2019 - Championnat de France GT4 - Magny-Cours

The Alpine A110 of Stéhane Lemeret and Pierre-Alexandre Jean on the limit in qualifying.

The most important French national motor sport series is the FFSA GT4 championship.  Based mainly on road going GT cars, GT4 cars are all designed to be equal in performance and thus this provides for close racing but because of the different marques of car involved more interest than the myriad of one-make series that exist today.  Magny-Cours was the penultimate destination for the series this year and hosted two one hour races for the GT4s over the weekend.  Having not been to either Magny-Cours or the FFSA GT championship for a while, I felt it time for some re-aquaintance, particularly as the Alpine A110 GT4 cars are in abundance in this series.

The winning BMW M4 bumping over the kerbs at the chicane in qualifying.

Thus on Saturday September 14th, I caught both the qualifying session and the first one hour race for these cars.  There was a very large field of 42 cars entered for the race which really shows the health of French GT4 racing.  Makes of car represented included Alpine, Audi, BMW, Ginetta, Mercedes and Porsche.  Each car has to be driven by two drivers and there are two classes, one for Pro-Am and one for Amateurs only.   There were a few relatively well known drivers present including Alain Ferté who was a well-known F3, F2, F3000 pilot in the early eighties and a Le Mans driver there afterwards .  Nicolas Prost, Vincent and Anthony Beltoise and Fabien Barthez were also driving.

A general view of Magny-Cours wth the leaders in Chateau d'Eau.

I spend the morning qualifying session not far from the finish line to see the exit from the chicane and returned there later in the day for a few final shots and for the podium.  The afternoon’s race, I spent more at the virage Chateau d’Eau (water tower corner in English) and the Adelaide hairpin. Although a rather featureless circuit in many respects, Magny Cours does have the benefit of many very good seated viewing positions where you see the track without having to look through wire fencing. I have to say that I rather enjoyed my day, especially as this was my first visit of the year to a race on a permanent circuit!   The days entertainment including five other categories of national championship racing was rather good value at 15 euros.

The battle for the lead was close at the end of the race!

All the cars that took part can be seen below in the order that they were classified in Saturday’s race.  The French / Dutch winning team of drivers did well to take BMW’s first win this year.  It was close right up to the end but a good start from a well earned pole position and then ensuring no mistakes was their recipe for success.

1^st.   17 – BMW M4 – Christopher Cambell / Ricardo Van Der Ende – Pro-Am

The winning BMW M4 entering Chateau d'Eau.

The podium with Ricardo and Christopher on the top step and team manager on the right.

2^nd.  42 – Audi R8 LMS – Fabien Michal / Gregory Guilvert – Pro-Am

The fast Audi R8 LMS in qualifying.

Fabien and Gregory with their second place trophies on the left of the podium.

After the two rounds at Magny-Cours the pairing of Fabien Michal and Gregory Guilvert lead the Pro-Am drivers’ championship on 124 points from Stéphane Lemeret and Alexandre Jean-Pierre on 108.

3^rd.  88 – Mercedes AMG – Benjamin Ricci / Thomas Drouet – Pro-Am

The Mercedes AMG exiting the chicane late in the race.

The Pro Am drivers enjoy the champagne with Benjamin and Thomas to the right.

4^th.  87 -  Mercedes AMG – Jean-Luc Beaubelique / Jim Pla – Pro-Am

The Mercedes AMG entering Chateau d'Eau.

5^th.  187 – Mercedes AMG – Edouard Cauhappé / Arthur Rougier – Pro-Am

Three Mercedes AMG battle it out in the chicane.

6^th.  35 – Alpine A110 – Alain Ferté / Grégoire Demoustier – Pro-Am

The Alpoine A110 in the chicane.

7^th.  111 – Alpine 110 – Servol / Tribaudini – Pro-Am

Two Alpines in Chateau d'Eau.

8^th.  16 – Mercedes AMG – Fabien Barthez / Parisy – Pro-Am

The Mercedes AMG in qualifying.

9^th.  48 – Audi R8 LMS – Pernaut / Nouet – Pro-Am

The Audi R8 LMS at the chicane.

10^th.  36 – Alpine A110 – Lemeret / Jean – Pro-Am

The Alpine A110 entering Chateau d'Eau.

11^th.  7 – Alpine A110 – Wallgren / Courroye – Pro-Am

Side by side through Chateau d'Eau.

12^th.  76 – Alpine A110 – Jean=Charles Rédélé / Nicolas Prost – Pro-Am

The Alpine A110 exits the Adelaide hairpin.

