Dix Mille Tours – Paul Ricard

: The Ferrari 512 of Steven Read, co-driven by David Franklin, was popular in the paddock and came ninth in the CER1 race Photos Eric Sawyer

Marco Zanello Reports

For the second year Peter Auto organised the Dix Mille Tours du Castellet, an event reserved for endurance cars, run at the prestigious Paul Ricard circuit, which, with its elegant and technological infrastructure and high levels of comfort is one of the favourite environments of the drivers. The 7-9 October event also saw the debut of the new circuit director, Stéphane Clair, a man of undoubted experience, who succeeded Gerard Neveu on October 1.

Given the success of the first edition, the organisers chose to build on the proven formula rather than engage in novelties, so maintained the same categories as in 2010 with the exception of Classic Formula 3. Also, sadly, came the cancellation of Historic Formula 1 and the CanAm Challenge Cup.

: It was a busy weekend for Swiss crew Alberto Francioni and Fredy Barth, who took both Nastro Rosso races and came third in ‘60s Endurance

So it was up to the grids from Classic Endurance Racing, divided into two groups as seen this year at Spa, the powerful Group C Racing, Sixties’ Endurance, the Trophy Nastro Rosso for pre-’66 Italian cars and the ASAVÉ Challenge GT that had also joined the Peter organisation earlier in the year at Spa, to entertain the 10,000-strong crowd of spectators, who are now allowed into the Ricard paddock.

Once again the undisputed stars for the crowd were the CER and Group C cars, the only ones able to bring the entire audience into the stands and onto the embankments that surround the nearly six miles of track. Favourites of these crowds were the two 512 Ferraris, entered by Paul Knapfield, and Steven Read/David Franklin. These cars had a constant procession of people coming to see them in the paddock. However they had to share the limelight with the new McLaren MP4-12C, which was officially presented to the French market at the meeting and was displayed in the main hall, and even did some demo laps.

: The Group C formation lap led by pole sitting Mercedes C11 of Gareth Evans and Bob Berridge who went on to win albeit coming together with Katsu Kubota’s Nissan R90C during the race

The relaxed atmosphere in the paddock was contrasted by the roar on the track, where the drivers performed in beautiful autumn sunshine, and almost all the races were decided in the final laps.

The cars of the Nastro Rosso opened the proceedings on Saturday afternoon, dominated by Alberto Francioni/Fredy Barth’s ISO A3C, ahead of solo driver Vincent Gaye, forsaking his usual SWB for a Ferrari 275GTB/C.

Also on Saturday, the Challenge ASAVÉ hit the track, and this race too was decided in the final laps, when the leader Christophe Terriou (Porsche 911 3.0 RSR) retired, leaving the victory to Franck Metzger in a Chevrolet Corvette, which had already led in the early part of the race.

The show continued on Sunday morning, with the CER 2 race. For the occasion, Jean-Marie and Romain Belleteste had entered their 1976 Toj SC204 and Jacques Alvergnas his Ford Torino, specifically prepared for Le Mans in 1976. In the event, the American car was excluded from the results for dangerous driving, but did impress with the speed it is capable of on the long straights. With some 37 cars on the grid, the race really offered an eventful spectacle, during which the lead alternated between Michel Quiniou (Lola T280), Russell Busst (Chevron B31 HART), Dominique Guenat (Lola T286) and finally Sandy Watson/Martin O’Connell (Chevron B36 BDG).

: 60’s Endurance in the autumn sunshine

CER 1 also put on a great show, with the fight for top positions enhanced by more than a few twists. Paul Knapfield, a true showman, led in his 512 until three laps from the end, when he suddenly returned to the pits, leaving the victory to Bernard Thuner’s T70 MKIII.

Next came the roar of Group C, whose first race started with a fight between the Mercedes C11 of Gareth Evans/Bob Berridge and the Nissan R90C of Katsuaki Kubota and then, after Kubota’s retirement on lap 10, between the Mercedes and the Spice Pontiac of Stefano Rosina and Giorgio Mondini, which unfortunately suffered from oil pump problems and also retired, leaving the Porsche 962 of Peter Harburg and Wayne Park in second place.

: The pre-1966 cars of the Nastro Rosso race with Provence as a backdrop Photo Richard Hampson

Final race of the event was the two-hour Sixties’ Endurance, with Alberto Francioni/Fredy Barth’s ISO leading most of the way, but finally ceding to the AC Cobra of Ludovic Caron and then, just two laps from the end to the McInerney TVR Griffith. The latter took advantage of Caron’s sudden slowdown at the finish line due to an incorrect pit signal, to take the flag in an unexpected victory by only two tenths of a second over their disbelieving opponent!

See a detailed report and full results in our November issue