Historic motorsport fans flock to Paul Ricard for Dix Mille Tours

Historic motorsport fans flock to Paul Ricard for Dix Mille Tours

The Dix Mille Tours has been on the Peter Auto calendar of events since 2010. It is an eagerly-awaited rendezvous by the entrants because of the quality of the infrastructures of the Paul Ricard circuit, and especially because of the technical challenge posed by its layout. The wide run-off areas that border the track give the drivers, whether experienced or not, the opportunity to go pedal to the metal at the wheel of cars that are of great historic value. "The circuit is safe; the natural surroundings are beautiful and the setting is unique," as Carlos Tavares, the CEO of the PSA Group, entered in a Lola T70 summed up on Saturday. "I raced on the Paul Ricard track thirty years ago in Supertouring. After a long break I’m delighted to come back here on a regular basis. The two days excitement of the Dix Mille Tours is a striking contrast to the frenzy of the two days for professionals at the Paris Motor Show!"Alongside the passionately enthusiastic gentlemen drivers was a handful of professionals whose skills added excitement to the eight races making up the weekend’s programme. Guys like Martin O’Connell, a heroic double winner in CER 1 and CER 2 today, Sunday; Jürgen Barth (victorious in the 1977 Le Mans 24 Hours, Eric Hélary (first in the 1993 Le Mans 24 Hours) and Nicolas Minassian who is still racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). “I really get great pleasure driving two cars as different as the 1965 Lotus Elan and the 1989 Group C Aston Martin,” said the delighted Frenchman from Marseille just before going out for his stint on Saturday evening in the Sixties’ Endurance race. “It’s back to basics in terms of driving as you have to use the heel and toe technique, double declutch, etc. These are pleasures we no longer enjoy in modern racers.” Soheil Ayari, former Oreca and Pescarolo driver in endurance, shared his fellow-countryman’s enthusiasm. “Thanks to Peter Auto’s events I’ve been able to discover some of the most beautiful racing cars in history like the Porsche 917, the Ferrari 512 BB LM, and the Lancia LC2 I’m driving this weekend. It’s great fun, the organisation’s impeccable and all the grids are exceptional.”In addition to the racing cars, more than 500 collectors’ cars from all eras and of all kinds – sports cars, ordinary machines and luxury vehicles – made the event a real open-air museum. In fact the weather, which turned out fine on Sunday, had a few surprises in store for the drivers on Saturday morning when some rain fell. This added spice to practice and the early races with some spins and a few tank slappers! Inside the circuit spectators were free to stroll around the paddocks, an increasingly rare privilege today. Other precision mechanisms were also on display inside the Zenith watchmaker’s Pop Up Store. In addition, the event could count on its faithful partners EFG Bank and Motul.While the Dix Mille Tours was the final rendezvous of the season for Group C Racing, the other four Peter Auto grids will take part in Imola Classic in three weeks time

Top 3 in Classic Endurance Race 11 Martin O'CONNELL CHEVRON B19 PROTO 12 Philipp BRUEHWILER CHEVRON B19 PROTO 1 3 Grant TROMANS/Richard MEADEN LOLA T70 Mk III B PROTO 1

Top 3 in Classic Endurance Race 2

1 Martin O'CONNELL CHEVRON B23 DFV PROTO 2

2 Yves SCEMAMA TOJ SC 304 PROTO 23 Carlos BARBOT LOLA T280 DFV PROTO 2

Top 3 in Group C Race 1

1 Kriton LENDOUDIS/Rui Sergio AGUAS MERCEDES-BENZ C11 19902 Nicolas MINASSIAN/Paul WHIGHT ASTON MARTIN AMR1 19893 Ivan VERCOUTERE/Ralf KELLENERS PORSCHE 962C

Top 3 in Group C Race 2

1 Nicolas MINASSIAN/Paul WHIGHT ASTON MARTIN AMR1 19892 Tommy DREELAN/Aaron SCOTT PORSCHE 962 19873  Mike WRIGLEY ARGO JM19 1988

Top 3 in Heritage Touring Cup

1 Grant TROMANS/Richard MEADEN FORD Capri 3100 RS 1974 2 David HUXLEY/Nigel GREENSALL FORD Mustang GT Pinepac 1984 3 Ben GILL FORD Escort 1600 RS 1975 3 TC2 -2000 1972-1984

Top 3 Sixties Endurance

1 Christian DUMOLIN/Christophe VAN RIET SHELBY Cobra 289 1965 2 Ben GILL SHELBY Cobra 19643 Grant TROMANS/Richard MEADEN LOTUS Elan 26R 1964

Top 3 TROFEO NASTRO ROSSO RACE 1

1  Carlos MONTEVERDE/Gary PEARSON FERRARI 250 LM 1964 2  Lukas HALUSA FERRARI 250 GT Breadvan 1962 3  Georg NOLTE BIZZARRINI A3/C Grifo Competizione 1965

Top 3 TROFEO NASTRO ROSSO RACE 2

1 Carlos MONTEVERDE/Gary PEARSON FERRARI 250 LM 19642 Lukas HALUSA FERRARI 250 GT Breadvan 1962 3 Jan GIJZEN FERRARI 275 GTB 4 1966

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