Initially scheduled from April 20 to 25, the rally was therefore held from August 31 to September 5, following the various government measures linked to the pandemic.
The 29th edition of the Tour Auto Optic 2000 started from the Grand Palais (Paris) to finish at the Circuit Paul Ricard, via Clermont-Ferrand, Limoges, Toulouse and Pont du Gard.
It had been a crazy week during which the participants had covered 1986 km through the most beautiful French landscapes.
It was a unique moment paced by meetings and excitement, but above all passion for the motor car.
For my part, I joined the caravan at the parc fermé in Toulouse (end of leg 3) to the circuit Paul Ricard (leg 5) via the circuit of Ledenon (leg 4).
Openers
Ari vatanen (0)
François CHATRIOT/Isabel LEBON (00)
Jean-Michel Venturi (000)
Atmosphere
In the regularity category a father-son duo were on the topmost step of the podium. Jean-François and François Nicoules were entered in a Ford Mustang and between them they had already racked up three victories in the Tour Auto Optic 2000 (Jean-François’ first win in 2012 and victories together in 2013 and 2015).
They form a redoubtable pairing and the father-son combination proved to be a winning recipe that gave them a fourth victory to add to their laurels in the Tour Auto Optic 2000 – incredible!
Official Overall Classification
Régularité VHC
1/ Jean-François NICOULES/François NICOULES FORD Mustang 289 #65
2/ Jean RIGONDET/Olivier SOUILLARD PORSCHE 356 B Coupé 1600 S #38
3/ Patrick BONNARDEL/Alexandre BONNARDEL TRIUMPH TR4 #53
Régularité Groupe G
1/ Victor FERNANDES/Gael ESCRIBE LANCIA Fulvia 1300 HF #102
2/ Philippe CHAMPEROUX/Sébastien ADAM MATRA BONNET Djet 5S #109
3/ Pierre MOREL/Pierre LENFANT CHEVROLET Corvette C3 #42
Régularité Groupe H-I
1/ Marc JAY/Thomas JAY LANCIA Fulvia 1600 HF #95
2/ Melina PRIAM/Anne-Chantal PAUWELS OPEL 1900 GT #91
3/ Etienne BRUET/Clémence de BERNIS PEUGEOT 504 V6 Gr. IV #88
Regularity Entry list (Legs 4/5)
In the competition category the name of the winners was familiar to the rally fans.
Already victorious in 2017 and 2018, Raphaël Favaro clinched his third success.
This year his co-driver was Lucien-Charles Nicolet. Favaro had put his title up for grabs with a change of car in 2020: the winning Lotus Elan was replaced by a 1962 3.8-litre E-Type Jaguar.
But the swap had no effect on the two friends and Favaro emerged on top for the third time – congratulations!
Official Overall Classification
Compétition VHC
1/ Raphaël FAVARO/Lucien-Charles NICOLET JAGUAR Type E 3,8L #201
2/ Jean Pierre LAJOURNADE/Christophe BOUCHET JAGUAR Type E 3,8L #202
3/ Damien KOHLER/Sylvie LABOISNE SHELBY Cobra 289 #212
Compétition Groupe G
1/ Richard DEPAGNEUX/Arnaud ANJORAS BMW 2800 CS #244
2/ Philippe VANDROMME/Frederic VIVIER FORD GT40 MKII #265
3/ Patrick BAIGNERES/Christophe CHAPON ALFA ROMEO Giulia 2000 GTV #200
Compétition Groupe H-I
1/ Florent JEAN/Yves JEAN FERRARI 308 Gr IV Michelotto #253
2/ Emmanuel BRIGAND/Yann ALBERT PORSCHE 911 Carrera RSR 3,0L #254
3/ Jean-Maurice REY/Sébastien EBERHARD PORSCHE 911 Carrera RS 3,0L #260
Compétition Indice de Performance
1/ Gilles COURAUDON/Marielle COURAUDON PORSCHE 356 Pre A 1500 #164
2/ Diego MEIER/Giacomo AMOROSO FERRARI 225S Vignale Berlinetta #158
3/ Jean-Yves BEAUPIGNY/Géraud DUMESNE ALFA ROMEO Giulietta Sprint Veloce #177
Compétition Entry list (Legs 4/5)
Congratulations to all the participants in the 29th staging of the event who answered the challenge in this very special context.
Based on Peter Auto press release