GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE HISTORIQUE #1 : DAYS OF THUNDER
Days of thunder
From this Friday, the Castellet circuit welcomes the fourth edition of the French Historic Grand Prix. In races as well as in a paddock totally accessible to the public, one will be immersed in the history of Formula 1 and single-seaters of the last decades. Three days of thunder!
The appointment is made! On Friday 17 June at 9.00 am, it will be time to start a new edition of the French Historic Grand Prix, the fourth since 2017 and the second in a row on the Castellet circuit where the French F1 Grand Prix will succeed it five weeks later. This new opus, orchestrated by HVM Racing, will last three days and will obviously keep the original theme of the event by revisiting once again the history of Formula 1 and, even more widely, that of single-seaters of all categories.
On the track, twelve races, four of which are open to old F1 cars, will put these exceptional cars back into their original context, while other nice surprises will await the spectators on the paddock side (always free access!) with, in particular, F1 exhibitions and the presence of former great champions.
"If all the levels of single-seater history are honoured in this fourth edition, we are putting the emphasis on the F1 cars of the early 2000s. V8, V10 screaming at the end of the straight line, we are going to relive together the era of these monsters which were the last of the 100% thermal era", announces Laurent Vallery-Masson (HVM Racing), With the support of the FFSA and our partner, the GIP Grand Prix de France - Le Castellet, the event promises to be once again magical, in the colours of the Formula 1® Grand Prix de France".
THE HISTORIC FRENCH GRAND PRIX, TRACK SIDE
Two separate races are scheduled for each of the six grids.
BOSS GP: turn up the sound!
With the presence of the BOSS GP series, dedicated to F1 and other high-level single-seaters, the Castellet public will be able to immerse itself in the atmosphere of the Grand Prix of the decade 2000 and vibrate to the inimitable sound of some of the V10s of the time. On the starting grid, there will be nearly thirty cars, including three Toro Rosso F1 cars from 2006/2008, two Jaguar F1 cars (2001/2004) and a Benetton F1 ex Alesi from 1997. More than a dozen Dallara GP2 V8s will be alongside them, as well as single-seaters from other former major championships, such as the World Series or the Auto GP. Their lucky drivers will represent about ten different nationalities!
Races (1x20mn, 1×25 mn): Saturday 3.30pm, Sunday 3.30pm.
Historic F1, legends of the '70s: remembering a glorious era
The sporting tribute to the history of F1 will continue with this other stage, specifically created for the occasion by HVM Racing in collaboration with the British club HSCC. It will offer spectators a privileged rendezvous with the "legends of the seventies", more specifically the F1 cars of the 1970s or the beginning of the following decade. To the sound of the 3-litre Cosworth V8, we can expect to see about fifteen of these cars on the track, in particular a McLaren M26 ex Hunt from 1976 in the hands of the British Michael Lyons, a Williams ex Jones from 1978, a Ligier JS21 ex Jarier from 1983 driven by Soheil Ayari, but also a Matra MS120B ex Beltoise from 1971 and some March, BRM and Ensign.
Races (2×25 mn): Saturday 16:10, Sunday 11:00.
HSCC F2 pre 1979: the antechamber of Formula 1
The only series dedicated to former Formula 2 single-seaters, the International Historic F2 celebrates the memory of the European championship, which saw so many great champions race from 1967 to 1978 (the period more specifically chosen for this tribute) before joining the premier class. The provisional entry list includes some twenty of these single-seaters, with 1600 or 2 litre engines, which were designed at the time in the workshops of March, Chevron, Brabham or Ralt. Generally presented in their original livery, many of these F2s will be in expert hands, such as those of the German Wolfgang Kaufmann or of the many English competitors. France will also be well represented on this international grid with the multiple champion of the category Robert Simac, but also Fabrice Lheritier, Pascal Gerbout, Laurent Vallery-Masson, Michel Arbeit and Jean-Pierre Eynard-Machet.
Races (2×25 mn): Saturday 11:25 am, Sunday 4:15 pm.
