WINNIPEG — The first Manitoban to ever drive a race car through the streets of Monte Carlo at the Monaco Grand Prix has teamed up with George Clooney’s Casamigos.
David Richert desgined his own race car from scratch for the world-class event with the support of the Hollywood star’s tequila company,
“For a kid from a farm in Manitoba to go to Monaco with George Clooney’s brand on this car, to me that was special, that was a dream come true,” Richert said.
Richert will drive the exact same car at his next race in July in Italy at the Monza Grand Prix.
He is currently racing in the highest Formula Renault level, a gateway to Formula One racing which helped stars such as Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen.
“To be able to drive a single-seater race car there… is going to be quite special,” he said.
Richert grew up on a farm in Niverville and got his start in Gimli on the go-kart track when he was 20, a much later start than most drivers.
He says his career opportunities and success is thanks to the farm community behind him.
“At the end of the day I’m too tall to be a race car driver, I have absolutely no money… and I’m supposed to be too old yet here were are actually being able to compete,” he said.
“It’s taken a full community just to make this happen.”
PHOTO GALLEY: A behind the scenes look at Gimli Motorsports Park from photographer Gage Fletcher
When asked if he has any advice to upcoming athletes also hoping to defy odds, he said, “try.”
“The difference between myself and a lot of other people that don’t get the chance to do it is I tried, that’s it, there’s no special formula.”