DIJON MOTORS CUP 2022 – SATURDAY: EXPLORING HISTORY
From F1 to Formula Junior to the F2 or F3 1000 cc, the Dijon Motors Cup likes to revisit the categories that have forged the great history of motorsport. The six races held this Saturday on the Prenois track offered a good overview. Seven other starts will be given on Sunday.
THE FIGURES OF THE DAY
6: the number of races held this Saturday.
8: the number of different sets on the weekend.
190: the number of drivers present, all platforms combined.
15: the number of nations represented.
1'15'244: the best time in qualifying, excluding MAXX Formula (Matthew Wrigley in Historic F2 at the average speed of 181.8 km/h).
247/1000: the smallest difference of the day between a winner and his immediate follower (Matthew Wrigley and Thomas Amweg in Historic F2).
1'02'540: the best time in the race, all plateaux combined, signed by Klaas Zwart (Jaguar R5 F1) at an average of 220.0 km/h. New race record for the Dijon Prenois circuit!
THE FILM OF SATURDAY RACES AND QUALIFYING
HSCC HISTORIC FORMULA 2 (race 1 / 25 mn)
Top 5: 1.Wrigley (March 782), 2.Amweg (Ralt RT1), 3.Wood (March 782), 4.Charteris (March 742), 5.Simac (March 712M).
In two words: The famous Formula 2 (pre-1979) championship orchestrated by the British HSCC club ends its 2022 season this weekend after having previously frequented the slopes of Hockenheim, Paul Ricard, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Silverstone. For this last, the plateau is well done by gathering about twenty of these 2-litre or 1600-litre single-seaters. After qualifying dominated by the British Matthew Wrigley and Matthew Watts' March 782, the race turned first to the advantage of the second before his mechanics forced him to return to his box. Matthew Wrigley then took over and managed to keep the lead until the finish, without losing the Swiss Thomas Amweg, who lost for only 247/1000 of a second. Long in third place, Manfredo Rossi has to retire at the end of the race, betrayed by his engine (nine!), abandoning the third step of the podium to Martin Wood. In fifth place, Frenchman Robert Simac once again won the F2 1600 cm3 category.
MAXX FORMULA (race 1 / 20 mn)
Top 5: 1.Zwart (Jaguar R5 F1), 2.Stratford (Benetton B197 F1), 3.Goellner (Sauber C29 F1), 4.Groose-ASchhoff (Dallara GP2), 5.Brooks (Dallara GP2).
In two words: Already seen this year at the Paul Ricard, in Zandvoort, Assen and Spa, the MAXX Formula series aims to bring together former high-level cars, starting of course with F1 cars from previous decades. This weekend’s set includes three, including Klass Zwart’s «ex Webber 2004» Jaguar R5. Largely dominating in qualifying with a time approaching the absolute record of the Dijon Prenois circuit (held by Alain Prost and his Renault F1 since 1982), the Dutchman flew over the race with the same authority, leaving the other two Swiss Formula 1 drivers Peter Goellner (Sauber C29 of 2010) and American Phil Stratford (Benetton B197 of 1997) are fighting a good battle for second place.
HISTORIC F3 1000 cc (race 1 / 25 mn)
Top 5: 1.Timms (Chevron B15), 2.Derossi (Chevron B17), 3.Widmer (Brabham BT18A), 4.Janin (March 703), 5.Sharp (Chevron B17).
In two words: After attending the British circuits of Donington and Brands Hatch this year, the European series Historic F3 is in Prenois for its penultimate meeting of the season before that of Portimão. With about twenty of these 1000 cc single-seaters that lived their «modern» period from 1964 to 1970, the superb weekend plateau is almost complete. Already credited with the best time in practice aboard his Chevron «ex Reine Wisell of 1969», Jérémy Timms won this first race after a fight that remained uncertain until the end. Having passed in front of the Englishman in the last lap after winning a Drive Through at the beginning of the race, François Derossi had to settle for second place, the appearance at the end of the red flag imposing the establishment of a classification in the previous round. Behind Switzerland’s Christoph Widmer, the other Frenchman Thomas Jamin finished at the foot of the podium in his first F3 race. Among the drivers of this race, the presence of a certain Steve Nichols... Nothing less than the creator of the legendary McLaren MP4/4 F1 from Prost and Senna!
