2023 Circuit des Remparts - Angoulême

MGs in the paddock.

2023 was my first time watching practice and racing at the Circuits des Remparts in Angoulême (France).  I hope it won't be my last.  I didn't get a grandstand ticket but I was able to get good pictures of most of the cars during practice and in the paddock.  The afternoon got quite crowded and a grandstand seat would have been useful - next year perhaps.   It is certainly a lovely revival event - events took place on exactly the same circuit in 1939 and from 1947 to 1951 - and the circuit is really unique.  The whole town has a great atmosphere on the Sunday when both practice and racing take place.  Definitely should be on all historic racing fan's bucket list.

The 1.28 Km circuit.  This is just 0.8 miles, so a very short circuit that includes three hairpin bends in quick succession.  The circuit is entirely in the town so a true street circuit.

A view of the second of the three hairpins.  Very tight!

I have done a blogpost on all of the plateau (grids) that were at the 2023 Circuit des Remparts.  Click on any you want to see more of below:

My favourite blogpost from Angoulême was the one on the Bugatti race with lots of pictures of the cars and drivers that took place including this lone Delage,   Click here for the Bugatti pictures.

A favourite memory from my day at the Circuit des Remparts is of rally driver François Delecour throwing a MkII Ford Escort around to win the seventies GT and touring race.  Click here for more pictures of these cars.

Angoulême was celebrating the seventy years of the the first Lancia Stratos.  These cars are always a pleasure to see and Bernard Darniche was on hand as well.  Click here for more pictures of the Lancia Stratos.

Always incredible to see how fast the pre-war Austin Sevens are and they really suit this short tight twisty circuit.  Click here for more of the small capacity pre-war cars.

The grid celebrating Jean-Pierre Beltoise was for pre-1966 GT and Saloon cars.  Another very varied bunch of cars racing on this street circuit. Click here for more.

Great to see Jean-Pierre Jarier driving a Talbot and many more famous drivers were present as well.  Click here for more on the drivers

Frazer Nash and other pre war British cars have been a stalwart of racing at Angoulême for years.  Click here for more.

Lots of interesting cars including the 1938 Lenkin GP car (red).  Click here for more pictures and more about this car.

Angoulême was celbrating the 100th year of MG.  A lovely collection of thirties MGs had a race including this ex-Prince Bira example.

There is more to the Circuit des Remparts than just the races and demostrations with lots of classic cars and exhibitions around the town plus a couple of rallies on Saturday and a Concours d'Elegance on Friday evening.  Here are a few pictures of the atmosphere.

Ballot was a French marque that was also being celebrated at Angoulême.  This is a 1927 Ballot 2LTS Tourer Sport James Young.

A 1921 Ballot 2LS Chateau Toulon.

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.

An Amilcar in the town.

There were Bugattis galore.

2022 Le Mans Classic - Off-Track Highlights

 

Fiat-Abarth 1000SP - one like this took part in the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans entered by Ecurie Fiat-Abarth France but retired after 9 Laps.  The car did win its class at Monza in 1969 and the following year in the Targa Florio. This was one of many cars on display in the Village.

One could have spent three days at the 2022 Le Mans Classic without ever getting trackside to see the races as there was so much to see in the club car parks, in the village and in the paddocks.  This post gives you a flavour of it all.

Another car on display that I loved was this recreation of one of the 1954 Bristol 450 cars that finished 1-2-3 in the 2 litre class and 7th, 8th and 9th overall.  A great achievement for the Bristol Aeroplane Company and its engineering and aerodynamics. 

The Bristol also did a demo lap.  The car was lovingly and skilfully recreated by a French amateur.  The original bodies were destroyed to make the 1955 open topped cars so fantastic to see one of these cars recreated for us all to see at Le Mans.

The Model-T Ford of cartoonist Thierry Dubois at the N7 exhibition.

A 1930 Ford A Speedster driving around.

The 1989 Group C Alfa Romeo SE 048 SP that never raced.  This is normally kept in the Alfa Romeo museum and has a V12 engine even if the original design was for a V10.

Another car on the Alfa Romeo display was this 1968 Alfa Romeo T33/2 Daytona.  Here it is on a demo lap.

The main display in the Village was of French Panhard engined sports cars.  The 48 car is a 1961 DB HBR4 that had a 848cc Panhard engine and finished that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

These French Panhard engined cars also took to the track for a Demo lap.  The 57 car is a 1953 DB that won the 750cc class at the 24 hours of Le Mans that year.

This fifties Renault 4CV formed part of the Police Cars exhibition.

The band at the Firemen's ball

The Radio Cadillac ban.

Rolland Pilain cars on display.   The company produced cars in the French town of Tours in the nineteen twenties.

One of the many classic aircraft flying around during the weekend.

More classic aircraft.

On display in Paddock 5 and also giving demo laps were these modern De Tomaso P72 GT cars.

Lola T70 in the paddock.

Audi in the paddock.

Group C Peugeot in the paddock.

Bentley Speed 8 engine.

Saleen in the paddock.

Checking the tyres on a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/4

Interview in the paddock for the entrant of a 1953 Peugeot 203 Constantin.

Bentley 4.5 litre.

1934 Talbot AV105.

1972 Mirage M6.

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.

1979 Lola T298

But if you do go to the Le Mans Classic don't miss some racing on late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning!.

Trofeo Nastro Rosso - Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2017

Winner of the 2 Trofeo Nastro Rosso races was this 1965 Bizzarrini 5300 GT.

As I was splitting the weekend between the Dix Mille Tours at Paul Ricard and accompanying my wife around Cassis and the surrounding coastal villages, I missed the Trofeo Nastro Rosso. I might have planned it differently if I had known there were two Ferrari 250LMs racing!   Anyway, I saw them in the paddock.  The Trofeo Nastro Rosso is for cars with an Italian connection built pre-1966.  Normally they have either an Italian chassis or engine.  Not sure what the Aston Martin DB2 Vantage or Porsche 904 have as an Italian connection.  But with such beautiful cars who cares?

1965 Iso Grifo 5300

Clive Joy's 1964 Ferrari 250LM had a second and a fourth place to show for the weekend.

1962 Ferrari 259 GT Berlinetta.

1965 Iso Grifo A3/C

1961 Maserati Tipo 63

1960 Alfa Romeo Guilietta SZ and a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB

1952 Aston Martin DB2 Vantage

For the Classic Endurance I cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Classic Endurance 2 cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Group C cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Heritage Touring Cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Euro F2 cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

For the Trofeo Nastro Rosso cars at Paul Ricard, click here.

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.

Maserati 300S and Porsche 904 GTS are packed away onto the transporter after Sunday's race.

The rival attraction of Cassis.