Rouen-les-AFX: June 2023

Friday, 30 June 2023

Pau Classic Grand Prix 2023 - Formula Ford

Saturday's race for the later FF1600 cars. Belgian driver John Svensson in his Ray GR17 leads Hugo Carini in Van Diemen RF90. At the time it was the battle for second place but Hugo got through and won the race once Christophe Vernet retired. This was taken from the grandstand at Virage de la Gare.

There were four Formula Ford races at the Pau Classic Grand Prix. Two were for the earlier Kent engined cars from 1967 to 1989, and two were for the later cars, either Kent or Zetec engined, from 1990 to 1999. They provided the bulk of the single seater action at Pau this year and were mainly entrants from the various French based championships for Kent and Zetec engined cars. As usual there was good racing amongst these cars.

First corner on the first lap of Saturday's FF1600 race and Christophe Vernet has taken the lead from pole position in his Van Diemen RF99. The first four already have quite a lead.

One of the few French marques who made Formula Ford cars. This is a Mygale SJ03 which was driven into fourth place in Saturdays race for newer FF1600 cars by Eric Heudicourt.

A couple of Van Diemen RF91s battle it out in Saturdays race for the newer FF1600 cars. Patrick D'Aubreby leads Alain Simon.

A gaggle of newer FF1600 cars exit the Hoch chicane during practice. A Van Dieman RF92 leads a Ray GR19 and a Van Diemen RF99.

Arnaud Dousse in his Van Diemen RF91 lifts a wheel as he bounce over the low kerbs of the Hoch chicane.

The Swift SC92 of Francois Mazingant heads downhill by the chicane.

The first corner of the first lap for Saturday's race for the earlier FF1600 cars.

The Van Diemen RF89 of Matthieu Boissière that won both races for the older FF1600 cars. Here he leads Sunday's race.

The Royale RP23 of Stéphane Malaisé in Sunday's race just starting to turn into Virage Pont Oscar.

The Van Diemen RF73 of Frédéric Boudat.

The Royale RP84 of Francois Bugat.

The Van Diemen RF77 of Christophe Contre.

The Lola T540 of Swiss driver Jean Dionisotti.

Van Diemen RF99 being challenged by a Mygale SJ03

Swift SC92 leads out of Poeymirau.

Christophe Vernet in the chicane in his Van Diemen RF99.

Van Diemen RF73 rear end as it follows an RF80 out of the chicane.

Van Diemen RF80 during its descent out of Poeymirau.

Claude Tetiot in his Reynard FF85. He finished fourth on Saturday.

Loïc Bouquet in his Swift SC88. He finished fourth on Sunday.

Van Diemen RF81 leads a Lotus 59F.

Merlyn Mk20 leads a Swift.

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

A view from up the hill to the first corner as the eighties FF cars go by. This is the lead group.

Thursday, 29 June 2023

Pau Classic Grand Prix 2023, Legends Cars Cup

One of three winners over the weekend, this is David De Saeger from Belgium.

Legends Cars have been around since 1992 and resemble American cars of the 30s/40s but of a reduced size and with big tyres. They are all powered by Yamaha motors. The French series is for cars built before 2007. They had three races over the weekend at Pau with 33 cars taking part. Not really my cup of tea, but relatively close fun racing.

The start of Race 1 on Saturday.

Close racing at turn 1 as seen from the grandstand.

The park land nature of some of the circuit can be seen in this picture.

A view from up high of the exit from turn one.

A Legends car speeds up the hill from turn one as seen from the Boulevard des Pyrénées.

Two Legends cars racing through Park Beaumont.

The circuit just before Pont Oscar.

The entry into Pont Oscar.

The exit from Turn 1.

The car of Christophe Derouineau. He won the Elite category on Sunday in Race 3.

Pau Classic Grand Prix 2023, Ferdinand Cup

The first corner of the first lap of the first Ferdinand Cup race of the weekend. Swiss driver Cédric Torres leads in his Porsche 964 RS but eventually had to settle for second place.

