HISTORIC TOUR CHARADE : A STAGE WITH A RELIEF

On the occasion of its fifth and penultimate stage, the French Historic Circuit Championship (the Historic Tour) returns to the Charade circuit and its incomparable track with its mountainous terrain. A destination worthy of the challenge. VINTAGE CARS FOR A HISTORIC CIRCUITAlmost unavoidable since the creation of the French Historic Circuits Championship seven years ago, the passage by the Charade circuit is an unavoidable highlight of the season. On this site, which is currently undergoing major changes, the "oldtimer" drivers will once again enjoy a setting full of history and a track with a natural layout perfectly in tune with their bikes (necessarily dating from the 1960s to the 1990s). At the last count, nearly 270 people have programmed their arrival on the heights of the Clermont-Ferrand area. So many thrill-seekers ready to measure themselves against this circuit "judge of peace", which will be divided between 10 distinct platforms and the 21 races on the weekend's menu. That is to say a double sprint race per plate, in addition to the famous 200 km endurance race scheduled to close the day on Saturday.In detail, the starting grids are expected to be very full, especially in the two "monotype" championship grids, the Lotus Trophy and the Roadster Pro Cup (with respectively 33 Lotus Seven and 32 Mazda MX-5 expected), but also, on the single-seater side, in Formula Ford Kent, Formula Ford Historic and F3/Formule Renault Classic. For the latter, spectators will be exceptionally invited to join the track during the new Grid Walk which will precede the Saturday race, as well as the following day. A great opportunity to immerse oneself a little more in the half-century of motorsport that the Historic Tour is responsible for putting back on stage. UPDATE ON THE FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIPAt this stage of the season, the Historic Tour Charade will be a crucial stage in the race for the two French championship titles. In the GT/Tourism category, Philippe Gandini is approaching this penultimate meeting of the year as a solid leader. The Mini Jem driver is even the only driver of the Historic Tour to remain unbeaten in his category, the Maxi 1300 Series. Will he extend his invincibility on the Charade circuit? If so, it would allow him to maintain his lead over José Beltramelli (jointly engaged in Asavé Racing 65 on a TVR 400 Griffith and in Racing 81 on a Ford Escort RS) and Fabrice Lefebvre (Audi Quattro in Saloon Cars), his closest pursuers. In the Single Seater/Proto category, two drivers arrived in Auvergne with equal points at the head of the category: Hugo Carini and the Italian Davide Leone. Hugo Carini, driving a Van Diemen, will once again aim to win the Formula Ford Kent class, while Davide Leone, driving a March 783, will pursue a similar goal in the F3 Classic class on a track he is particularly fond of. For the time being, the Swiss Gislain Genecand, competing on two platforms (in Formula Ford Historic with a Crosslé and in Formula Ford Kent with a Van Diemen), accompanies them on the provisional championship podium. WHICH RACES, WHICH CARS, WHICH DRIVERS ? THE SINGLE-SEATER/PROTOS FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP GRIDSFormula Ford Kent Trophy and Formula Ford TrophyRaces : Saturday 11:25 am and Sunday 9:05 am (2 x 25 mn).The cars : The Formula Ford Kent single-seaters from before 1993 and the Formula Ford Zetec from before 2005.The drivers : Kent : H.Carini, Genecand, Sanjuan, N.Beloou, Dousse, Faggionato, Monteiro, Faucher (Van Diemen), Girardet, Comte (Crosslé), Verhille, Dionisotti (Lola), Kozyreff, Tomsen, Thetiot, Deridder (Reynard), Barbini (Royale), etc.F3 Classic Trophy and Formula Renault Classic TrophyRaces : Saturday 2.10 pm and Sunday 2.25 pm (2 x 30 mn).The cars : F3 single-seaters from before 1985 and Formula Renault (atmo and turbo) from before 1995.The drivers in sight : F3 : Lajoux, D.Leone, V.Leone, B.Beltramelli, Coppini (March), Girardet, Vallery-Masson, Tavarès (Ralt), Eynard-Machet, Lacour (Martini), etc. Formula Renault: Robert, Gobba, "Nelson", Monnet, Mottez, Donnay, Bagur (Martini), Rimbert (Orion), Amelin (Swift), etc.Formula Ford Historic ChallengeRaces : Saturday 3:35 pm and 11:00 am (2 x 25 mn).The cars : Formula Ford single-seaters from before 1982.The drivers : Belle, Deverly, Verhille, Dionisotti (Lola), Genecand, Girardet, Richard, McMorran, Barrois (Crosslé), Sanjuan, " Nelson ", Faggionato, Ogier (Van Diemen), Lecluse, Hermet (Lotus), Prévost (McNamara), Mantz (Hawke), etc.SportProtosCupRaces: Saturday 12:05 and Sunday 17:10 (2 x 25 mn).The cars : Sport-Protos from before 1995.The drivers : Martin (Debora), Vulliez (Bogani), Micheron (Osella), Nguyen, Atonnacci (Lucchini), L.Boch (Norma), Kolly (Lola), De Murard (Giada), Groppi (Tiga), Guermonprez, Levy (Grac), Terrones (Chapman), Garsou (ACE), Huez (Chevron), etc. THE FRENCH GT/TOURING CHAMPIONSHIP GRIDSRoadster Pro CupRaces : Sunday 10:45 and 10:20 (2 x 25 mn).The cars : The Mazda MX-5 first generation.The drivers : Fresnais, Castillou, Rigoulet, Hergault, Genottin, Laborie, Beck, Bollengier, Pasquali, Benjamin, Manganaro, Nougaret, Bourget, U.Carini/G.Carini, Turbot, Sauvadet, Savin, Allard, Carreno, Darmet (all on Mazda MX-5), etc.Lotus TrophyRaces : Saturday 16:55 and Sunday 15:50 (2 x 25 mn).The cars : Lotus Seven and old Caterham.The drivers : X.Jacquet, Vulliez, Cazalot, Vetro, N.Beloou, Gaso, P.Metayer, C.Jacquet, Bouchetal, Rucheton, Odin, Szyndelman, Koenig, Dufetre, Pargamin, Vest, Seigneurin, Garcia-Imaz (all on Lotus Seven), Saillet (Caterham), etc.Saloon Cars Trophy and GT Classic TrophyRaces : Sunday 8h30 and 16h30 (2 x 25 mn).The cars : GT/Touring cars from before 1999 (Saloon Cars Trophy) and GT cars from before 1998 (GT Classic Trophy).The drivers in sight : Saloon Cars : Lefebvre (Audi Quattro), Desmaele, Samson (Porsche 996), D.Empois, E. Empois (BMW E21), Fuet (BMW E36), Gautier, Yvetot (Porsche 964), Danne (BMW M3 GTR), Drouilleau/Drouilleau (BMW 318is), Verney (R5 GT), Lortal/Delarche (Super Seven), Trichet (Lotus Elise), Fachinetti (Camaro), etc.GT Classic : Raffin (Ferrari F430), Roche/Roche, Gaillard (Porsche 996), Besson (Clio V6 Trophy), Cazaux (BMW M3 GTR), Chollet (Porsche 944), Terral (Aston Martin Vantage), etc.Youngtimers GTI Cup and Racing 81 & Gr 1Races: Saturday 4:15 pm and Sunday 11:40 am (2 x 25 mn).The cars : GTI less than 2L from before 1991 (Youngtimers), GT/Tourism from before 1982 and old Group 1 (Racing 81 & Gr 1).The drivers in sight : Youngtimers : Quagliozzi, Gimonet, Julia, Benjamin (Honda Civic), Hawes, Latz (Golf GTI), etc.Racing 81 : Excoffier/Excoffier (Chevrolet Corvette), Julien, J.Beltramelli/B.Beltramelli, Dupuy (Ford Escort RS), Faure (Porsche 930), Regnier (Porsche 910), Dauxerre (Porsche 911SC), Bourguignon (BMW 530), Castelli (Ford Escort Gr.1), Lagache (Porsche 914), etcAsavé Racing 65Races : Sunday 9:45 am and 3:10 pm (2 x 25 mn).The cars : GT/Tourism cars from before 1966.The drivers : J.Beltramelli (TVR 400), Poulet, Benne, Achard, Sionneau, Bouvier, Bourguignon/Castelli, Teyssier/Godard, Rosembly, Chalendard (Lotus Elan), Gravier (Shelby Cobra), Carini (Ford Anglia), Grosjean/Grosjean (Marcos), Raffin (Ford Cortina), Guerardelle, Guevin (MGB), Baert, Leloutre (Alfa Giullia), etc.Maxi 1300 SeriesRaces : Saturday 14h55 and Sunday 12h20 (2 x 25 mn).The cars : GT/Tourism cars of - 1300 cm3 from before 1977.The drivers in sight : Gandini (Mini Jem), Gruelles (Marcos), E.Cassina (Mini 1275 GT), E.Roulière, N.Roulière (R5 LS), Trousse, Timonier, Pouillon (Cooper S), Aguettant, Kerhano (Austin Sprite), Comelli (Matra Jet), Corthals (A112 Abarth), etc. OUTSIDE THE FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP200 km of the Historic TourThe race : Saturday 17h40 (90 mn).The cars : The protos/GT/berlines eligible on the Historic Tour grids.The drivers in sight : Leone/Leone/Coppini (Lola), Vallery-Masson (Tiga S2000), Raffin (Ferrari F430), Lortal/Delarche (Super Seven), Roche/Roche (Porsche 996), etc. ON THE PADDOCKOn the paddock side, the Historic Tour's partners' village includes the Oreca (sale of competition parts) and Sodipneu/Sodifuel (supply of tires and fuel) stands. The traditional "Kennol Awards" will honour a deserving driver from each grid. So many precious partners of the Historic Tour, joined by LP Tent, Ellegi, Classic Racing and Lestienne Insurance. THE RECAPFriday September 30th : Qualifiers from 15h00 to 18h55. Saturday October 1st : Qualifiers from 8:30 am to 10:35 am. Races (9) from 10:45 to 12:30 and from 14:10 to 19:10. Sunday October 2nd: Races (12) from 8:30am to 12:45pm and from 2:25pm to 5:35pm.Ticketing on site: weekend pass 20 Euros, 1 day pass 15 Euros. Free entry for children under 16 years old. Media contact: Jacques Furet - presse@hvmracing.fr