HISTORIC TOUR 2016 - CHARADE

Alain-Jean's Porsche 964-3600 makes its way around the Charade circuit with Puy de Dôme un the background.

The Charade Circuit is very near Clermont Ferrand in the Auvergne and has a beautiful mountain setting with the Puy-de-Dôme volcano looming above it in the distance. The circuit was built in the late fifties as an 8 km circuit and held the French GP in 1965,  1969, 1970 and 1972.  The last race on the old track was held in the late eighties and then in the nineties the track was revised down to 3.86 kms and racing has continued to be held their since.

This was my first visit to to Charade and the occasion was the third round of the 2016 Historic Tour - Championnat de France Historique des Circuits.  I went along on Sunday 12th June for the last day of this three day meeting.  As it was a fair jog away, I just stayed for six races and walked the paddock and as much of the circuit as possible.  It was nice to still to be able to recognise parts of the original circuit. Below is my photographic report of the meeting.

Trophée Formule Ford Kent.
This category caters mainly for the old 1,600cc Ford Kent engined cars that raced from 1967 to the early nineties, but they also allow GHI and Zetec engined cars.

The start of Sunday's Formula Ford Kent race with ultimate winner Nicolas Beloou getting away from pole in his Van Diemen RF90.

The third placed Mygale SJ03 1800 Zetec of Eric Heudicourt who won the Zetec class.

The second placed Van Diemen RF92 1600 of Swiss driver Gislain Genecand.

Formula Ford cars on the start finish straight dominated by the old grandstand.

Two RF92 Van Diemens lead an earlier RF80 Van Diemen.

The first of the three Formula Ford podiums for the class winners.

Trophée Lotus

This category is for Lotus Sevens and the later Caterham Sevens.

The start of Sunday's Trophée Lotus with Pascal Metayer getting away well from pole.

The ultimate winner was Xavier Jacquet in his Lotus Seven.

A car locks up at the end of the long down hill section.

Pascal led Xavier until the last lap.  

Sports Protos Cup

The Sports Protos cup is for under 2 litre sports cars of various types and classes.

The rolling start of the Sports Protos Cup race.

At the first corner.

Winner was this pretty CESCA 740 Cosworth of Franck Metzger.

Second place went to this Lucchini SP390 driven by Jean Laffargue.

The first prototype and third overall was this March 81S-Ford piloted by "Nelson".

Fifth overall and second in class was this Chevron B8 of Eric Perou.

Last of the classified finshers was this Urban M2-Alfa Romeo.

Another Alfa Romeo engined car was this Arc MF16.

The Chevron B8 challenging a Grac MT14S JRD.  He eventually got past and both cars fnished on the same lap as the leader.

A Merlin MP88-Alfa Romeo that won the Alfa Romeo class.

A Grac MT14S-Renault.

GT Classic
A small field of GT cars entertained us just before lunch as I headed for a different part of the circuit. The field included an unusual Belgian sports car, the Gillet Vertigo.

Eventual winner, Franck Morel in a Porsche 993 GT2, chases the first lap leader, Laurent Sabatier in a Porsche 964 3800.

Another early battle with Patrice Faurie in a Porsche 964 RS leading Eric Gillet in his Gillet Vertigo and Sébastien Mathieu in a Porsche 964 RSR.

Alain-Jean's Bouchet's Porsche 964 3600 that was the last of the finishers, seen here seen at one the hairpins at the back of the circuit.

The winner, Franck Morel makes the last climb out of the hairpin in his Porsche.

The only retirement was this TVR Tuscan Challenge

The unusual Gillet Vertigo

Challenge ASAVE GT, Tourisme et Saloon Cars

This proved a good race with lots of battles going on down the field.

This 3 litre BMW 323i driven by Alain Derognat led the winning Porsche on the first lap. 

The Porsche RSR of Christophe Terriou makes its move on lap 2.

Lots of variety.  Here a Porsche Carrera 6 leads a Renault 21 and a VW Golf.

This Audi Quattro driven by Fabrice Lefebvre came second whilst this Porsche 911 driven by Franck Morel finished fourth.

The third placed BMW E36C of Patrick Fuet leads two Porsches

More variety as an Alpine Renault A110 heads a Ford Capri 2900

The winning Porsche takes the chequered flag.

Trophée Formule 3 Classic and Formule Renault Classic
The Formula 3 and Fomula Renault race was the last i was able to see and provided good single seater action.

The start of the classic F3 and FR race.

The first corner with a F3 Ralt leading.

The winning Ralt RT3-Alfa Romeo of Hugo Carini passes the pits.

Nöel Depllanque signals a problem in his March 793 as he is narrowly avoided by an Alpa 90 FR car.

Lionel Robert in his Formula Renault Turbo that finished second overall.

The battle for fourth and fifth place between the two Ralt RT3s of Ian Jacobs (9) and Bernard Honnorat (25).  The fourth posaition eventually went to No.25.

Two Formula Renault Turbos.  The Martini Mk38 of Mathieu Chateaux which eventually finish sixth and the Martini Mk48 of Antoine Robert that finished third.

This Van Diemen FR93 of Viny Beltramelli was the best of the Formula Renault Atmo cars.

Other Races

One of the Legends cars.

A Mini Marcos that competed in the 1,000cc race.

This Grac MT6 appeared in the Formula Ford Historic race.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.