David Richert on a very wet track in a Renault 2.0 race car.

Jesus take the (race car) wheel

'I believe that racing has been a tool which God has used to draw me closer to Him."

By Lewis Green and ChristianWeek | November 27, 2014

NIVERVILLE, MB—Getting behind the wheel of a race car was not David Richert’s dream when he was young, but once he started watching Formula 1 racing there was no doubt that God wanted him in the fast lane.

During the 2014 race season, Richert raced in two different European championships: the Northern European Cup (NEC) and the ESET Cup. In both he drove a Formula Renault 2.0 race car and despite often being the lone Canadian on the track, Richert was continually racing for the podium during the ESET Cup.

In September 2014 Richert managed a fifth place finish for the ESET Cup Renault race in Automotodrom Brno in the Czech Republic.

Richert says there are strong ties between his racing and his faith. “I believe that racing has been a tool which God has used to draw me closer to Him. My racing career and my relationship with God are 100 per cent meshed together.”

Richert is also quick to note that the way his faith interacts with his profession is no different from anyone else. “Any struggles I face are the normal ones that anyone might have no matter what their occupation is. For example, fear and worry. I now know that there is nothing that is impossible with God and if I believe He is in control of my life.”

David Richert discusses the rain with his engineer, Jorg Kranzfelder.

Growing up in a Christian home in Niverville, Manitoba, Richert did not have much access to race cars or even racing. Instead he spent much of his time on tractors and other farm equipment.

He recalls, “The difference [between a race car and a tractor] is about 40,000 pounds in weight. Taking a tractor down a road at high speed is actually scarier because the steering wheel is so sensitive.”

In 2002 when Richert was 20 years old, he began to watch Formula 1 racing on TV and decided to give it a shot. His first step was getting into a simple race kart and he joined the Manitoba Karting Association in Gimli. After years of hard work, networking, and keen business and marketing sense, he worked his way up to where he is today.

It’s not all speed and glory. Richert also has to spend time securing corporate sponsors to fund his efforts, especially as he looks ahead to the 2015 season in Europe.

His faith and focus, however, have not changed. “I don’t think God has me in this position because he wants me to become the best race car driver in the world. Rather, I strongly believe He has used it to work in my life (and the lives of those around me) and mould me into the man He wants me to be.”

Follow along with Richert’s racing and career at www.richertracing.com.