2015 Rallye Monte Carlo Historique Depart Reims

I hadn't actually been to the start of a rally since 1968 when I saw the start of the London to Sydney Marathon at the old Crystal Palace circuit.  As Reims is somewhere I love both because of the motor racing and champagne bubbly connections,  I decided to go and see the start of the Monte Carlo Rallye Historique from Reims this year.   The city of Reims does this rather well as they are proud of their motor racing heritage unlike some towns who seem to want to hide it.    The 30th January started off as a cold snowy day, rather typical Monte Carlo Rally conditions, but at the end of my three hour drive to the Reims-Gueux circuit it had improved but was still overcast and grey. 

Early mornng stop at the Reims-Gueux circuit, the venue where Mike Hawthorn won two of his Grand Prix victories.

I would return to the circuit later in the evening but first I wanted to go to the Parc des Expositions in Reims to see the Verifications Technique for the Rally cars.  There I was was hoping to get my first glimpse of the cars and some of the more famous drivers and co drivers, most of whom were starting from Reims this year with the exception of Fred Gallagher who was starting from Barcelona.

The cars this year were all of a type that had competed on the Monte Carlo Rally in its heyday from 1955 to 1980.

Brits Steve and Tony Graham prepare their 1972 Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF

More serious work going on under the Norwegian 1978 Porsche 930 Turbo

Michele Petit "Biche" puts the decals on her 1973 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV.  She co-drove with Jean-Claude Andruet to win the 1973 Monte Carlo Rally in an Alpine Renault A110

Meanwhile other teams indulge in a typical French lunch

The 1964 Mini Cooper S of Alistair Vines and Willy Cave lines up for its technical check

British entered 1964 MGB of Robert Livingstone arrives for its verification Technique.

Two beautiful cars from the fifities - a 1950 Aston Martin DB2 and a 1959 Alfa Romeo Guiletta Sprint

Rally navigator since the fifties, Willy Cave who will turn 90 this week, standing beside his Mini Cooper

No shortage of Alpine Renaults who are celebrating their 60th birthday this year

French entered 1969 Opel GT of Eric and Mathieu Gnat

General view of the exhibition hall

French entered 1973 Ford Escort RS2000 of Jean-PierreDucroux and Guillaume Balloy

Belgian 1968 Fiat Moretti 850S

1962 Porsche 356SC of Jonathan and Christine Miles

1972 Datsun 240Z of David Ring and Peter Moss

After spending a good few hours here I was off into the centre of Reims and the Hotel de Ville where the cars were to gather for the start.  There would also be opportunities to take photos of the cars actually driving around reims.

A 1976 Triumph Dolomite Sprint arrives from Glasgow

The Australian crew that started from Glasgow in a 1979 Porsche 924 Turbo

A 1972 Peugeot 504TI 

A Danish entered 1971 Lancia Fulvia 1600HF

A Belgian entered 1979 Fiat X1/9 on its way to the start

A 1970 Renault 8 Gordini entered by a team from Norway

The all woman team of Catherine Labbe  and "Biche" in their Alfa.

1972 Alpine Renault A110 1300S

The 1966 MGB of David Pengilly and Mark Denham 

Didn't we see this Lancia Fulvia earlier

"Biche" admiring the Lancia Stratos

Citroen DS line up for the start

This French entered 1970 Trabant was rather late getting to the Forum

My third venue of the day was the Place du Forum in Reims where the cars would have a podium start before their long 12 hour 600km drive south to Puy en Velay.

At 19.00hrs the cars began to depart starting with Jean Ragnotti seen here on the left whilst being interviewed on the podium.   He won the Monte Carlo Rally for Renault back in 1981 in a Renault 5 Turbo.

Thus he was an appropriate driver to lead the field off in this 18th edition of the Rallye Montecarlo Historique.

Jean Ragnotti is first away on route for Monte Carlo in his Renault 12

The second driver off was last year's winners Jose Lareppe and David Lieven in their Opel Kadette GTE.

A Renault 17 Gordini driven by Christian Chambord being flagged away.  The young boy flagging them off will have some good memories of the event.

A 1979 Polish Zastava 1100 leaves the podium

A Belgian entered 1970 Porsche 914/6 gets away

Bob Neyret gets back into his 1966 Citroen DS21 after the podium interview.  He was a professional rally driver in the sixties and seventies who won and had a couple of other high finishes in the Rallye du Maroc

It was certainly the year of the Renault 12 Gordini - the engines of these cars powered the original Formula Renault cars

A Norwegian 1971 Porsche 911T 2.2 takes the flag 

After a while it gets a bit repetitive seeing each car leave the podium so off to see some other photo opportunities and then off to the Reims-Gueux circuit.

