Pau Classic Grand Prix 2023 - Les Reines d'avant guerre

 

Danish driver, Christian Pedersen, was winner of both the weekend's pre-war races in his very well prepared 1936 Austin Seven.  This photo was taken over the balustrade as the cars enter the Virage Pont Oscar after the long climb up into the town during Sunday's race.

For me the pre-war cars were the stars of the show at this year's Pau Classic Grand Prix.  I visited them in the paddock on Thursday night, saw them practice on Friday, qualify and race on the Saturday and finally saw them again in their race on Sunday.   There were a number of Bugattis, Rileys and Austin Sevens and representatives of Delahaye and BMW as well.  The field was an international one with drivers from France, Denmark, Portugal and the UK.

View from the full Tribune Palmeraie as the cars come around on their warm up lap.

The 2.76km Circuit de Pau-Ville of course held races before the Second World War and was one of the more important street races.  These were races for the Grand Prix cars of the day, although the Pau race never achieved Grand Epreuve status.    The first race was held in 1933 and was won by Michel Lehoux from Guy Moll, both in Bugattis. This first race was held in February when there was still some snow on the ground!  The incomparable Tazio Nuvolari won the 1935 race for Alfa Romeo on the version of the circuit that is still used today.  Philippe Entancelin's Maserati won in 1936 from Welsh driver Charles Martin's Alfa Romeo.  In 1937, the GP was held for Sports Cars, and the podium was filled with French drivers (Wimille, Sommer and Dreyfus) and French cars (Bugatti, Talbot and Delahaye). 1938 saw a giant killing performance from Rene Dreyfus in a Delahaye who beat the might of Caracciola and Lang in their Grand Prix Mercedes due to mechanical issues for the German team.  However, Mercedes returned in 1939 and achieved a 1-2 victory with Lang beating von Brauchitsch.

The start of the pre-war Race 1 on Saturday afternoon and Austin Seven leads Bugatti, Bugatti and then another Austin Seven into the first corner.  This picture was taken from the top of the Palmeraie Tribune.

The fastest of the Austin Sevens was able to lap the circuit at over 90kph average but the fastest Bugatti was a few seconds slower and the next car a few seconds slower again.  Further down the field the cars were closer and we got a few good battles in the race.  However, the best part was watching the drivers in action in their very open cockpits, sawing at the wheel, leaning over etc.  The atmosphere around the track was excellent.

All of the cars that competed in Les Reines d'avant guerre are shown below in the order of their best position in either race.  I took photos of the cars from most of the vantage points around the circuit.  Weather conditions were generally overcast with a few sunny spells.  The races were of 20 minutes duration and the fastest cars completed 11 laps.

Christian Pedersen's 1936 80bhp 750cc supercharged Austin Seven special exits the Chicane Foch. He won both of this year's pre-war races at Pau and also won Austin Seven centenary race at Angoulême last year.

Pedersen's Austin Seven overtakes a slower Bugatti around the outside in La Descente Poeymirau.  Photo taken through the trees from the Tribune Foch.

Second in both of the weekend's races was Charles de Villaucourt in this 1927 Bugatti Type 51.  Here he is in Sunday's race entering Le Pont Oscar.

Charles Villaucourt and his Bugatti Type 51 take Virage de la Gare in Saturday's race.  Photo taken from the top of the Tribune Palmeraie.

At the same corner is the 1926 Bugatti Type 35 of Thierry Stapts.  Here he is in Saturday's race where he finished third and the last car not lapped..  He didn't start Sunday's race.

In Friday's practice, Stapts exits the Foch Chicane in his Bugatti Type 35.  Photo taken through the fencing.

In Sunday's race, Nicolas Komaroff finished third in this 1938 Austin Seven.  He didn't complete any laps in Saturday's race.   Here he is on Sunday in Pont Oscar.

Nicolas Komaroff's Austin Seven.  On the left exiting the Virage du Parc Beaumont and on the right in La descente Poeymirau.

Fourth in both races was Arnaud Graignic in this 1925 Bugatti Type 35.  Here he exits the chicane on the way out of the park and back to the start finish line.  Photo taken through the fencing.

Arnaud Graignic on his way to fourth place in Sundays race.  Photo taken over the balustrade along the Boulevard des Pyrénées at the end of the climb just before Pont Oscar.

Alain Plasch came fifth in Sunday's race in this 1933 Bugatti 51.   Here he is exiting the Chicane.

Alain Plasch in his Bugatti 51 exiting the Virage du Buisson.

British driver James Miles negotiates Pont Oscar in his 1936 Austin Seven.   He came fifth in Saturday's race.

James Miles in the Austin Seven in the Chicane.

Patrice Cousseau finished sixth in both races in this 1931 Bugatti Type 35.  Here he is in race 2 heading towards Pont Oscar.

Patrice Cousseau and his Bugatti Type 35 heading down into Virage de la Gare in race 1.

Alexandre Moreau Lespinard came seventh in race two in this 1933 Bugatti Type 51.  Here he is on Sunday in Pont Oscar.

Alexandre in his Bugatti Type 31 exiting parc Beaumont.

Vincent Tourneur in his 1937 Delahaye 135S came seventh in race 1.  Here he is finishing 8th in race 2 at Pont Oscar.

Vincent's Delehaye about to be lapped as he drives around the Virage de la Gare.

Bo William's 1926 Bugatti  Type 35 (No.7) being lapped by a Bugatti Type 51.  He finished eighth in race 2.

Bo William's Bugatti exits the Foch chicane ahead of a Austin Seven.

