Trophée Andros - Stade de France - Elite Pro - 2019

Panis, father and son, were the stars of the Elite Pro category at the 2019 Stade de France event.

On February 9th 2019, I was delighted to see Ice Racing for the first ever time.  The occasion was an event at the Stade de France to celebrate 30 years of the Andros Trophy.   They don't allow spectators to take DSLR cameras into the stadium so I had to make do with my Panasonic Lumix Compact camera, but I was pleased with the results.   The event was really spectacular with some big name drivers, a variety of sophisticated cars, lots of sideways action and some close racing.  Really worth going to a Trophée Andros event if you get the chance.

A selfie with Louis Gervoson part
of the family who owns Andros
and a driver in the series.

The format was that each car had two drivers and thus there were four semi-finals and two finals.  Each race was for six laps of the Stade de France ice oval.  It is really Rallycross on Ice.   The fastest

drivers were lapping in under 23 seconds ands thus races were over in under three minutes.  So no time to get remotely bored.   The event comes at the end of the season but does not count towards the Championship.  However, a great fun event.

The cars have special tubular spaceframe chassis with glass fibre bodies that resemble production touring cars.   They are mid-engined with 3 litre V6 motors that drive all four wheels.  The cars also have four wheel steering!

We visited the paddock beforehand, attended the autograph session, spoke to some of the drivers and saw all of the racing during the evening.  A really great February Saturday!

Drivers included representatives from many of the French driving dynasties like Prost, Beltoise, Laffite and Panis as well as one of the all time rallying greats - Sébastien Loeb.   Joining them were some of the Andros Trophy stars such as Franck Lagorce, Jean-Baptiste Dubourg, Benjamin Riviere and Bertrand Balas.  Add to that other French stars such as Nathaniel Berthon and Norwegian rallycross driver Andreas Bakkerrud and you have quite an event.

Some of the drivers - Margot Laffite,  Bertrand Balas and Nicolas Prost.

Below are photos from all the Elite pro races at the Stade de France in 2019.

Semi Final 1 - Driver 1

The first semi-final went to Aurélien Panis.

Gérald Fontanel in a BMW M2 bodied car.  He was fifth in this heat.

To be fast in this type of racing you need to take the first part of the corner at 90 degrees to the direction of travel.  This is why they have windscreen wipers on the side windows!

Semi Final 1 - Driver 2

Benjamin Riviere chasing Bertrand Balas.

Olivier panis takes the flag from Jean-Sébastien Dubourg, Bertrand Balas and Benjamin Riviere.

Semi Final 2 - Driver 1

Franck Lagorce leads away the next group of cars.

The top five cars drifting around the first corner.

Nathaniel Berthon finished second in this Audi.A1 Quattro.

Close racing between Berthon, Nicolas Prost and Laffite.

Margot Laffite came fifth in this Mazda 3.

Franck Lagorce takes the win by a fairly wide margin.

Semi-Final 2 - Driver 2

Sébastien Loeb leads the field through turn one.

The order has changed slightly by the exit of turn two but Loeb still leads.

Aurélien Comte goes wide in the Peugeot 3008 and Olivier Pernaut tries to take advantage.

Andreas Bakkerud leads Olivier Perault.

Anthony Beltoise finished fourth in this semi-final in the Mini Countryman.

Final - Driver 1

First corner and Aurélien panis leads from Franck Lagorce and Andréa Dubourg.

An incredible battle ensued between Panis and Lagorce.

Lagorce lunges to the inside of Panis but there is no room.

Anthony Beltoise in the Mini Countryman chases the rest of the field.

Results
1st.  Aurélien Panis. Plastic'Up Audi.
2nd. Franck Lagorce. Andros Sport.
3rd. Andrea Dubourg. Renault Captur.
4th. Eddy Benezet. BMW M2.
5th. Nicolas Prost Motul
6th. Lionel Daziano. Audi A1 Quattro.
7th. Julien Piguet. Mini Countryman.
8th. Sylvain Pussier. Peugeot 3008.
9th. Philippe Bansard. Mazda 3.

Final - Driver 2

The final race of the night with Olivier Panis leading away from Sébastien Loeb.

First corner with Panis in the lead and a lot of sideways driving for the third to fifth placed cars.

Olivier Panis kicking up the ice at turn two in his Audi.

Battle for second lace between Sébastien Loeb, Jean-Baptiste Dubourg and Andreas Bakkerud.

By mid-race the BMW M2 of Dorian Boccolacci had lost its rear but it didn't slow him down much.

Anthony Beltoise's Mini Countryman brought up the rear in seventh place.

The top three remained close to the end.

Results
1st.  Olivier Panis. Plastic'Up Audi.
2nd. Sébastien Loeb. Andros Sport.
3rd. Jean-Baptister Dubourg. Renault Captur.
4th. Dorian Boccolacci. BMW M2.
5th. Andreas Bakkerud. Motul
6th. Didier Thoral. Mazda 3.
7th. Anthony Beltoise. Mini Countryman.

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. 

Panis leads Loeb and Dubourg in the 6th and final lap of the last race of the day.