Ulysse Delsaux is set to return to the EuroNASCAR PRO division in 2023 after he announced his move to SpeedHouse Racing.
A new challenge awaits Ulysse Delsaux for the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season. After nine seasons with RDV Competition, Delsaux has decided to change teams to SpeedHouse Racing for the upcoming season.
Delsaux’s move to SpeedHouse was announced on 21 April 2023, where it was revealed that he will be making his return to the EuroNASCAR PRO division. Leadlap would later reveal that Delsaux is set to become the new driver of SpeedHouse’s flagship No. 64 Ford Mustang.
“I’m very happy to be part of the SpeedHouse team for this new season of European NASCAR,” said Delsaux, who had signed a 2-year contract with SpeedHouse. “It is a brand new opportunity for me and I look forward to working with a French team managed by Lucas Lasserre, double champion of EuroNASCAR.”
Despite being only 25 years old, Delsaux has established himself as one of the fastest veteran drivers in the series. With three seasons in ENPRO prior to 2023 and this year being his final year of eligibility in the Junior Trophy sub-classification, the Frenchman is aiming to step up his game and establish himself as one of the top drivers in EuroNASCAR’s top division.
“I want to be among the top drivers in EuroNASCAR PRO and fight for the win in the Junior Trophy classification,” said Delsaux to euronascar.com. “I’m really looking forward to the race at Brands Hatch because it’s an amazing festival for the fans.”
“I’m also very happy to be a part of Speedhouse Racing for the upcoming EuroNASCAR season. It’s a new opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to working with the team led by Lucas Lasserre.”
A popular figure in the EuroNASCAR paddock, Delsaux joined EuroNASCAR in 2014 after he graduated from the EuroNASCAR developmental program. Except in 2020 where he was forced to withdraw due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has maintained a presence in all of the seasons since.
Part of Delsaux’s popularity came due to the challenges that he had to face. Delsaux was diagnosed with high-functioning autism early in his life and was struggling with many facets of life until his father Emannuel led Ulysse to the path of motorsport at the age of 7.
Racing gave Delsaux the chance to get out of his figurative “shell”. As said by NASCAR’s Matt Crossman in 2017, racing gave Delsaux the platform to grow “from an isolated boy who didn’t speak, to a young man who talks racing with his team and movies with friends and gives TV interviews.”
His first victory at Valencia that same year was celebrated by many, and many also celebrated Delsaux’s crowning achievement in 2018. He held off a late-season challenge from Florian Venturi to secure the 2018 EuroNASCAR 2 title, making him the first autistic driver to have won a championship title in EuroNASCAR.
He’s also famous for his love for Japanese anime, a fact that is best exemplified by his racing helmet. The back of his helmet featured an illustration of one of his favorite characters: Sinon from Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online.
Delsaux’s popularity hasn’t gone unnoticed by Lasserre, who have shared the EuroNASCAR paddock with Delsaux ever since he made his return to the series in 2017. On SpeedHouse’s official release, Lasserre is proud to be given the opportunity to work with Delsaux.
“Everyone in the paddock knows Ulysse,” said Lasserre. “He is an endearing, discreet, sensitive boy but above all a pure racer! We are proud at SpeedHouse to have him.”
“The category level on PRO is high, but we have confidence on Ulysse’s capacity and we will all work together with the SpeedHouse staff to offer him the best improvement during the season.”
“He also has a group of benevolent people around him, in addition to his family that gives him a certain serenity. I would also like to thank Ulysse’s mom and dad for their confidence and all of Ulysse’s partners who accompany him in this new project.”
“I’m convinced with my staff that we will allow Ulysse to deliver his true potential, make him progress and then win over the next few years. It’s in our DNA and process at SpeedHouse and we’re gonna do it.”
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