Why did I choose Stand21 over other racewear manufacturers to carry the signature of my grandfather, Steve McQueen? Why this small Franco-American company over another? Since establishing our partnership with Stand21 I’ve been asked this question a lot, so we may as well answer it now as we launch our new collaboration.
It was to do with our shared, intangible values to which I am very attached; a strong heritage of values and friendship between the McQueen and Morizot families that neither would ever change.
Firstly, Stand21 founder Yves Morizot and my father, Chad, knew each other for years; Yves has been working in the U.S. and across the globe, striving toward driver safety with unwavering determination for decades. My father himself was involved in a racing accident at the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and he knew full well that he owed his life to his safety equipment. For me, for Yves and my father, for our children, this fight to save the lives of young drivers remains essential. And we wanted to make our contribution to the legacy they had both begun to build.
Another important value embodied by Stand21 is loyalty. They’ve been designing and developing their equipment since 1970, and we’ve been good friends for over 20 years. That’s something that counts; it’s a value we try to personify and one to which I, like my father, am very attached. We understand each other, we know what we want from one another. We agree and ratify those decisions with a handshake, the old-fashioned way. That’s the way I like it.
Finally, the most important part of our partnership, and the one without which nothing would have been possible, is the unmatched quality of Stand21 racewear.
As you probably know, my grandfather, Steve McQueen, and my father, Chad, were fans of things that were well-made, of the highest quality, skilfully designed, using quality materials to achieve a perfect product – functional and free from even the slightest flaw.
Article by: RACER Staff
