Exclusive – Interview with Morgan Lavaux, International Handikart Champion 2021

Can you introduce yourself, how old are you and what do you do in life?

My name is Morgan Lavaux, I am 33 years old, I am the 2021 Handikart champion and for seven years I have been managing the company Captiv which designs a device called Gaspard. This device helps people in wheelchairs. Gaspard is a sensor mat that fits under the anti-bedsore cushion of wheelchair users and, through an application, helps prevent skin problems, which affect nearly 85% of wheelchair users.

I created this company following my Flyboard accident that left me quadriplegic, I wanted to improve the well-being of people in wheelchairs through new technologies.

We imagine that you are a fan of motorsport, where does this passion come from, which driver inspires you the most?

« I have been passionate about motorsport since my early childhood, as a child I drove karting in the cadet minime category. As is often the case in this environment, my hopes of pursuing a career in motorsport were somewhat dashed by the exorbitant costs involved.

« Fred Sausset is a driver who inspires me a lot, just like me he is in a wheelchair but that did not stop him from participating and finishing the 24 Hours of Le Mans with his teammates Christophe Tinseau and Jean-Bernard Bouvet within the SRT41 by Oak Racing team (LMP2), a world first for a disabled driver.

Can you tell us about your background in motorsport?

« I started in the junior category and after a break of 15 years, thanks to Gildas Merian from Sodikart, I was able to resume karting by providing me with a suitable kart. This sport has always remained in the back of my mind and I quickly found my pace on the circuit of ASK Lohéac, where I practice and train for competitions in the Brittany Pays de la Loire league as well as for the Brittany championship. After a year of resuming, two years ago, I entered the Handikart French championship, where I finished second overall after securing pole position but was very hindered by two broken ribs. »

« Karting is for me a great learning ground for racing, and I am lucky because with my sponsor Super U and its manager Jérôme Bourré who has just acquired a car, a Funyo (tubular frame, GT4 category). We will be adapting this car with the help of Romain Angebeau (Funyo) and Patrice Houyer (Team HMC) to be able to compete in endurance races from next year and move from karting to Grand Touring cars. The idea is to have a car adapted for disabilities and to be able to integrate other people with disabilities into motorsport competitions. We all dream of going far in sports in general, and the gap between karting and a racing car is huge. So thanks to Super U, we will build this adapted vehicle and show that everything is possible in this sport, even perhaps participating in the future in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race with a Handi-Capable crew. »

You participated in the Handikart Trophy 2021 this year, can you tell us more about this competition, was it your first participation?

« It was my first participation in this international event, bringing together drivers from all over the world on the Aulnay-les-Bois circuit. The format remains classic with practice sessions, qualifications, and several races. For the first time since its creation, the organizers had set up different levels within this race. Indeed, due to the differences in handicap among the pilots, we were more or less ballasted to establish real fairness of chances for everyone.

You cross the finish line with a 5-second lead over your closest pursuer, we can say that you have clearly dominated the race!

« (Laughing) I also slowed down a bit before crossing the finish line because I wanted to thank my family and friends in the stands. More seriously, the race weekend went very well overall, we had a risk of rain in the pre-final but ultimately we drove on a dry track. This race weekend was a collective performance, because the support of my loved ones allowed me to focus on the final round.

How did you prepare for this race? You have to juggle between your professional life and competition!

« My work with my company plays a prominent role and I still consider motor sports as a form of leisure, a leisure activity that would be complicated to indulge in without my professional activity. As for my training sessions, they are simple, I am lucky to have a gym at home that allows me to prepare my body well for the races. But in addition to these home workouts, I enhance my preparation with a coach and a combination of electro-stimulation which allows me to work my muscles deep down.

Who are those who accompany you and help you prepare?

« As a financial supporter and long-term development partner, the Super U store in Thouaré-sur-Loire and its manager Jérôme Bourré play an important role. For everything related to engine and strategy, Thierry Savard as well as Sodikart provide me with valuable advice on chassis settings. Of course, I don’t forget my family and loved ones who provide me with moral support, a support that is of paramount importance to me.

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What kart do you use for this competition? and what are the modifications made to allow you to perform?

« I drive a Rotax Max Evo and my chassis is a Sodikart Sigma 3, my accelerator is placed on the right hand side because it is adapted to my disability. I also have a harness that allows me to not move too much in the seat.

Accelerating by hand is a quite special sensation at first, but the disability means that you have to constantly adapt, not only in sports but also in everyday life. Being able to drive and perform quickly blurs the difference with a basic kart.

Felipe Massa was present at the circuit to hand out the medals, and the other drivers formed a guard of honor as you crossed the finish line. How did you experience this moment?

« It’s great to be able to attend an FIA meeting, for us it’s already great publicity, during the races, we also showed that we had the level and that we put on a show with many overtakings. The presence of former F1 driver Felipe Massa as well as all the young people who were there to wait for us and welcome us back to the pit lane, is and will remain a very beautiful memory.

As a competitor, one can imagine that you already have other projects in mind…

My dream is to be able to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Frédéric Sausset’s car, who is also in a wheelchair, but above all, it is to advance adapted motorsport in France and bring with me some colleagues in this Funyo formula and aim for even faster categories in the future.

Can we tell all children and adults passionate about auto sports that this sport is accessible to them and that being in a situation of disability does not close the doors to this sport?

On the contrary, all sports can be adapted, the main handicap today in motor sport remains the exorbitant budgets that need to be provided. For the rest, everything adapts and everything changes, sometimes you just have to shift the boundaries and show that everyone can be ambitious and successful in our sport.

Motors Inside thanks you for taking the time to answer our questions and we will be happy to continue following you in your future projects!