During our forays into the MotoGP paddock, we met Grégory Bitte, an enthusiast who doesn't just wear a colorful T-shirt. In fact, the boy is the head of a refrigerated transport company and did not hesitate to decorate some of his trucks with the image of Johann zarco, Tech3 et fabio quartararo !
Impressed by the originality and the care taken in this approach, we wanted to know more…
Grégory Bitte : " I created my transport company in June 2011 and, in January 2015, I, like everyone else, was deeply affected by the attack on Charlie Hebdo. So the idea came to me to make a semi-trailer to pay tribute to the victims, but at the time the newspaper's lawyer refused, in the name of people's image rights. So I did not insist but unfortunately, a few months later, the Paris attacks again devastated us and, once again, I wanted to pay tribute and show my solidarity with the families of the victims. We therefore created the decoration of a first semi-trailer. »
« Then, and fortunately, my passion for motorcycles was able to take over some very dark news, and I told myself that our activity in refrigerated transport, where we work miracles every night to deliver to the minute, had certain points in common with motorcycle racing which has always fascinated me.
At the time, Johann zarco was doing well at Tech3 and I had the opportunity to meet Hervé Poncharal who kindly granted me permission to feature his driver on one of my trucks. I sent him the project and he thought it was great, so this decoration was created in 2018. Obviously, there is absolutely no professional impact and it is only a personal pleasure, in order to publicize the motorcycle competition of speed and its French champions to everyone on the roads of France. »
« Then, to thank Hervé, we made a trailer for the 30th anniversary of Tech3, where we included most of the drivers who marked the history of this French adventure, with Olivier Jacques, Andrea Dovizioso, Johann zarco, as well as of courseHervé Poncharal et Guy Coulon ! »
« But since I have two kids, one is a fan of Johann zarco and the other of Fabio Quartararo. So you can imagine what happened, and so I asked the dad to fabio quartararo, Étienne, permission to decorate a semi-trailer in the image of his son, which he kindly granted me. »
Fabio’s is very recent…
« Yes, she is barely a month old. »
What is the capital sympathy encountered by these trucks which crisscross France?
« On the road, there is a lot of feedback: flashing headlights, thumbs up, honking horns. It's even dangerous sometimes, when people start filming while riding, but all the feedback is good, particularly from people in the North, even if they are mainly people who already like motorbikes. Only the trailer commemorating the Paris attacks sparked an article in the press and, quite recently, a representative of the victims' association contacted me to thank me. »
Do you have other projects in mind?
« There are 21 trucks in the company and the current trend is to rent these locations for advertising, but that is absolutely not my goal. I only want to highlight things that are deeply important to me, such as the latest one to celebrate the company's 10th anniversary. But for the moment, I don't have any other particular projects that affect me, and we'll see what the future has in store for us. »
What is the technique used?
“It’s all covering. We are the ones who take care of the model and it is Renaud Bering in Metz who directs and glues the film. He's a discreet but extraordinary guy who works very, very well! »
Do you have a special wish?
« There's a guy who has a DAF tractor in the 71, beautifully decorated in Fabio's image. We would like to take a photo with his tractor and our trailer. On the other hand, on a personal level, I would like to know the opinion of the drivers concerned, even if Johann has already seen the trailer bearing his image.
»
Notice to those interested…
