Tour Auto 2022, Compétition Group G (1966 - 1971)

 

The Group G winning 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Gr.IV of Jérémy LANCKSWEERT and Christophe VAN RIET on EC8 near Puisseguin.  Lovely to see a Ferrari Daytona win this year as fifty years ago Jean-Claude Andruet / "Biche" won the Tour de France Automobile in one of these cars.

In the Tour Auto, the Competition Group G cars are those models that were built from 1966 to 1971.   This year, one of the models being celebrated was the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 which got the nickname Daytona because Ferrari scored a 1-2-3 finish in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1967 and this was the next new Ferrari produced after that.  The Ferrari Daytona achieved its own Daytona success when it finished second overall and won its class in 1973, thus reinforcing the name.   In the original Tour de France Automobile, two Charles Pozzi entered Ferrari 365 GTB/4s finished first and second in the 1972 running of the event.  Thus it was very pleasing to see a very competitive Ferrari Daytona compete in this year's Tour Auto and actually win  Group G.  To win, it had to beat a number of Porsches, Alfa Romeos, BMWs, Lancias and a Chevrolet Camaro.  Not to mention of course the Ford GT40 of Tour Auto regular Philippe Vandromme.  Ford GT40s started in the original events of 1969 and 1970 but didn't finish, although since the revival in the form of the Tour Auto they have been very successful.

Nineteen Group G cars started this year's Tour Auto and seventeen finished.  Over a dozen of them can be seen in the pictures I took below.  The pictures were taken on days 2 and 3 of the five day rally down the west of France to Andorra.

The Top Ten in Competition Group G

1st.  Jérémy LANCKSWEERT / Christophe VAN RIET, Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Gr.IV 1971 (273)

Belgian drivers did well on this year's Tour Auto with Thierry Boutsen winning the VHC section and Jérémy Lancksweert winning Group G in this beautiful Ferrari Daytona.  here he is at the Circuit Val de Vienne.

Another view of the Daytona at Val de Vienne showing off its streamlined shape.  The car had a fast consistent run to win the Group.

2nd.  Urs BECK / Christina SCHAFFNER, Porsche 911 2,3L ST 1970 (276)

This Porsche came second but was giving away nearly 2 litres to the Ferrari.

The Porsche at Circuit Val de Vienne.

3rd.  Olivier GUITTENY / Erwhan CORDELET, Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAm 1971 (279)

First of the Group G Touring Cars was this Alfa Romeo.  Here it is on EC8 in the vineyards of Puisseguin

The Alfa showing off its 'rivets' at Circuit Val de Vienne.

4th.  Claudio RODDARO / Adriano OSSOLA, Porsche 911 2,3L ST 1970 (263)

The fourth placed Porsche on the EC8 special stage on the way to Bordeaux.

At Circuit Val de Vienne.

5th.  Christophe JOUET / Jacques GUGUEN, Lancia Fulvia HF 1970 (182)

The fastest of the Lancia Fulvia HF was this example seen on special stage EC8.

The Lancia at Circuit Val de Vienne.

6th.  Philippe VANDROMME / Frederic VIVIER, Ford GT40 1969 (215)

Just coming into view is the wonderful 1969 Ford GT40 of Philippe Vandromme.

Here the GT40 leads a mixed group of Lotus, Porsches and an Alfa Romeo at Val de Vienne.

7th.  Didier VILLECHALANE / Jean-François DEMAY, Lancia Fulvia HF Speciale 1969 (181)

The Lancia Fulvia in classic works livery on EC8.

The Lancia exits "Trop-Tard" a corner at Val de Vienne.

8th.  Rémi GARUZ / Raymond HUZET, BMW 2800 CS 1971 (185)

The BMW at speed at Circuit Val de Vienne.

This big BMW looked quite unwield on special stages and circuit.

9th.  Christophe THIBOULT / Nicolas KAPLAN, Mini Cooper S 1275 1969 (193)

The fastest of the small capacity touring cars was this Mini Cooper, seen here on EC8.

A few seconds later it is cornering fast around a tight left hand curve.

10th.  Timm MEINRENKEN / Lara MEINRENKEN-SCHWIERING, Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAm 1968 (246)

This car was in contention until it suffered a long delay on ES8 after hitting a problem and bouncing over the ditch into the vineyard.

Other notable competitors

The 1967 Renault R8 Gordini of Emmanuel GALIVEL / Antoine CONAN.

The 1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 of Richard KOLLE / Matthieu MESSEAN

Alain CHARRIER / Alain GANDON in their 1971 BMW 2002 TI kick up the dust on EC8.

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 Ferrari Daytona leading some Group H-I cars in the Plateau 5 race at Val de Vienne.

Nice to see a real Ford GT40 on the roads of France.

Tour Auto 2022, Compétition Group VHC (pre-1966)

 

The third placed 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 of Damien KOHLER  / Sylvie LABOISNE on the EC8 special stage near Puisseguin.

This year the Tour Auto returned to its more usual end of April date.  The cars started from Paris and the rally properly got started at the Chateau of Rambouillet.  Then the cars spent five days driving down the west side of France and ended up in Andorra with many special stages and circuit races on the way.