Francis Courteix in a 1931 Bugatti Type 51 exiting the Hoch chicane.  He finished ninth in Race 1.

Francis Courteix's Buhatti about to arrive at Pont Oscar.

Luis Sousa Ribeiro in a 1939 Riley TT Sprite came tenth in Race 1.

The Riley TT Sprite in one of the curves after Buisson.

Local driver Sylvain Jovine leaning out of his 1934 BMW 315/1 as he approaches Pont Oscar.  It has a 1.5 litre 6 cyl BMW engine.

Sylvain in his BMW in the Foch Chicane.  He finished eleventh in race 1.

Philippe Bouleau's 1929 Bugatti Type 37A in the descent after Buisson.  He came twelfth in race 1.

The Bugatti Type 37A about to enter Pont Oscar.

This 1935 Riley 12/4 of Philippe Guy finished  thirteenth in race 1.

The Riley 12/4 exits Buisson.

Michel Blanchard in a 1930 Bugatti Type 37A exits the Foch Chicane.  He finished 15th in race 1.

The Bugatti Type 37 approaching Pont Oscar.

Mark Elder in his 1928 Austin Seven exits the chicane before exiting the park.  He finished sixteenth in race two.

Mark Elder leads another Austin Seven and a Riley out of Parc Beaumont.

Emmanuel Daum didn't record a time in free practice in his 1926 Bugatti T35 and came to a stop in front of me and sadly wasn't seen again over the weekend.

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 à condition de créditer le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com, et de fournir un lien vers cette page.

Austin Seven follows BMW through the Chicane.

BMW follows Bugatti in Pont Oscar.

Austin Seven discussions in the paddock on Thursday night.

WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2023 - Hypercars

The Cadillac and Ferrari Hypercars showed promise.

 I went to the WEC race at Spa-Franchorchamps this year in order to see the large field of 13 Hypercars, as the World Endurance Championship enters a new golden era.  As expected Toyota dominated and took the top two positions, but Ferrari showed promise and had two cars in the lead at one point due to a better tyre choice at the start.  In the end Ferrari gained the final podium position on the last lap as Calado overtook the Porsche Penske.  

The Cadillacs were faster than the Porsches in qualifying and the No.2 Cadillac made a great start but eventually dropped to fifth.  The No.3 Cadillac unfortunately dropped out early due to a crash with Renger Van Der Zande at the wheel.  Luckily he was unhurt despite a heavy impact at Eau Rouge.

The Porsches were rather disappointing compared to the Ferraris but eventually had one car finish on the lead lap in fourth place

The Glickenhaus was faster than the Peugeots in qualifying and beat them in the race.

Both Peugeots suffered issues and delays and finished well down.

The Vanwall was slowest of all and was involved in a number of incidents including a spin on cold tyres and a clash with one of the GT Ferraris. 

All of the Hypercars present feature in this blogpost.

The winning Toyota Gazoo Racong Toyota GR-010 Hybrid driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez.

The lead Toyota leads a Pugeot Hypercar through Eau Rouge.

The second Toyota came second after passing the rest of the field after irs practice accident.  This GR-010 was driven by Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa.

Brendon Hartley's qualirying accident.  He was OK.

Toyota No.8 on the Kemmel straight.

Third was the Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi.  

The lead Ferrari.

Two Ferraris leading the race with the No.51 car in front as it negotiates Eau Rouge.

Fourth was the Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 driven by Dane Cameron, Michael Christensen and Frédéric Makowiecki.

The No.5 Porsche in qualifying at Radillion.

The Penske No.5 drivers - Makowieki closest to camera, then Cameron and then Christensen.

In fifth place was this Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook. 

The No.2 Cadillac.

The Cadillac drivers.  Richard Westbrook centre, Earl Bamber left and Alex Lynn right.

In sixth place was this Hertz Jeam Jota Porsche 963 driven by Antonio Felix Da Costa, Will Stevens and Ye Yifei.

The No.38 car in qualifying.

Seventh place in the Hypercar class (13th overall) went to this Glickenhaus Racing Glickenhaus 007 driven by Romain Dumas, Olivier Pla and Franck Mailleux.

Glickenhaus leads Porsche through Eau Rouge.

The Glickenhaus drivers.  Left to Right - Mailleux, Dumas and Pla.

Eighth place in the Hypercar class went to this Peugeot TotalEnergies Peugeot 9X8 driven by Paul Di Resta, Mikkel Jensen and Jean-Eric Vergne.

The No.93 Porsche.

Jean-Eric Vergne being interviewed whilst Paul Di Resta signs autographs.

Ninth place in the Hypercar class went to this Peugeot TotalEnergies Peugeot 9X8 

The No.94 Peugeot.

Tenth place in the Hypercar class went to this Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and  Nicklas Nielsen. 

The No.50 Ferrari leads some other Hypercars through Les Combes.

Eleventh place in the Hypercar class went to the Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Vanwall Vandervell 680 driven by Tom Dillmann, Esteban Guerrieri and Jacques Villeneuve.

The No.4 Vanwall.

Twelfth place in the Hypercar class went to the Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 driven by Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor.

The No.6 Penske Porsche enters the Kemmel Straight ahead of a Toyota and the Jota Porsche.

Last and a DNF in the Hypercar class went to this Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Sébastien Bourdais, Renger Van Der Zande and Jack Aitken.

Cadillac leads Peugeot.

Sébastien Bourdais nearest camera, Jack Aitken furthest away and Renger Van Zande with children in the middle.

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 à condition de créditer le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com, et de fournir un lien vers cette page.

The No.50 Ferrari overtakes an Oreca LMP2 car.

Ferrari pit during Saturday's pitwalk.