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.

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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.