This Easter weekend, the fifth edition - the third scheduled on this circuit - of the Grand Prix de France Historique 2023 took place on the Paul Ricard circuit in front of more than 50.000 spectators.
I will not give a race report with results, this meeting was, for me, a return to the source, I attended my first GP in the 80s.
On the program we had
Four F1 races
The BOSS GP with these F1s from the 90s & 2000s F1 completed by the Superleague, GP2 Series 2005-2011, WSR 3.5, F3000, WS Nissan, Auto GP...
The F1 & F2: legends of the 70s & 80s: F1 until 31/12/1981: 1 class without ground effect, 1 class F5000, 1 class with ground effect. Formula 2, Formula B and Formula Atlantic before 1979.
The European F3
FIA Historic F3 European Cup Pré 85: Single seaters type F3, mandatory PTH before 1985, without carbon or electronic injection.
additional races
The impressive and spectacular grids of the Ford 1600 Formula and Lotus Trophy.
Lotus Seven Trophy Series I, II, III, IV, built between 1957 and 1973, Caterham 1600cc.
Formula Ford Pré 93 FF 1600 from 1967 to 1992 as well as the F3 1000cc. Also welcomes guest cars of the same spirit: 1600cc without fins.
V de V Endurance
6-Hour Endurance Race reserved for Historic Racing Vehicles GT, Tourism and Sport Prototypes starting on Saturday at 6 pm and ending at midnight.
animations and village
Single-seater parades of more than 2l and Formula 1 cars as well as rides for all single-seaters of less than 2l were offered to the many spectators present all around the circuit.
All the ingredients were brought together to leave lasting memories for the spectators, at the edge of the track as elsewhere.
Fans could criss-cross a paddock that was wide open to them, hunt for autographs during the signing sessions of the great champions, enter the rhythm of the daily rock concert, discover the merchant village, the various exhibitions including that of the old Formula 1.
My favourite of the Week End
Forty years ago, almost to the day, 17 April 1983, the French F1 GP took place on the same circuit.
GP won by Alain Prost in a Renault RE40 ahead of Brazilian Nelson Piquet Brabham-BMW and his American team-mate Eddie Cheever.
It is not this race that interests us today, but the French Formula 3 Trophy race won by Michel Ferté on Martini Mk. 39 ahead of Marc Sourd on Ralt RT3 and François Hesnault on a Ralt RT3.
In this race besides the podium we had Olivier Grouillard, Gilles Duqueine and in twelfth place of the classification Michel Lamoureux.
Who is Michel Lamoureux? To be honest with you, I didn’t know Mr. Lamoureux until this paschal weekend, and yet his name appeared on the Formula Renault entry lists in the 1970s.
In the 80s, Michel Lamoureux was a mechanical teacher at the Lycée Jean Perrin in Marseille, not far from the Paul Ricard circuit.
What do you do when you are a mechanical teacher/driver and you have to do a study project with these students? You guessed it, a single-seater to compete in the French F3 championship.
The project began in early 1982, with a design office/builders/mechanics of 8 students.
After a year of work, including during the school holidays (some students having even squatted Michel’s residence in summer to advance on the project), the Lamoureux JP83 chassis, was present on March 13, 1983, on the circuit of Lédenon, unfortunately an oil leak will interrupt this race.
Michel Lamoureux and part of his staff at the time, not all of them could make the trip to the Var, with whom he stayed in contact, was on hand for the return of the Lamoureux JP83 #02 chassis to the place of these early exploits.
Having spoken with the driver, the team and these fans, I can assure you that the enthusiasm is still there after 40 years.
Thanks to Michel and his team for the welcome and the photos that illustrate this favourite.
As a reminder in 1983 the French champion was Michel Ferté on a Martini MK39 Alfa Roméo of the Oreca team with 6 victories, 10 podiums.
In England a certain Ayrton Senna da Silva.
Beautiful time.
See you soon.