HISTORIC TOUR LEDENON: EASTER ON TRACK
Three weeks after the opening of the festivities in Nevers Magny-Cours, the French Historic Tour is heading south to the Lédenon circuit in the Gard. The Pascal weekend promises to be particularly lively with 21 races on the programme and as many opportunities to rewrite full pages of motor racing history.
TIME FOR ACT 2
Already present in Lédenon six months ago on the occasion of its 2021 final, the Historic Tour is back at the gates of Nîmes this weekend. This time it is the second meeting of a 2022 campaign which started in Nevers Magny-Cours at the end of March.
According to a now unchanging pattern, the 300 or so drivers expected in the Gard region will be divided between 11 distinct grids, each of these competitors having the opportunity to take two starts during the weekend and to seize as many opportunities to collect precious points in the French championship. After the multiple practice sessions on Friday, 20 "sprint" races (25 to 30 minutes) will follow one another between Saturday and Sunday, to which will be added the classic 1h30 endurance race (known as the "200 km Historic Tour") contested outside the French championship. As always, the different grids will feature cars from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, whether single-seaters (F3, Formula Renault and Formula Ford), Sport-Protos or GTs and Touring cars of all types.
LEDENON AND ITS ATYPICAL TRACK
Unique in its kind, the track of the Nîmes agglomeration is often assimilated to a real toboggan in reference to the slopes which mark out its 3100 meters of development traced in the middle of the scrubland. A real "old-fashioned" circuit, whose design was essentially guided by the relief of this garrigue terrain. Another specificity is that you turn counter-clockwise, starting with the famous and fearsome "triple left", one of the most illustrious bends on French circuits.
UPDATE ON THE FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP
At the beginning of this second stage of the Historic Tour, a first hierarchy is already taking shape in the French Historic Circuit Championship. All the drivers who remained unbeaten in Magny-Cours logically share the first place and will obviously aim to keep it in the evening of the meeting in Lédenon. They are in this case ; Frédéric Lajoux (March 793/F3 Classic), Lionel Robert (Martini MK48/Formule Renault Classic), François Belle (Lola T540/Formula Ford Historic) and Hugo Carini (Van Diemen RF90/Formule Ford Kent) in the "Single-seater/Proto" category and Franck Quagliozzi (Honda Civic/Youngtimers GTI Cup), Jean-Charles Valinho (Datsun 240Z/Racing 81), Anthony Delhaye (Lotus Seven/Lotus Trophy), Philippe Gandini (Mini Jem/Maxi 1300 Series), Julien Grenet (Dodge Viper/Saloon Cars) and José Beltramelli (TVR 400 Griffith/Asavé Racing 65) in the "GT/Tourism" category. These are all drivers whose performances will be the priority this weekend.
WHICH RACES, WHICH CARS, WHICH DRIVERS?
THE SINGLE-SEATER/PROTOS FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP GRIDS
Formula Ford Historic Challenge
Races: Saturday 4.20 pm and 11.20 am (2 x 25 mn).
The cars: Formula Ford single-seaters from before 1982.
The drivers : Belle, Deverly, Verhille (Lola), Genecand, Girardet, Vaglio-Giors, Michel, Richard, Lombardi (Brabham), Sanjuan, Ogier, Faggionato (Van Diemen), Lecluse, Hermet (Lotus), Prévost (McNamara), Mantz (Hawke)
SportProtosCup
Races: Saturday 12:05 and Sunday 12:00 (2 x 25 min).
The cars: Sport-Protos from before 1995.
The drivers : Martin (Debora), Micheron (Osella), L.Boch, Nguyen (Lucchini), Vulliez (Bogani), Châteaux (Lasera), Kolly, Baumard (Lola), De Murard (Giada), Rossiaud/Le Jean (Hydra), Merlin (Gmeca), Terrones (Chapman), Levy (Grac), etc.
Formula Ford Kent Trophy and Formula Ford Zetec Trophy
Races: Saturday 10.50am and Sunday 2.15pm (2 x 25 mins).
The cars: Pre-1993 Formula Ford Kent cars and pre-2005 Formula Ford Zetec cars.
The drivers : FF Kent : Carini, Genecand, Michel, Sanjuan, Dousse, Simon, Monteiro, Midy, Dupont (Van Diemen), Vaglio-Giors, Barrois (Crosslé), Kozyreff, Tomsen, Thetiot (Reynard), Janin, Zonta (Rondeau), etc
FF Zetec : Heudicourt, Rausch (Mygale), etc.
F3 Classic Trophy and Formula Renault Classic Trophy
Races: Saturday 2.00 pm and Sunday 2.55 pm (2 x 30 min).
The cars: F3 single-seaters from before 1985 and Formula Renault (atmo and turbo) from before 1995.
The drivers: F3: Lajoux, D./V.Leone, Coppini (March), Girardet, Jacobs, Vallery-Masson, Tavarès (Ralt), Eynard-Machet, Lacour (Martini), etc.
Formula Renault: Robert, Gobba, Majou, Monnet, Weil, Bouchet, Mottez, Moniat, Boite, Fouche (Martini), Rimbert (Orion), etc.
