Chasing Speed, Building Dreams: The Eric Bachelart Story

From driver to team owner, Éric Bachelart’s journey in the world of motorsport is a story of innovation, entrepreneurship, and relentless drive.

What began with a one Indy Lights entry continued to grow and evolve into a well established and highly respected presence in IndyCar, Champ Car, and now in GT racing with a strong relationship with Ferrari in multiple series.

In this feature, Bachelart delves into the origins of Conquest Racing, the team’s trajectory, and the family-run operation that continues to thrive within the paddock today.

It all began because I was a race car driver, and like many of us, I started to wonder what else was possible. I’ve always had big ambitions, and I felt like I was in need of a new and exciting challenge. That’s when the idea of launching my own team sparked to life.

Just six weeks later, in November 1996, my wife and I had moved to Indianapolis with our children. We had a mechanic, $10,000, and big goals.

By March 1997, we were on the grid at Homestead with an Indy Lights car and a driver. We knew this was only the beginning and we would achieve what we had set our minds to. We had a lot to balance in those early days, navigating everything from immigration paperwork to operational logistics, but every element strengthened our resolve and better prepared us for what was ahead.

One of the brightest moments during that period was the unwavering support of my long-time partners at Mi-Jack, who had sponsored me during my IndyCar career. They truly stepped up, providing us with a transport truck and eventually helped fund our operations during that critical first phase.

Thanks to them, by the second half of our first season, we started to turn heads with competitive results, expanding to a second car the following year.

From there, the program grew even more. We fielded three Indy Lights entries and eventually made the step up to IndyCar. That’s when Mi-Jack became a formal partner, and together we were able to continue moving forward. We later ventured into Champ Car, going against the grain at the time, and thrived with several successful seasons until the reunification with IndyCar.

In 2012, we had the opportunity to enter the American Le Mans Series and explore sports car racing. It was a rewarding experience, we navigated the shifting landscapes as ALMS merged with Grand-Am, and ultimately knew that we could establish ourselves in sports car racing for many years to come.

Our team put in the work to find our footing in the new setting, and in 2017, another new opportunity arrived: Ferrari Challenge. We launched our own program and in our very first season, we won the championship. It was a thrilling confirmation of what we could achieve.

From there, we grew the Ferrari Challenge initiative and moved into GT-level racing. After building experience in LMP3 and running a GT4 program with Mercedes-AMG, we made the strategic decision to focus solely on Ferrari. That focus has brought us continued success and consistent results.

Partnership With Ferrari

During that transitional period, I did some consulting for a Ferrari team, which allowed me to build relationships within the Ferrari network. That connection led me to a dealer who was looking for a team to run in Ferrari Challenge, and that’s how our Ferrari program began.

I returned to Indianapolis, where we already had the infrastructure in place with a building, equipment, and experienced personnel. It was the right time to seize the opportunity. Since then, additional doors have opened, and we’ve made the most of them.

New Shop

When we launched our Ferrari Challenge program, we operated out of our Indianapolis facility. Eventually, we acquired a second building. We share a strong working relationship with ORECA, who moved into the first facility.

It was a natural fit, Hugues de Chaunac and I have known each other for 40 years, dating back to our days in Formula 3 in France. It’s been such a pleasure to work with ORECA, particularly given their involvement in GT3 car development.

We also have a collaboration with an Italian school that trains mechanics. There’s a real need in motorsport for skilled technicians and young engineers. This partnership gives us an opportunity to support that next generation, and the new building is perfectly suited for the training school.

Conquest Racing Programs

We’ve become highly active in numerous sports car racing series, and especially in developing our Ferrari Challenge program. We’ve created a full ladder system for our clients: starting with a racing school, moving into Club Challenge with track days and lapping, and eventually into competitive racing.

Many of our clients have progressed into GT3 competition as a result. We’ve competed in both the SRO America championships and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. More recently, we’ve seen additional Ferrari Challenge clients graduate into GT3. This has allowed us to build a clear pipeline for our clients to follow where we can track their progression.

At its core, Ferrari Challenge is about more than just racing. We provide a full-service, premium experience. Our clients benefit from a comprehensive support program that includes a hospitality suite with a private chef, a massage therapist, and top-tier engineers and crew.

We aim to deliver both performance on track and a luxury lifestyle experience.

In IMSA, our focus shifts more heavily to competition and performance. But even there, we draw on our experience to deliver excellence across every aspect of the program.

A Family Business

Perhaps one of the greatest joys has come from being fortunate enough to have my daughter Émilie join the team. She oversees customer service and manages logistics, bringing fresh energy and insight to our growing organization.

Having her involved has been a real asset, and working alongside family has been incredibly fulfilling and ensures that the heart of our team stays grounded in the values we started with.

Looking Ahead

From those early days, to championship-winning seasons, to achieving success across a wide variety of series, this journey has been driven by passion, perseverance, and the incredible people who believed in us.

The road ahead is just as exciting, and we look forward to chasing more victories and continuing to build on everything we have accomplished.