A BMW 2002 TI speeds through the streets of Reims on its way to Monaco

BMW 320 on its way to the first control point at the Reims Gueux circuit

Some cars such as this Norwegian entered Volvo 142S didn't get very far!

2015 was the first year where the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique had had a control by the restored pits at the old circuit of Reims Gueux.  Thus it was a must to visit there on my way out of Reims.  I first visited the old pits in 1970 which was shortly after the last race in 1969. For me it is always a special place to visit.   It was very dark by the time I arrived but I managed to take a few photos.

The rally cars speed by the old pits at the Reims-Gueux circuit

The first control point by the pits

A happy Citroen GS driver at the control point

Leaving the check point

Spectators packed the pits by the control point

1976 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 leaves the pits

Citroen CX 2400 GTI passes the empty stands

Alpine Renault A110 1300 races through the night

At this point I decided that perhaps it was rather too dark to take more pictures with my camera and I started the three hour journey back home.   This was a rather shorter drive than the rally drivers had in front of them.  They will have a tiring week ahead.  A former competitor in the rally was telling me the story over the weekend about how he had driven the event and qualified for the last day only to oversleep because he was so tired and missed the best stages over the Cols!   I wish better luck to this year's competitors.

Finally a few more pictures of cars that I saw during the day:

An all female crew and their very feminine looking 1969 Lancia Fulvia Zagato 1300

The Renault 12 of Alain Serpaggi, a French F3 champion in the early seventies.

Two Renault 16 TS (nos 16 & 18) parked next to the Renault 12 of Jean Ragnotti (No 1).  The car in the middle is that of Michel Leclere the single seater star of the early and mid seventies.  He was a F3 champion, a F2 winner and a Grand Prix driver but now drives for the Renault Classic team.

An event I might well do again another day.  If you are thinking of doing this in 2016 I hope this post gives you some idea of what you might see.  A great thing about an event like this is that it is free apart from your travel.  Well done to Reims and the Automobile Club de Monaco!

The photographer John Etherton asserts his copyright on the photographs on this blog post. However, you may republish them elsewhere on the web as long as you provide a link to this blogsite and reference the name of the blogsite and the photographer under the photo.

Follow the 1965 season from 50 years ago

Why not follow the 1965 motor racing year with me?   Each week I will share a short report and the occasional video with you of what was going on 50 years ago.   The season has already started so catch up by clicking on 1965 above.

I have already posted videos featuring Graham Hill, Dan Gurney,Timo Makinen and Peter Harper and we are not yet at the end of January.

See a full report on the 1965 South African GP and the Tasman series as it unfolds.  Catch up with the start of the 1965 NASCAR season as it starts in Riverside, California.

2015 Traversée de Paris Hivernale

The 15th Traversée de Paris Hivernale was held last Sunday

On Sunday 11th January 2015 the 15th Traversée de Paris Hivernale was held.  It had been a difficult week for Paris with the multiple terrorist attacks that had taken place in the preceding few days.  The atmosphere on the Sunday was both one of relief and defiance.  Most of the cars taking part in the Traversée carried 'JE SUIS CHARLIE" stickers.

Organised by the Vincennes en Anciennes, as usual there was a huge selection (over 600) and variety of vehicles with the emphasis on classic cars but plenty of bicycles, motor bikes and vans as well. They started and ended up their day at the Chateau de Vincennes. Gareth, Kido-san and myself got up early and headed up to Montmartre in my Alfa Romeo for the first arrival of the cars in this beautiful part of the city.  Later, we headed down to Les Invalides to catch up with the remaining classic vehicles and then took some lunch after taking well over 1,000 photos between us.  The weather was excellent for the time of year and with the excellent turn out of participants and the good atmosphere it was a special morning.  I hope you enjoy these thirty or so photos that I took and am sharing with you all.

If you have never been to the Traversée of Paris make it a date for next year.

Early in the morning in Montmartre with three cars from the Traversée, Alfa, Triumph and Mini.

One of my favourite classic cars, a Lancia Fulvia Coupé leaving the square at the top of Montmartre

Cars and bikes including this Renault 4CV, climbing up to the square at the top of Montmartre

Dressed up for the cold in their Jaguar C Type (replica?)