THE FRENCH GT/TOURING CHAMPIONSHIP GRIDS
Lotus Trophy
Races: Saturday 3pm and Sunday 10am (2 x 25 minutes).
The cars : Lotus Seven and old Caterham.
The drivers : Delhaye, X.Jacquet, Vulliez, N.Beloou, Cazalot, Gaso, P.Metayer, C.Jacquet, Bouchetal, Rucheton, Odin, Szyndelman, Koenig, Dufetre, Vest, Clement, Thiry, Lauber, Seigneurin, Grenot, Huret, Garcia-Imaz (all on Lotus Seven), etc.
Asavé Racing 65
Races: Sunday 11.30am and 10.40am (2 x 25 minutes).
The cars : GT/Tourism cars from before 1966.
The drivers : Beltramelli (TVR 400), Poulet, Teyssier/Godard (Lotus Elan), Carini (Cooper S), Cattelin (MG B), Champailler (Lotus Elite), Fazi (Triumph TR4), etc.
Maxi 1300 Series
Races: Sunday 8.45 am and 3.40 pm (2 x 25 mn).
The cars: GT/Touring cars of - 1300 cm3 from before 1977.
The drivers: Gandini (Jem), Besson (Alpine A110), Gruelles (Marcos), Timonier, Petit/Vidal (Cooper S), Cassina/Cassina (Mini 1275), Maingourd (Honda Civic), Y.Faliere, A.Faliere (Rallye 2), Corthals (A112 Abarth), Kerharo (Austin Sprite), etc
Roadster Pro Cup
Races: Saturday 1.45 pm and Sunday 5 pm (2 x 25 mn).
The cars: The first generation Mazda MX-5.
The drivers: Fresnais, Castillou, Hergault, Genottin, Durville, Beck, Bouchet, Codet, Bollengier, Nougaret, Pasquali, Fady, Bourget, Turbot, Mandelli, Allard, Randazzo, Gaudelus, Pons, Lariau, Espitalier (all on Mazda MX-5), etc.
Saloon Cars Trophy and GT Classic Trophy
Races: Sunday 9.20am and 4.20pm (2 x 25 mins).
The cars : GT/Touring cars from before 1999 (Saloon Cars Trophy) and GT cars from before 1998 (GT Classic Trophy).
The drivers : Saloon Cars : Grenet (Dodge Viper), Derognat (BMW 323i), Lefebvre (Audi Quattro), Desmaele (Porsche 996), Danne (BMW M3 GTR), Fuet (BMW E36), Verney (R5 GT), Lortal (Caterham), Julien (BMW E36), etc.
GT Classic : Mathieu, Sabatier, Delannoy, Spirgi (Porsche 964), Morihain (Chevolet Corvette), Rosembly, Daumas (BMW Z3), Chollet (Porsche 944), Gindre (Porsche 993), Besson (Clio V6), Cazaux (BMW M3), Raffin (Ferrari F430), Chollet (Porsche 944), others.
Youngtimers GTI Cup and Racing 81 & Gr 1
Races: Saturday 3.40pm and Sunday 1.35pm (2 x 25 mins).
The cars: GTIs under 2L from before 1991 (Youngtimers), GT/Touring cars from before 1982 and old Group 1 cars (Racing 81 & Gr 1).
The drivers in sight: Youngtimers: Quagliozzi, Gimonet, Piau, Grandpierre (Honda Civic), Faucogney (R5 GT), etc.
Racing 81 : Valinho (Datsun 240Z), Excoffier/Excoffier (Chevrolet Corvette), Dauxerre (Porsche 911 SC), Beltramelli, Dupuy (Ford Escort RS), Lagache (Porsche 914), Faurie (Ford Capri), Bourguignon (BMW 530), Piat (Sunbeam Avenger), etc
OUTSIDE THE FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP
200 km Historic Tour
The race: Saturday 17h00 (90 mn).
The cars: Protos/GT/berliners eligible for the Historic Tour grid.
The drivers in sight: Tavares (Chevron), Vallery-Masson/Martin (Tiga), Villot (Osella), Châteaux (Lasera), Mathieu/Cazaux (BMW M3 GTR), Raffin/Beltramelli/Beltramelli (Ferrari F430), Peinetti/Lauber (Porsche 964), etc.
ON THE PADDOCK
On the paddock side, the Historic Tour partners' village includes the stands of Oreca (sale of competition parts), Sodipneu/Sodifuel (supply of tyres and fuel) and Stand 21 (made-to-measure and safety equipment for drivers). The traditional "Kennol Awards" honour a deserving driver from each grid. All these valuable partners of the Historic Tour are also joined by LP Tent, Ellegi, Classic Racing and Lestienne Insurance.
THE RECAP
Friday 15 April: Qualifiers from 14:40 to 18:30. Saturday 16 April: Qualifiers from 8.30am to 10.40am. Races (9) from 10.50am to 12.30pm and from 1.45pm to 6.30pm. Sunday 17 April: Races (12) from 8.45am to 12.25pm and from 1.35pm to 5.25pm.
Weekend entry 20 Euros, 1 day entry 15 Euros (free entry for under 15s, in advance on www.hvmracing.fr)
Media contact: Jacques Furet - presse@hvmracing.fr
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