Larbre's men scenting success
Larbre Competition teammates Erwin Creed and Romano Ricci have plenty in common. Not only are the Frenchmen both ‘gentlemen’ rookies in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the 2018/19 Super Season, but they are both heirs to perfume empires.
Creed, 37, is the seventh generation member of the Creed Boutique dynasty – which was founded all the way back in 1760 – and son of its current chief Olivier. Ricci, meanwhile, is the great-grandson of the famous fashion designer Nina, and established his own perfume brand, called Juliette Has A Gun.
It might come as a surprise that two men from such a background would be interested in endurance racing, but in Ricci’s case there’s a clear connection: his father Jean-Louis Ricci (Nina’s grandchild) is a 12-time starter of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, even finishing as high as seventh overall in 1994.
Romano himself actually made his first Le Mans appearance back in 2000, racing alongside his father in a Perspective Racing-run Porsche 911 GT3-R and finishing fourth in the GT class. That was Jean-Louis’s final start at La Sarthe before he passed in 2001, and Romano’s only participation until 2018.
After more than a decade focussing on perfume, Ricci made a return to racing in the Mitjet 2L series in 2013, before graduating to V de V, the Michelin Le Mans Cup and then the LMP3 division of the European Le Mans Series, where he finished second in the points last year.
Creed meanwhile has embarked on a similar path, having also raced in the LMP3 class in ELMS last year in the same M.Racing – YMR stable as Ricci and even taking a class win at Monza.
With Ricci itching to return to La Sarthe for the first time in 18 years, both he and Creed – who are firm friends away from the racetrack – contacted Larbre Competition boss Jack Leconte about assembling a WEC race programme, and the two joined the LMP2 class grid in a Ligier JS P217.
It’s been a tough baptism of fire for the duo, who have been partnered by various third drivers this year. In three races, their best result has been sixth at Silverstone. But, with five more races this year still to go this season – including another crack at Le Mans – Creed and Ricci will be hoping to make progress and end their first WEC campaign smelling of roses.