LURANI TROPHY FORMULA JUNIOR (race 1/ 25 mn)
Top 5: 1.Rossi (lotus 22), 2.D'Aubreby (Lotus 22), 3.Rey (Lola MK5A), 4.Smetton (Wainer), 5.Tonetti (De Tomaso FJ63).
In two words: The prestigious Lurani Trophy brings together this weekend no less than 25 of these precious Formula Junior that refer to the years 1959 to 63. Before closing the season in Dijon, their drivers visited the slopes of Hockenheim, Red Bull Ring, Zolder and Nürburgring. Already dominating at the time of their splendour, the Lotus 22 of Formula Junior were again this Saturday, the duel for the victory pitting the copies nicely driven by Manfredo Rossi, the author of the pole, and the Frenchman Patrick D'Aubreby. After 25 minutes of fighting and at the price of a last pass, the boss of the Croix-en-Ternois circuit gets the last word of extreme accuracy by cutting the finish line 676/1000 of a second earlier than his Italian rival! Stéphane Rey, one of the three other Frenchmen in contention, also placed his Lola MK5A on the podium for having taken third place in the last lap!
P9 CHALLENGE GT3 SERIES ENDURANCE (race 1/ 60 mn)
Top 5: 1.Coach (Lamborghini Huracan), 2.Speck (Porsche 991R), 3.Kluber (Mercedes AMG), 4.Brecka (Porsche 991), 5.Neffe (Porsche 991).
In two words: The German P9 Challenge series brings a touch of modernism to the Dijon Motors Cup this weekend by bringing together very current GT3 and GT4. In the one-hour endurance format, this Saturday’s race is marked by the domination of the «poleman» McKansy Coach, driver of a Lamborghini Huracan in GT3 version. He dropped the Porsche 991 R from his German compatriot Hermann Speck to 17.1. On Sunday, the second race of the P9 Challenge will take place in a sprint format of 30 minutes.
300 KM OF DIJON + NKHTGT (race / 120 mn – race 2 NKHTGT Sunday)
Top 5: 1.Persson (Ford GT40), 2.Stevens (Lotus Elan), 3.De Waard (Shelby Mustang), 4.Douglas (Cobra Daytona), 5.Van Maarschalkerwaart/Hees (Shelby Mustang).
In two words: Like a wink at the Constructors' World Championship events held in Dijon Prenois in the 70s/80s, this plateau favors endurance by adopting a two-hour race time. Very full, with no less than 35 teams at the start, it includes many of the competitors of the NKHTGT series, also expected on Sunday for a sprint race of 30 mn. Credited with the best qualifying times, the Dutchman Michiel Campagne (Corvette Grand Sport) and the Swede Kennet Persson (1965 Ford GT 40) crossed the course of the race in reverse order, Then he continued his breakaway in the lead and joined the finish with two laps advantage on his closest pursuer, the Dutchman Bob Stevens (Lotus Elan). Among the few French drivers, Bernard Wilhelm placed his Jaguar type E seventh
THEY SAID
François Derossi (2nd in F3 1000 in a 1970 Chevron B17): "At the finish, between Jérémy (Timms) and me, we didn’t know who won! It’s not me, but there’s nothing serious. After my Drive Through, I pushed hard to get back up and I really enjoyed it. That’s the bottom line.”
Patrick D'Aubreby (Junior Formula Champion in a 1963 Lotus 22): "Thanks to the work done on Friday, my car was very well tuned. With Manfredo (Rossi) it was very tight. Depending on the sectors of the circuit we were faster in turns and I managed to regain the advantage in the last lap».
Matthew Wrigley (Historic F2 winner in a March 782): "Matthew (Watts) passed me from the start. Then, after his retirement, it wasn’t necessarily very easy to stay ahead because I had a big problem with my left front tyre. The problem will be solved tomorrow with new gums».
TO FOLLOW ON SUNDAY
7 other races, from 8:50 to 12:45 and from 14:35 to 15:45.
All Saturday results and Sunday races live on its-results.com and its-live.net
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