Historic Endurance Heads South to France for the 400 km of Paul Ricard

The Iberian Historic Endurance returns to France this weekend, not to tackle the twists and turns of the legendary Pau-Ville Circuit, but to write a new chapter in its history with the inaugural 400 of Paul Ricard. At one of Europe's most iconic motorsport venues, this new event promises to celebrate the passion, heritage and enduring appeal of historic racing cars built up to 1974.

Paul Ricard Circuit was inaugurated in 1970 at Le Castellet, in the south of France, on the initiative of Paul Ricard himself, the founder of the famous drinks brand that gave the circuit its name. Conceived as a modern, safe and technologically advanced venue, it quickly established itself on the international stage, hosting some of the world's most prestigious championships, including rounds of the FIA Formula One World Championship between 1971 and 1990. Following a spell away from the pinnacle of motorsport, the circuit underwent extensive redevelopment before returning to the Formula One calendar in 2018. Today, it remains one of Europe's leading venues for testing, development programmes and major motorsport events.

With its modern and highly technical layout, Paul Ricard is renowned for the formidable 1.8-kilometre Mistral Straight, its blend of high- and medium-speed corners, and the vast run-off areas that define the circuit. The quality of the surface, the width of the track and the balance between high-speed sections and more technical complexes make Paul Ricard a true challenge for both drivers and machinery, where car set-up, tyre management and precision are all crucial. It is against this backdrop that the Historic Endurance field prepares to add another chapter to its rich history, once again bringing together teams and drivers at the wheel of some of the most beautiful and iconic historic racing cars ever built.

In a race where strategy and pit stops could prove decisive, the Ford GT40 shared by Olivier Muytjens and Brice Pineau arrives as one of the leading contenders for outright victory. However, the favourites will have to prove themselves on track, with several equally formidable cars and experienced crews standing in their way. The Lotus Seven of João Mira Gomes and Nuno Afoito, winners of the Estoril 250 km, heads to Paul Ricard with strong credentials, while endurance racing tradition suggests that a Shelby Cobra Daytona should never be underestimated. The debut of Jac Meeuwissen and Ties Meeuwissen in the iconic American machine will certainly be one of the stories to follow throughout the weekend.

Among the Portuguese contenders, attention will focus on the anticipated H-1976 battle between the Garagem João Gomes-prepared Porsche 911 2.7 RS of Eduardo Reis and José Carvalhosa and the RP Motorsport-run Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 of Filipe Carvalho, António Carmona and Pedro Ramos. Two very different concepts, two distinct racing philosophies and two highly respected historic racing teams, yet united by the same ambition: victory on the demanding French circuit. They will also have to contend with Ralf Schnitzler's Datsun 240Z, which is expected to make life far from easy for the favourites.

In the H-1971 category, Piero Dal Maso, Guilherme Dal Maso and José Carvalhosa arrive with their Porsche 911 2.5 ST as the current leaders of the 1000 km Trophy standings, but they face formidable opposition. Among their challengers is Rui Garcia, making his French debut aboard his Fiat 124 Sport Coupé, this time sharing driving duties with the experienced Ricardo Pereira. They will also take on the ever-competitive Alfa Romeo GT Ams campaigned by Paul Giglio and Maurizio Giglio, as well as local pairing Grégoire Colinet and Guillaume Colinet.

In this endurance marathon, where up to four drivers may share the same car, only one quartet has chosen to take on the challenge of the Paul Ricard 400 km. Xavier Rascagneres, Jérôme Peyrat, Didier Mantz and Régis Prevost will share the elegant 1600cc Lotus 23B, a car that is sure to delight spectators thanks to its beauty and purity of design. It was with this remarkable machine that Colin Chapman revolutionised the world of sports car racing in 1963.

The Index of Performance classification will once again be one of the weekend's highlights. Rather than rewarding outright speed alone, it recognises efficiency, consistency and the ability of teams to extract the maximum performance from their historic machinery. As has become tradition in Historic Endurance, the winner will receive a special Cuervo y Sobrinos timepiece, awarded to the competitor who best combines pace, consistency and the true spirit of historic motorsport. Paul O'Reilly and Peter Young, at the wheel of an MGB, start the weekend among the favourites to claim this coveted prize.

Qualifying for the Paul Ricard 400 km, a 50-minute session, will take place on Saturday at 15:55 local time. On Sunday, engines will fire into life once again for the main event, a race of up to three hours, with the start scheduled for 09:00 local time.

PROVISIONAL ENTRY LYST