“To you Anthony”, Dominique Méliand’s moving tribute to Anthony Delhalle

Everyone was shocked by Anthony's tragic accident, including of course the boss of the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team. In a few lines, Dominique paid personal tribute to the memory of this great pilot.

To you Anthony,

Since yesterday, after this terrible moment, I have been lining up words, sentences, almost pages and nothing to “just” talk about what has just happened. Too hard, this bitter taste that blocks me and this feeling of emptiness that invades us.

So yes, there are moments, days that we would like to never see appear. The anger buried deep within us bursts out, the questions burst forth, why him, why already and we remain there devoid of answers.

Yes, my knees are on the ground and we are all drained by this “blow” of great sadness.

I have been around you for many years now. First at Junior and finally with us within SERT. I saw you “grow” in endurance, assert yourself and take ownership of this very difficult discipline. You have dominated your subject to the point of becoming one of those pilots who are a reference in this field. Your technical analysis, your sense of teamwork, your piloting with finesse but with your personality mean that you were able to impose yourself against your friends and nevertheless your competing pilots.

What we know and know less about is the boy you are in life. A great calm? Yes, as long as you don't forget the volcano that lies dormant within you. Ideas ? Yes, but well tempered and well channeled. A joy of living? Yes without a doubt. A loving father? Here again without possible discussion, this little gentleness with a zest of a little firmness to properly frame the “guidance” of his two children.

There you go Anthony, don't really want to add more, just tell you that I miss you, that we already miss you. I think of Jessy who will experience more than a lack, a great void. But I know she is strong enough to take life in hand and make you, from up there, proud to see how she will manage the children's lives.

Goodbye Anthony, you will always be in my thoughts

Your “Chief” Dominique