I saw the cars on day 2 on the road in Coulonges-sur-l'Autize and racing at the Circuit Val de Vienne.  Then on day 3, I saw an amazing special stage in the vineyards of Puisseguin as the cars headed to Bordeaux.  Unfortunately, the corner where I was standing was to end the hopes of a number of competitors.  It was a tight left hander with gravel acting as marbles and sending a number of cars into a ditch.

The British crew of Roderick and Rory JACK in their 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA end up in the ditch and damage their car.  They did get going again and finished the rally.  The local spectators are experts at getting cars out of ditches.

This posts covers the top VHC runners (pre-1966) running in the competition category, thus the Cobras, E-Types, 26Rs, 904 and 911s.  The winner of this part of the competition is regarded as the overall winner of the rally.  Further posts will cover the Index of Performance and the later cars.

Having watched Thierry Boutsen on TV score a number of podiums for Benetton in the late eighties and three wins for Williams in F1 GP in the early nineties, it was great to see this Belgian driver compete in his third Tour Auto and take a win.  He led pretty much the whole rally, beating the regular winners, and in the end finished over a minute ahead of his nearest rival.

Very good to see so many spectators attend Val de Vienne and the special stage.

The Top Twelve Overall in the VHC Competition category.

1st.  Thierry BOUTSEN / Hervé ORDIONI, Shelby Cobra 289 1963 (218)

Thierry Boutsen rounds the tricky left hander on EC8 where so main cars ended up in the ditch.

Thierry Boutsen applies opposite lock at Circuit Val de Vienne after being nudged by the Shelby Cobra Daytona replica.

Winner of the Plateau 4 race at Val de Vienne was Thierry Boutsen.   He was also to go on to win the whole Tour Auto.

2nd.  Raphaël FAVARO / Thomas DE SAULIEU, Lotus Elan 26R 1965 (211)

The Lotus Elan kicks up the gravel on EC8.  The Swiss driver won in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Favaro's Elan on the Circuit Val de Vienne.

3rd.  Damien KOHLER / Sylvie LABOISNE, Shelby Cobra 289 1965 (212)

Damien Kohler leads a group at Circuit Val de Vienne.

On the road through Coulonges-sur-l'Autize.

4th.  Bertrand PENLAE / Anne PENLAE, Porsche 911 2,0L 1965 (213)

Anne Penlae gasps in shock as she sees the Bussolini's Porsche 904 in the ditch. Bertrand keeps his concentration up to finish fastest on this stage.

This Porsche was the fastest VHC car on some special stages but couldn't keep up with the bigger engined cars on the circuits.

5th.  Jean-Pierre LAJOURNADE / Christophe BOUCHET, Jaguar E-Type 3.8 1962 (202)

The fastest surviving Jaguar E-Type on EC8 near Puisseguin. This French team won in 2015 and 2016.

Jean-Pierre Lajournade at Circuit Val de Vienne where he finished sixth.

6th.  Joachim VON FINCKENSTEIN / Christina VON FINCKENSTEIN, Lotus Elan 26R 1964 (207)

The Finckenstein's Lotus Elan on EC8, arriving just after an E-Type has recovered from an off road excursion.

Joachim Finckenstein's Elan at Circuit Val de Vienne where he finished eleventh.

7th.  Jean-Pierre RICHELMI / Thierry BARJOU, Lotus Elan 26R 1965 (242)

The Richelmi / Barjou Lotus Elan comes into view over the crest on EC8 near Puisseguin.

The Lotus Elan at the Circuit Val de Vienne.

8th.  Ben GILL / David DIDCOCK,  Shelby Cobra 289 1965 (203)

Top Brits on the rally this year were Ben Gill and David Didcock in this Shelby Cobra that was smoking at this stage but still got to the end.

A few seconds later they successfully negotiate one of the trickiest corners on the rally.

9th. Jean-Marc MERLIN / Sophie MERLIN, Jaguar E-Type 3.8 1962 (222)

The Merlins in their E-Type on EC8.

Merlin's E-Type chases Kohler's Cobra at the Circuit Val de Vienne.

10th.  Patrick BONNARDEL / Christiane NICOLET, Jaguar E-Type 3.8 1964 (206)

The top ten was completed by this E-Type driven by Patrick Bonnardel.

The Jaguar at the Circuit Val de Vienne.

11th.  Gaby VON OPPENHEIM / Andreas MIDDENDORF, Porsche 911 2,0L 1965 (210)

The German Porsche on EC8.

12th.  Claude CASSINA / Tomy GRUELLES, Austin Mini Cooper S 1275 1964 (191)

This Mini Cooper was the first of the VHC Touring Cars.  Here it is seen at the Circuit Val de Vienne, absolutely dominating the Plateau 3 race,

Other notable competitors:

Jean-Marc and Patricia BUSSOLINI in their 1965 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, seconds before they ended in a ditch near Puisseguin on EC8.  Before that they had been heading for a strong top ten position.  Even though the local spectators towed them out the ditch and got them going again, they retired.

The Porsche 904 going well the previous day at Val de Vienne.

The Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe 1965 replica of Olivier MUYTJENS and Brice PINEAU.  Interestingly, all replicas are penalised on time.   This replica won the race at Nogaro.

The Daytona Coupe was slower on the special stages and only came 41st on this stage, EC8.

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.

Thierry Boutsen leading the other main VHC contenders at Circuit Val de Vienne.

The Bussolini's Porsche 904 having a strong run at Val de Vienne.

Neither of these cars finished the rally.