2023-11-15 14:57:00
Jean-Philippe Béziat, from Toulouse, a racing driver in his spare time, will participate in the 2024 Dakar rally which will take place in the desert of Saudi Arabia from January 5 to 19. At 47, this car racing enthusiast divides his time between his physical training, his children and his voluntary actions within the Toulouse association, “Petit Coeur de Beurre”.
Jean-Philippe Béziat (right) and his co-driver Vincent Albira (left) © Dakar
He has been passionate regarding car racing since he was very young. The Toulouse driver, Jean-Philippe Béziat, will participate in the Dakar 2024 rally with his co-driver, Vincent Albira, from January 5 to 19. A childhood dream that he has come true for the fourth time. He knows cars and races by heart thanks to his professional and sporting career, both complementary.
Indeed, the Toulouse pilot runs two companies, located north of Toulouse, Béziat Carburants and Béziat Depollution. Thanks to his job, the athlete regularly went to the Dakar race to provide the event in fuel. “I always loved going there, and I dreamed of participating,” he adds.
Now a Dakar regular
At 47, Jean-Philippe Béziat devotes most of his free time to his passion: car racing. Six times French off-road endurance champion, he always dreamed of doing the Dakar as a driver. “But it took me a while before I was able to do it for budget reasons,” says the Toulouse resident. He ends up tackling the dunes of the Saudi Arabian desert for the first time in 2019 and repeats the experience in 2022 and 2023.
The Toulouse pilot therefore knows the adventure that awaits him in January 2024 and knows that this event “requires strong physical preparation. » Jean-Philippe Béziat then says: “The race requires a lot of effort, both physically and mentally. At the end of each stage, we can eat at the bivouac if we arrive in time. Otherwise, we sleep in the desert. We must therefore provide plenty of water and food rations like in the army to hold out. We must always anticipate. »
To ensure the two weeks of racing, the driver imposes a strict framework by allowing himself six hours of sleep per 24 hours. “It can be six hours during the night, but sometimes that’s not possible, so I take advantage of it if I find a moment during the day to rest,” says the athlete. Upstream, Jean-Philippe Béziat also spends a lot of time doing sports, whether mountain biking or muscle strengthening, and works on the “psychological”. He adds: “I live for it. »
Jean-Philippe Béziat takes hospitalized children on his adventure © Dakar
A hereditary passion
But his daily life is not just regarding car racing or his work. On his CV, Jean-Philippe Béziat adds the line “very dynamic dad”. His three children aged 18, 13 and 11 have inherited his passion for cars and competition. His eldest son is notably French karting champion, his youngest daughter is passionate regarding equestrian racing and his youngest is particularly interested in mechanics.
However, while he loves spending time with them, the driver doesn’t take them to watch the races. He explains: “When I am launched at more than 170 kilometers per hour across the desert, I often face danger. And it is imperative to stay focused, not to think regarding anything else. So, I think regarding my children before and following, but never during a race. »
A Toulouse pilot with a big heart
Running, work, children… But also volunteering. The chance of life led Jean-Philippe to get involved in the associative world. In fact, around ten years ago, the pilot spent a lot of time in the hospital, but not for himself… He confides: “My youngest son had a heart defect when he was little. » Aware of this pathology, he discovered the association “Little heart of butter” and offers to help.
The Toulouse association works daily to improve the quality of life of people suffering from congenital heart disease and their family. It follows the sporting adventures of the driver who pays him his profits from each race. And for the Dakar, Jean-Philippe Béziat from Toulouse goes beyond the financial aspect: “We are in permanent contact with the children of the Purpan hospitals in Toulouse and the Necker hospital in Paris. I give them my news during the race, explaining to them what happened during the day. They can thus experience the Dakar alongside me. »
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