Among the tasks of the day and the unopened emails from yesterday, it can be difficult at times to recall how this all began, how we got to the present moment. We’ve come so far since Petrolicious’ fledgling steps in 2012, and the enthusiastic response from the community that made the ensuing growth possible in a matter of just a few years is a testament to the timelessness of our mission, our mindset, our motto. We are humbled and energized by everyone who has supported our content, and though we’re a long way from where we started, there are no intentions of laurel-resting at Petrolicious. As we approach the new year and the question of “What’s next?” becomes increasingly pertinent for everybody and every business, we are proud to announce today a new addition to our team who will be instrumental in crafting our filmic and editorial presence going forward.
Many names and nationalities have appeared in the bylines and credits of Petrolicious over the years, but rarely do they confer the experience and insight of a man like Alain de Cadenet. From giving up rock’n’roll photography and entering his first motorsport event on a whim in pursuit of pretty girls, to creating a Le Mans-contending team bearing his name on the hoods of its prototype race cars, Alain has certainly “lived it,” as they say. In his career outside of the car that followed, he would go on to lend his keen wit and racing intellect to the sport and its prominent machinery as a commentator and host of such series as Victory by Design. Our own Ted Gushue spent hours getting to know Alain during our interview with him earlier this year, so please do give it a read if you’re interested in the supremely interesting life he’s led so far— few people possess the same humor and humility alongside these kinds of accomplishments.
Of course, I’ve known of him for decades, but over the past few months I’ve had the pleasure of sharing numerous conversations with Alain as a friend and a likeminded enthusiast. His reputation in the automotive world is impressive and accurately reflecting of such a racing career, so it’s no surprise that anecdotes abound from his time in the driver’s seat, but I found myself equally captivated by his stories of people, of ideas, of travel, of the broad thing we summarize with “life.”
I came away from these talks energized each time, and it became apparent that Alain would be the perfect fit for our mission at Petrolicious, a sentiment that Alain shares: “I want to create something that’s pertinent and worthwhile, not dry and rehashed—pairing levity with the exploration of serious sports machines. I look forward to creating evergreen stories and films with my fellow enthusiasts here as we work to create content rather than churn it.”
With that shared philosophy, we have already begun developing two new film series which will feature Alain as the host, in addition to an editorial series which will debut soon on the site.
So, fellow petrolisti, please join us in welcoming Alain de Cadenet to Petrolicious—stay tuned for more to come, we can barely keep it to ourselves as is.
