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Photography

HVM Motors Cup - Le Castellet 2019 Yann SEITE - 6 Apr 2019

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ello,

Let's go for a photographic overview of the HVM 'Le Castellet Motors Cup' meeting, held on the 30 and 31 March.
Under an ever shining sun, the program was heavy : the FIA badged races of the 1966-1985 F1 period, the pre-1975 prototype sports, as well as the pre 1966 GT/Tourism.
Last but not least, formerly in demonstration only, the Masters Endurance Legends turns into real racing events. Its entry list includes very recent endurance heroes, such as a Peugeot 908 or a Lola Aston Martin !

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he Belgian Christophe D'Ansembourg must be a happy man; this weekend, he kept switching from his Brabham BT49 ex-Patrese...

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o his Lola Aston Martin 2009 !

This is the B0860-HU02 chassis, initially a 'simple' Lola from the Charouz team in 2008, taken over by the Aston Martin factory in 2009, which designed a new bodyshell. It is still powered by the melodious V12 6L, already seen (and heard!) in the DBR9 GT1... In 2009, this B0860-HU02 chassis became an official Aston Martin LMP1, under the name DBR1-2/4.
It was engaged in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 13th (9th in the trials) with Darren Turner/ Anthony Davidson/ Jos Verstappen. Its best result under the official Aston Martin Racing banner is a 3rd place in the 1000km of Nürbürgring.

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ooks like it's gas-and-go's for the Diva, which V12 vocalizes loud and clear, as in the best days of its youth. Mamma mia !

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he Aston Martin brand was everywhere this weekend, right down to the naming of the series ('Aston Martin Masters Endurance Legends') and to the supply of pace cars.

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he DBR9/102 chassis was acquired by Alcides Diniz, a wealthy Brazilian, with the ambition to enter it in South America under the Capuava Racing banner. Potentially, its lineup did not lack speed (Raul Boesel, Pedro Lamy and Tony Kanaan).
Unfortunately, the death of the boss ended the project, and the DBR9 was sold after it performed a few tests, but not raced any competition...
Aston Martin provided this model with enhancements, such as the 'high downforce' kit, a more powerful 'spec D' engine (+ 75hp), and a faster gearbox system.

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ike D'Ansembourg, Nikolaus Ditting is a 'multiple office holder': in this case a Ford GT40, of which he is about to trigger the mechanical thunder, and the Aston DBR9 GT1 above, which explains the flocking of its suit.

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ere is the only Group C which was entered in Masters Endurance Legends : the Aston Martin AMR1. This chassis #05 is the ultimate evolution of the AMR1, lightweighted to 906 kg, equipped with the 700hp 'Generation II' engine and carbon discs. It entered the Donington and Mexico City stages of the Sportscars World Championship, crossing the finish line in 7th and 8th places.
Despite regular attempts to gain weight and reliability, Aston Martin has never been able to really match with the Group C stars of the late 80’s, such as the Porsche, Jaguar or Mercedes.

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s time goes by, the LMP of the early 2Ks years are already 'classics'... And they are very present in the Aston Martin Masters Endurance Legends : the 'small' MG Lola below (chassis 002) participated 3 times to the Le Mans 24 hours, in 2001, 2002 and 2004.

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he new pitlane entry is a very good shooting spot; the wall in the background makes it as if the car was running on an urban track.
This Lola T70 chassis SL160/1 has a singular history : born as a T160 Spyder, it was driven by Mario Andretti in Canam in 1968 (Las Vegas meeting), before being reconditioned into a Coupe bodywork.

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ack to the pitlane for another T70 (Spyder), but this time it is due to mechanical troubles.
This Spyder was delivered in 1965 to Carl Haas, the Lola importer in the United States. It was entered that same year by the Greenwich Auto team in various races in the US and Canada, without much success, with Sherman Decker or Parnelli Jones behind the wheel.

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gain a Lola (T212), on the starting grid. This chassis (HU26) took part to the 1971 Le Mans 24hrs (resigned after 8 hours).

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t is not usual, but in this report I will give a large place to the 'no mudguard' category : the Formula 1 class was objectively magnificent.
Whereas I feel no thrill at the current F1, the one of my young years reminds me fantastic memories. These were times when I was sick being forced to miss a Grand Prix ! Today, F1 still makes me sick, but because of the Halo or DRS... There’s always something more interesting to do than watching a Grand Prix !

Let's stop here the rancour : two superb Ligier JS11 were entered, with more than a significant palmares.
Some criticize historical meetings, and the questionable authenticity of certain cars. Without ignoring these excesses, I will never thank enough the owners and the pilots of these wonders, to dare to put them on the track, rather than in museums...

This JS11/04 chassis was driven by Jacques Laffite in 1979 (3 podiums) and by Didier Pironi in 1980 (4 podiums, including a victory at the Zolder Belgian Grand Prix).

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or what concerns the JS11/02 chassis, it holds two victories in 1979 (the famous Laffite flying season start in Argentina and Brazil).

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ome other F1's, with liveries evocative of a bygone age : for this one, I had to take some little risks over the fence .

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ne Brabham BT49... No, two actually, but with very similar career records. Number 4, chassis BT49C/10, took part to a single race, finishing in 2nd place of the GP of South Africa 1981, driven by Nelson Piquet.
Number 47 (BT49D/18) also ran only once, with Riccardo Patrese also finishing 2nd at the 1982 Canadian GP. Bernie Ecclestone, head of the Brabham team, then gave it as a reward to its designer, the brilliant Gordon Murray !

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t was a time when Williams did not have one foot in the grave : this FW07C/17 chassis allowed Carlos Reuteman to climb up to the 3rd step of the podium at the Italian Grand Prix in 1981.

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ll the 'vices' of the F1 are summaried on the bodywork of this March 811: cigarettes (Rizla+), alcohol (Guinness) and nude showgirls (Moulin Rouge) ...

When RAM Racing calls March to launch a new F1 for the 1981 season, March had not built a F1 since 1977, and even this one was derived from a 1975 model. Carefully, the engineer Robin Herd decided to get inspiration from a known base, the Williams FW07, that the RAM team already owns.
Unfortunately, the brief pre-season tests did not allow to detect the stiffness problems that affected this new chassis, which bended under the forces generated by the ground effect ! Between specification and realisation, the chassis has been excessively lightened...
The RM04 and RM05 chassis were remanufactured, more rigid but also too heavy, and then came this shorter RM06 chassis, conceived with the help of Adrian Reynard.

Meanwhile, Eliseo Salazar, the number 2 driver, had left the team (with his sponsors); only remained the Irish rider Derek Daly, who would regularly qualify the car, without scoring a point. Derek Daly got the best result of the 811 at the British Grand Prix (7th place).

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ood bye, and see you soon for a next event !