One of the categories racing at the Pau Classic GP was the Ferdinand Cup, a French Championship for mainly classic road going Porsches manufactured before 1997. They race at a lot of classic circuits including Spa, Pau, Charade, Dijon and Magny-Cours. The cars are relatively unmodified except for safety equipment and a variety of different Porsches take part in four classes depending on power. 30 cars were taking part at Pau.

A Porsche 924 enters the Virage Pont Oscar.

Christophe Terriou leads the field on the first lap of Sunday's race.
Photo taken from the Boulevard des Pyrénées.
He won both of the weekend's races in his Porsche 911.

Gillian Garret in his Porsche 964 RSR takes a tight line at the Hoch chicane.. He was to take a second and fourth place in the weekend's two Ferdinand cup races.

Damien Kohler in his Porsche 911 3.0 RS heads into the chicane. He came third in both races.

Porsche 911 SC in the chicane.

Christophe Terriou chases Laurent Girardier through the Hoch Chicane.

A Porsche 968 CS leads a Porsche 924S through Parc Beaumont.

A Porsche 944 Turbo entering Virage Pont Oscar.

A nice view from the Boulevard des Pyrénées as a Porsche races past.

Another classic Pau view as the cars descend through the park back towards the start finish line.

A Porsche exiting Pont Oscar.

A view from the top of the small stands at the exit of Pont Oscar.

Pau Classic Grand Prix 2023 - Exhibition runs

Two early cars of Tico Martini. The lead car is a 1970 Martini Mk4 Formula France car. The one behind is a 1973 Martini Mk11 Formula Renault. Beautiful cars that I was grateful to see.

Interspersed amongst the races at the Pau Classic GP were a number of exhibition runs. Whilst disappointing not to see any F1 or F3000 cars amongst these, there were a few F2 and F3 cars and a host of Formula Renault cars plus some old French single seaters and a few interesting oddities.

Formula Two

The star of the exhibition runners was this ex-Jo Siffert Chevron B18 F2 car from 1971. Francois Mazet finished fourth in the 1971 Pau GP in a B18.

Another F2 car was this GRD 272. Reine Wisell drove a GRD 272 to sixth place in the 1972 Pau GP.

Formula Three

The ex-Andrea de Cesaris March 793.

An ex-Nigel Mansell March 783 car, but why paint it to look like James Hunt's Hesketh?

Formula Renault / Formula France

In the early seventies some Technos were used in Formula Renault. This is an example from 1970 although this doesn't look much like a Renault engine of that era to me.

This is a 1969 Martini Mk4 Formula France car.

This pretty little car is a 1972 Hampe HFR72.

This is a later Formula Renault car by Hampe, the HFR75 from 1975. Another pretty and unusual car.

We are apt to remember Jean Ragnotti as a rally driver but he was a dab hand in race cars as well. Here is a 1975 Martini Mk15E that he drove in Formula Renault Europe races and finished second in the championship, including a victory at Pau.

Another ex-Ragnotti car, the 1976 AGS JH14. He finished sixth at Pau in this car.

A 1974 Formula Renault Martini Mk14.

A 1985 Martini Mk 44.

A 1989 Martini Mk57.

Other French Single Seaters

It was difficult to believe at times that these MEP-Citroen Formula Bleue cars weren't having a race! These cars were used in the later sixties and early seventies as racing school cars.

This was a car that the Albi based MEP built as a publicity car for Esso.

DB Panhard races from the early fifties.

Another early fifties DB racer.

An eighties Formula Ford 1600 car built by Rondeau. The M585.

Some oddities

I am not sure exactly what this is but it looks street legal and vaguely like an overweight Alfa Romeo GP car.

In a similar vein is this much better looking "Maserati".

1970 Martini Mk4 Formula France.

Lucchini sports car from the eighties.