Vintage Bugatti in the early morning light

Old Citroen passes over the old cobbled streets by the Sacré Coeur 

The Traversée passes under the Sacré Coeur

Beautiful condition Volvo P1800

VW Beetle convertible passes by the Christmas decorations

A queue of classic cars travel down the narrow Montmartre lanes

An elegant old Ford

Fifties Alfa Romeo Spyder

There were bikes as well as cars including this character playing the part of the Gendarme

These two beautiful vans about to set off again

Citroen Avant climbs the hill

More variety including Porsche 936 and three wheeler

Jaguar Mk2 passes by the Montmartre paintings

Ford Thunderbird

Renault 4CV

A vieux tacot nearly at the end of the climb up to Montmartre

A bicycle made for two

Jaguar C Type Close Up

Ferrari Dino 246 GT

Jaguar XK140

Jaguar E Type

Tractors share the road with an AC Cobra

Jaguar E Type in front of Les invalides

Peugeot 404

Morgan Three Wheeler

Alpine Renault A110

Ford Mustang parked in front of Les Invalides

Thanks to all the Ferrari, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Morgan, AC Cobra, Renault, Citroen, Alpine Renault, Ford, Chevrolet, Buick, Porsche, Bugatti, VW, Mini, Triumph, Austin Healey, MG, Volvo and other owners who took part.  A great selection of French, British, American, German, Italian, Swedish and other vehicles.

For more photos of Classic Cars including the 2014 Traversée de Paris and last year's Classic Days at Magny Cours click on the Classic Cars tab above.

John Etherton asserts the copyright to the photos in this blog post but feel free to republish them elsewhere on the web as long as you publish the name of the photographer and this blog site and provide a link to this page.

I am looking forward now to the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique at the end of the month and Retro Mobile at the beginning of February.

Coupe de l'Auto Rambouillet 1906 and 1907 and LSR of 1902

From 1905 to 1913 the French motoring magazine, L'Auto, organised a competition for Voiturettes called La Coupe del'Auto or alternatively La Coupe des Voiturettes.  Voiturettes were lighter cars than the Grand prix cars of the day - a sort of Formula Two of its time.  For 1905 these cars had to be a maximum of 400kg.  From 1906 the engines were restricted by the size of the bore.

The 1906 and 1907 Coupe l'Auto was run on a road circuit to the south of Rambouillet in France.  I believe these were the only races ever run on this circuit.   As I don't live very far from Rambouillet and as it was a beautiful crisp but sunny winters day, today, I ventured out in my Alfa Romeo to trace the old circuit.   It is still relatively easy to follow and must have been a real challenge on the roads of the time.  Two thirds is rather a nice drive with the other third being a straight blast up the N10/D910.

The D936 through Greffiers passes by this old church

Start on the N10/D910 south of Rambouillet near Ablis.  Continue North until you can turn right on the D936 towards Sonchamp and Saint Arnoult en Yvelines.   Now begins the pleasant part of the route.

Continue all the way into Saint Arnoult on the D936 passing on the way Greffiers, La Huniere, Sonchamp and La Moulin Boutareine.

The junction between the D936 and the D988 at Saint Arnoult

When you get to the T junction in Saint Arnoult turn right onto the D988. Shortly the road starts to climb, which must have been a challenge for the Voiturettes.   At the top the road flattens and straightens.

Beginning the climb out of Saint Arnoult

This long straight section running between the roadside trees is not only part of the course that the voiturettes ran but also is the venue of the August 1902 successful Land Speed record bid by the American William Vanderbilt in his Mors.  This was a significant event as it was the first time that the record had been achieved in a car with an internal combustion engine.  Vanderbilt achieved a speed of 122.4 kph or 76 mph.  Unlike the Voiturettes the Mors weighed 1,000kg and had a 9.2 litre engine.

Imagine William Vanderbilt driving his Mors at record speed alomg this straight

Continue on the D988, over the A11and through Gueherville until you see a sign for Ablis centre and turn right here onto the D168/D988 into Ablis.   Ablis has a one way system but is worth a quick detour as it also featured in some of the big early city to city races such as the tragically shortened Paris-Madrid race of 1903.  Eventually find your way onto the D177 heading North towards the N10 and Rambouillet.   Continue back to your start point and you have completed a lap of the Rambouillet Voiturette circuit.

Where the course turned right back towards Rambouillet in the centre of Ablis

For the record the 1906 race was won by Georges Sizaire in his Sizaire-Naudin car from a Delage and a Lion-Peugeot.  Sizaire covered the 156 miles at a average of just over 36mph.

The 1907 race was a one-two for the Sizaire-Naudin team with Louis Naudin winning from Sizaire.  Jules Goux finished third in a Lion-Peugeot the forerunner of the Peugeot cars we know today.  Naudin covered the 190 miles at an average speed of just over 40 mph.

The drive along the D936 and D988 is definitely worth a detour for this little brush with motoring history.  Wishing you all happy and safe motoring in 2015.