2019 Dijon Motos Cup! HSCC International Historic F2

Formula Two and Formula Atlantic cars racing at Dijon-Prenois in 2019.

I was very pleased to see 27 cars come out and race in Saturday's Historic Formula Two race.  Even though it had rained earlier on in the day the track was dry for the race.  This was the final race of the Championship for these guys and what better place to end than the undulating Dijon-Prenois Circuit?  Strangely, I don't remember Dijon-Prenois hosting European F2 races back in the seventies but it is nice to see the cars race there now.  The championship is split into five classes:

The Jochen Rindt Trophy  - is for 1,600cc F2 cars raced before 1972.   Frenchman  Robert Simac has won the Championship this year and won the class at Dijon in his 1971 March.  Brings back memories of Ronnie Peterson winning the 1971 European Championship for March!

Winner of the Jochen Rindt Trophy was Robert Simac in his 1971 March 712M

Nick Pancisi in a March 712 leads Julian Stokes in a wonderful 1971 Techno F2 car.   This was the battle for second in class.

Techno F2 in the paddock

The Techno at speed

The Vern Schuppan Trophy - is for 1,600cc Formula Atlantic or Formula B cars raced prior to 1976.   Richard Ellingworth won the class on Saturday at Dijon in his 1974 March 74B.  Mark Goodyear took the championship but didn't finish Saturday's race in his Lotus.

Richard Ellingworth leading Mark Goodyear at Dijon.   March vs Lotus.

Mark Goodyear's 1970 Lotus 59

The Gilles Villeneuve Trophy - is for 1600cc Formula Atlantic or Formula B cars that raced between 1976 and 1978, excluding ground effect cars.   Michael Wrigley (March 79B) won a close fought battle between himself and Martin Bullock (Chevron B34) on Saturday at Dijon but Martin Bullock took the Championship.

Michael Wrigley winning his class in the March 79B.

Wrigley leading leading No.2 Daniel Clayfiel's March 722 and Martin Bullock's Chevron B34.

The Bruno Giacomelli Trophy - is for 2 litre Formula Two cars of 1972 to 1978 excluding ground effect cars.  These cars are the fastest in the championship.

Matthew Watts in  the 1977 Martini Mk19/22 leads Martin Stretton in a March 782 and Andrew Smith in a March 742.  They finished in that order,

Mark Hazell in a March 782.   Brian Henton won in a March at Pau and Misana in 1978.

David Tomlin in the 1973 Rondel Motul M1who finihed fifth overall on Saturday at Dijon and third overall in the Bruno Giacomelli Trophy for the year.

Frank Lyons in a 1974 Chevron B29.

Peter Williams in a 1977 Ralt RT1

Mark Charteris came sixth in his 1974 March 742.

Laurent Vallery-Masson in a 1978 March 77B.

Matthew Wrigley in 1978 Chevron B42 finished fourth.

Martin Stretton in his 1978 March 782 drifting into second place.

The Jim Clark Trophy - is for 1600cc cars from 1967 onward that don't have aerodynamc devices sich as wings.  There was only one of these at Dijon but I was very pleased to see it as Elfins are rare in Europe.

The 1968 Elfin 600B of Australian Stephen Weller who has won the Jim Clark Trophy this year.

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 Elfin at the rear of the field at Dijon-Prenois.

Dijon MotorsCup 2016 - Historic Formula 2

Matthew Watts in his 2 litre March-BMW 772 leads the field on the first lap.  Matthew won from pole and also took fastest lap.

I don't think I have ever seen a historic F2 race before, so this race brought back many good memories of the cars I saw race at Crystal Palace and Thruxton in the seventies.  The series is for F2 cars that raced pre-1979 and is organised by the HSCC.   There are rounds at Donington, Brands Hatch, Monza, Zandvoort and Dijon with three claases, one for the 2,000ccc cars, one for the earlier 1,600cc cars and one for Formula Atlantic cars.  I particularly loved the 1,600cc cars of the early seventies.  It reminded me of Mike Hailwood, Ronnie Peterson, Emerson Fittipaldi and Tim Schenken racing in 1971 and 1972.

The March 782 driven by Frazer Gibney who finished fifth.

Two March 712Ms, a Surtees TS15 and a Chevron B40 battle it out.   Robert Simac in the red March won class A.

Nick Osborn in a March 732 who finished fifteenth.

The March 712M of Carlo Del Conte looking resplendent in its Ronnie Peterson colours.

The Lotus 69 of Roger Bevan.

The March 782 of Dean Forward who finished second 

The March 782 of Torgny Johansson who finished tenth.  I seem to remember that the slogan "Jesus Saves" was used by Alex Ribeiro who won at the Nurburgring in a similar car to this.

Richard Evans overtakes another car in his March 79B on his way to fourth place and victory in Class B.

The beautiful Brabham BT36 of Luciano Arnold who finished second amongst the older 1600cc cars.

The third placed March 752 of Phil Hall.

The Surtees TS15 of Jeremy Wheatley.

More from the Dijon Motors Cup if you click on the Motor Sport button at the top of this page.

All photos were taken from the spectator areas without a press pass.

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.

Le Mans Classic 2016 - Jaguar Classic Challenge

Andy Wallace in a 1955 Jaguar D-Type 3.8L in the Le Mans Esses.  He eventually finish third but led the first lap and had pole position..

For the first time since 2002, I attended the Le Mans Classic this year.  I took over 2,000 photos with a reasonable success rate so I will do a blog post for each Plateau and support race over the coming weeks.  The first of the support races was a round of the Historic Sports Car Club's Jaguar Challenge Series.  This is the second year of the challenge and it is open to all pre-1966 Jaguar models.

Marc Gordon in his 1958 3.8L Jaguar XK150S leads a similar car out of the Le Mans Esses.

The race was a mini-endurance race of 55 minutes, something quite tough for cars of this age.  The field including a amazing selection of Jaguar C, D and E types as well as XK120, 140 and 150 models and a few Mk1 and Mk 2 saloons.   In terms of drivers, the big star was Andy Wallace  who won the Le Mans 24 hours with Jaguar back in 1988.  He was driving a D-Type based on Mike Hawthorns 1955 Le Mans 24 hours winner.

The variety in the race is illustrated here with the Brown's 1951 Jaguar C-Type leading a 1962 Jaguar E-Type and a 1959 Jaguar Mk1 saloon.

Eventual winner was Julien Thomas in a 1962 3.8L Jaguar E-Type who climbed up from third after the first lap to lead from Lap 2 onwards.

2nd place went to this 1965 3.8L Jaguar E-Type of Carlos Monteverde from Brazil and Andy Smith.

Many of the cars were of course British Racing green or Scottish blue, but this German entered 1950 3.4L Jaguar XK120 was red.

James Paterson's 1955 3.4L Jaguar XK140 leads a 1956 Jaguar D Type through the Esses.

Nick Riley's 1964 3.8L Jaguar E-type powers out of the Esses.  

The 3.8L 1963 Jaguar E-Type of Simon Butler and Martin Rich.

An E Type leads a Mk1 saloon through Tertre Rouge and on to the Mulsanne Straight past the famous Poplar trees.

John Sykes in a 1953 3.4L Jaguar C-Type.

For full results click here on the Peter Auto web site.

For more details of the 2016 Le Mans Classic click here for the official web site.

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.