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.

2022 Le Mans Classic - Plateau 6 - 1972 to 1981

 

Some of the leading cars at the Esses in their first race on Saturday evening.  Lola leads TOJ and Porsche. Paul Lafargue was very fast in this 1979 Lola T298 but lost 3 laps in the final race having won the first two.

Plateau 6 at the Le mans Classic covers the period 1972 to 1981 and thus is the latest period covered by the six main grids.  An interesting selection of cars but not really representative of those who did well during this period. Nevertheless, some close racing.  Caron didn't win any of the three races but consistency was what put him at the top of the podium at the end.

Just after the start of the final race on Sunday and Lola and Mirage battle it out into the Dunlop Chicane.

Further down the field they try three abreast into the chicane!   Osella vs Chevron vs Lola.

Eventual winner was Ludovic Caron in this 1975 Chevron B31.

Second was this 1976 Cheetah G601 driven by Beat Eggimann.

Third was the 1976 Chevron B36 of Philipp Bruehwiler.

Fourth was the 1979 BMW M1 Procar of Sebastian Glaser.

Fifth was the Duby/Vannelet/de Sibenthal 1977 Porsche 935.

Sixth was this 1982 Ferrari 512 BBLM driven by Alexander Wittweger and Sam Hancock.

Seventh was this 1972 Mirage M6 driven by Chris Mac Allister.  He won the final race.

Jean-Marc Merlin was eighth in this 1980 Porsche 935 K3.

Ninth was this 1979 BMW M1 Grp 5 driven by Albert Weinzierl.

Tenth was Frédéric Da Rocha in this 1979 Lola T298.

A 1972 Lola T290 leads the Mirage through the Esses.

The 1977 Aston Martin RHAM/1

René Arnoux was one of the drivers of this 1979 BMW M1 Procar.

1976 Sauber C5

1976 TOJ SC304

1976 Inaltera LM

1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Grp IV

1973 Lola T292 battles with a 1976 Cheetah G601

1975 March 75S.

1976 Dodge Charger.

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.

 

1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0.

2022 Le Mans Classic - Endurance Racing Legends

 

The early battle for the lead.  Pole position man, Christian Gläsel in a 2004 MG EX257 leads Shaun Lynn in a 2003 Bentley Speed 8.

Endurance Racing Legends is for enthusiasts to race sports prototype and GT cars from the 1990s and 2000s.  Thus everything after the Group C era to 2010 plus the occasional invitee in a later car.  Racing is for overall victory plus about nine classes.  A really great addition to the races at this year's Le Mans Classic (they only had a demonstration run at the 2018 event).  I particularly loved seeing the Bentley's the Ford Mustang Cobras and the Ferrari 333SP.   The fastest cars covered just over 10 laps in their race of about 47 minutes.  In practice pole position was at an average of 217kph, so fast cars!

The eventual winner was Shaun Lynn in a 2003 Bentley Speed 8.

Second was Mr John of B and Soheil Ayari in a 2002 Bentley Exp Speed 8.

Third was Mike Newton in a 2001 Lola-MG Ex257 seen here leading the fourth placed Audi.  Mike also won his class.

Fourth was this 2002 Audi R8 LMP driven by Erik Maris.

Fifth was Joe Macari in a 2005 Maserati MC12 GT1 which won its class.

Sixth was this 2002 Riley & Scott MkIIIC of Emmanuael Brigand.

The early leader Christian Gläsel in his 2004 MG EXX257 finished seventh after getting penalised for speeding in a slow zone.

In ninth place was this 2005 Ferrari 550 Maranello Prodrive,

Tenth was Olivier and Grahame Bryant in this 1995 Ford Mustang Cobra TA. This car also won its class.

Eleventh was this 2005 Maserati MC12 GT1 driven by Ivan Vercoutere and Alex Müller.

Twelfth was Marc Jully in this 1998 Keiler KII which won its class.

Thirteenth was Pierre-Loup Boch in this 2005 Lola B05/40.

Fourteenth was this 2006 Ferrari F430 GTC driven by Phil Quaife and Sean McInerney which won its class.

Amongst the class winners was this 2008 Mosler MT900R of Colin and Fergus Paton.

This lovely 1999 Ferrari 333 SP finished second in its class.

This 2001 Saleen S7-R didn't finish.

This strange looking 1998 Cannibal Chevrolet IMSA was driven by Edouard Deguemp.

The 1997 Panoz Esperante GTR1 of Xavier Galant.

Scooter Gabel makes a move in his 1997 BMW M3 GT but did not finish.

One of the later cars, a 2010 Ford GT (001 PT GT1) driven by Philippe Scemama.

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 GT battle a 2010 Chevrolet Corvette C6 leads the Porsches.