone I’ve enjoyed watching, I even copied his race number!” he laughed.
For Norbert, Le Mans had long been on his bucket list: “It was my first time at the 24hours – I’ve always wanted to go, so I’m really thankful to Goodyear for making it happen. They gave us an unforgettable experience – from the flight over the circuit in the blimp to amazing hospitality and access all weekend.”
As a fan of motorsport, Norbert was impressed by the spectacle on track. “The Hypercars are such a great concept – and for me, the Cadillac had the best sound! Seeing Robert Kubica and his team take the win was great – I’ve always liked him.”
Would he like to race at Le Mans one day? “Of course,” he smiled. “It’s probably a long shot for me, but maybe in a GT3 car. That would be something special.”