13^th.  22 – Ginetta G55 – Pascal Huteau / Valentin Simonet – Am 1^st in class

The Am claas winning Ginetta G55 leads a crowded group out of the chicane late in the race.

Pascal and Valentin on top of the Am podium with their trophies.

14^th.  21 – Audi R8 LMS – Esteves / Anthony Beltoise – Pro Am

The Audi R8 LMS entering Chateau d'Eau.

15^th.  14 – Audi R8 LMS – Debard / Gachet – Pro-Am

The Audi R8 LMS on the start / finish straight.

16^th.  72 – Ginetta G55 – Sylvain Caroff / Erwan Bastard – Am 2^nd in class

The Ginetta G55 entering Chateau d'Eau.

The Am drivers spray champagne (Sylvain and Erwan on the left)..

17^th.  10 – Porsche 718 Cayman CS MR – Nicolas Gomar / Julien Lambert – Am 3^rd in class

The Porsche Cayman just before it lost its second place in class.

The French national anthem is played with Nicolas and Julien to the right.

With their third place on Saturday the team of Nicolas Gomar and Julien Lambert still lead the drivers championship for Amateur drivers from Pascal Huteau and Valentin Simon.

18^th.  5 – Audi R8 LMS – Delomier / Hamon – Am

The Audi R8 LMS bumping over the chicane.

19^th.  37 – BMW M4 – Brandela / Moulin-Traffort – Pro-Am

The BMW M4 exiting the chicane.

20^th.  53 – Mercedes AMG – Bourret / Gibon – Am

The Mercedes AMG crosses the finishing line in practice.

21^st.  616 – Alpine A110 – Sourd / Castagne – Pro-Am

The Alpine A110 leads a group out of the chicane late in the race.

22^nd.  79 – Porsche Cayman CS MR – Nauroy / Dayraut – Am

The Porsche exiting the chicane late in the race.

23^rd . 161 -  Porsche Cayman CS MR – Dumaine / Carrière – Am

The #161 Porsche exits the chicane.

24^th.  99 – Ginetta G55 – Maio / Chalal – Am

The Ginetta G55 entering Chateau d'Eau.

25^th.  777 – Ginetta G55 – Aboujaoude / Sarkissian – Am

The Ginetta G55 in qualifying crossing the finishing line.

26^th.  84 – Ginetta G55 – Lallement / Cazalbon – Am

The Ginetta G55 just keeps off the dirt during a qualifying lap.

27^th.  33 – Ginetta G55 – Guerin / Figuiére – Am

The Ginetta G55 follows a group into the Adelaide hairpin.

28^th.  94 – Ginetta G55 – Condani / Hodier - Am

The Ginetta G55 entering Chateau d'Eau.

29^th.  38 – BMW M4 – Debs / Buffin – Am

The BMW M4 entering Chateau d'Eau.

30^th.  61 – Alpine A110 – Miot / Cochet – Am

The Alpine A310 entering Chateau d'Eau.

31^st.  90 – Porsche Cayman CS MR – Herr / Vannelet - Am

The Porsche Cayman crosses the finish line in qualifying.

32^nd. 1 – Ginetta G55 – Cabanne / Cappello – Pro-Am

The Ginetta G55 on the start / finish straight.

33^rd.  23 – Ginetta G55 – Nicolas / Pires – Am

The Ginetta G55 entering Chateau d'Eau.

NC.  919 – Alpine A110 – Lison / Vincent Beltoise – Pro-Am

The Porsche entering the start / finish straight.

NC.  2 – Alpine A110 – Gvazava / Ivanov – Am

The Alpine A110 entering Chateau d'Eau.

NC.  3 – BMW M4 – Hurgon / Piguet - Pro-Am

The BMW M4 entering Chateau d'Eau.

NC.  27 – Audi R8 LMS – Blanchemain / Palette – Pro-Am

The Audi R8 LMS on the start finish straight.

NC.  71 – Ginetta G55 – Jouvent / Nicolas Schatz – Pro-Am

The Nicolas Schatz Ginetta in qualifying.

NC.  67 – Audi R8 LMS – Leherpeur / Martins – Pro-Am

The Audi R8 LMS exiting the chicane 

NC.  141 – Porsche 718 Cayman CS MR – Saleilles / Besson – Pro-Am

The Porsche Cayman entering the start / finish straight.

NC.  9 – Alpine A110 – Hernandez / Ayari – Pro-Am

The Alpine A110 in qualifying.

DNS.  8 – Alpine A110 – Consani / Lariche – Pro-Am

The Alpine A110 in qualifying at the chicane.

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.

The finish of the race with the winner about to take the chequered flag and one of the Mercedes cutting the Chicane and thus about to be penalised.   Very close finish for the first five cars.