F3 and Formula Renault Classic Trophies: as a curtain raiser to F1
In reference to the time when the best F3 hopefuls could express themselves as a curtain raiser to F1, the GP de France Historique brings this happy neighbourhood back to life. The grid brings together F3s from the 1970s and those that followed until 1984. And, once again, as in F1 and F2, some great names are still on display in the cockpits of some of them! The first places are likely to be particularly contested between drivers such as Fred Lajoux from Monaco, the Italians Davide and Valerio Leone, the Swiss Alain Girardet, the English Ian Jacobs and Simon Jackson or the French Fred Rouvier and Eric Martin. The field of 33 single-seaters also features Formula Renault, with cars dating from the 1980s to the beginning of the next decade. Lionel Robert will be the most prominent driver.
Races (2×30 min): Saturday 2.05 pm, Sunday 2 pm.
Formula Ford 1600: the universal school for champions
No less than 46 single-seaters are expected to take part in this event, which celebrates the history of a school category that is more than half a century old! The spectators of the Grand Prix de France Historique will find more particularly in action Formula Ford cars built between 1967 and 1992 by countless artisanal constructors. Cars of extremely varied origins and shapes, whose chassis are powered by the same Ford Kent 1600 engine. Alongside the many drivers used to attending historic Formula Ford races, two renowned drivers will take the opportunity to reconnect with the atmosphere of their early days. Eric Hélary and Soheil Ayari, respectively crowned French Formula Ford champions in 1988 and 1994, will dare to take a step back in time by lining up at the start!
Races (2×20 mn): Saturday 10:50 am, Sunday 9:00 am.
100 km of the GP de France Historique: a zest of endurance as a bonus
In addition to the various single-seater grids, this edition of the GP de France Historique also offers a glimpse into the world of GT and Sports-Protos. Under the title of "100 km of the GPFH", two 45-minute races will bring together the two categories of cars. Various GT cars from before 1998 will be mixed on the track with Protos, which must have been built before 1995, to form a panel of around twenty cars. A cocktail full of flavour that the drivers (including the motorcyclist Tom Pagès!) will have the opportunity to taste as a team thanks to the compulsory stop imposed during the event.
Races (2×45 mn): Saturday 4.50 pm, Sunday 10 am.
THE HISTORIC GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE, PADDOCK SIDE
An F1 exhibition to go back in time
The former Grand Prix glories entered in the BOSS GP and Historic F1 Legends of the 70' grids are not the only Formula 1 cars gathered at Le Castellet. Spectators are invited to come and discover at least twenty others on display in the heart of a paddock that will be wide open to them or in the Pit Building. Twice a day, the public will also be able to learn how to start a Ferrari F1 V12.
Alesi, Arnoux, Jarier, Dalmas and other former F1 champions on hand
Former Formula 1 drivers will of course be present and will enjoy walking around the paddock and the podiums. Jean Alesi, René Arnoux, Yannick Dalmas and Jean-Pierre Jarier are notably expected on this fourth edition of the GP de France Historique, but also Patrick Tambay, Pascal Fabre, Jean-Marc Gounon, Patrick Gaillard, etc.
Tom Pagès on four wheels
World figure of FMX with a career marked by multiple successes in the X Games and Red Bull X-Fighters, the biker Tom Pagès changes register on the occasion of the French Historic Grand Prix. In Castellet, the master of freestyle goes from two to four wheels by lining up at the start of the two 100 km races at the wheel of a Tiga proto with a Ford engine.
The Berlinette Magazine and car clubs parade
The track will continue to be very busy on Saturday and Sunday during the lunch break. During this break, it will be the turn of the owners of historic or prestige cars to use the prestigious 5,5 km of Le Castellet. Cars of all makes are expected to be on display, including many Alpines at the invitation of Berlinette Magazine. The latter has indeed chosen the GP de France Historique to celebrate the release of its number 110, rich in symbols. The occasion to invite numerous personalities who have marked the history of the firm, including Jean-Claude Andruet, Alain Serpaggi, André De Cortanze or Jean-Charles Rédélé. The first two will also take to the track during the "hot laps" at the wheel of emblematic Alpine cars from their careers.
Animations for adults... and children
Numerous events around the world of F1 will be aimed at a very wide audience, including the Discovery F1 simulators, the F1 technology exhibition, the F1 in School demos, etc.
TO REMEMBER
Times: Friday 17 June, from 9.00 am to 6.15 pm. Saturday 18 June, from 9.00 am to 6.15 pm. Sunday, from 9.00 am to 5.15 pm.
A Sunday live on Automoto La chaîne : Partner of the GP de France Historique, Automoto La chaîne will propose the whole day of Sunday live.
Media contact: presse@hvmracing.fr
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