Tour de France Automobile was a sports car race held on roads around France regularly (mostly annually) between 1899 and 1986.
History The first edition in 1899 was won by René de Knyff driving a Panhard et Levassor at 30 mph (50 km/h). Organized by Le Matin, under the control of the Automobile Club de France, held July 16 to 24, in seven stages: Paris-Nancy; Nancy-Aix-les-Bains; Aix-les-Bains-Vichy; Vichy-Périgueux; Périgueux-Nantes; Nantes-Cabourg; Cabourg-Paris. Out of 49 starters, 21 vehicles finished.International Motor Cyclopaedia, Year Book-March 1908 to March 1909, Pages 114–115, Publisher: E.E. Schwarzkopf, New York. The 1908 event was won by Clément-Bayard.Hydro Retro, Clement-Bayard, pdf (French) Clément-Bayard, sans peur et sans reproche par Gérard Hartmann
1950s revival The first event after the war took place in 1951, organised by the , and was won by Pierre Boncompagni "Pagnibon"/Barracquet in a 2.6-litre Ferrari 212 Export.The Motor Year Book 1952, Temple Press, Page 196. The event visited the La Turbie Hill Climb, near Nice.
The 1954 event was won by the 2.5 litre Gordini of Jacques Pollet and M. Gauthier, on the traditional Nice to Nice route.The Autocar, September 17, 1954, Pages 401–402; The Autocar, September 24, 1954, Pages 426–427; Motor Sport, October 1954, Pages 557–558.
Scuderia Ferrari won eight times between 1951 and 1962. After the triumph of Alfonso de Portago in 1956, Olivier Gendebien won with partner Lucien Bianchi three times in a row (1957, 1958 and 1959).
The 1956 event was won by de Portago/Nelson in a Ferrari 250 2.9 with Moss/Houel (Mercedes 300 SL) in second place.The Motor Year Book 1957, Temple Press, Page 197.
In 1958 the British racing driver Peter Whitehead had a fatal accident on the tour driving a Jaguar with his half-brother Graham Whitehead, who was considered a reliable co-pilot in long-distance races. On September 21, 1958, after dark, Graham was driving when the car broke through a rotten bridge railing in Lasalle, Gard, near Nîmes, and crashed into a ravine.
1960s
In the 1960s, French racing and rally driver Bernard Consten (:fr: Bernard Consten) won the race five times, making it the record winner to this day. In the same decade, the stage race was also opened to sports prototypes, so that racing cars like the Ferrari 512 S, the Ford GT40 or the Matra MS650 drove hundreds of kilometres on public roads.
The 1960 Tour de France took place between September 15 and 23 that year. Starting at Nice it visited Mont Ventoux, Nurburgring, Spa, Montlhéry, Rouen and Le Mans with the finish at Clermont Ferrand. The event was won overall by the Ferrari 250 G.T. of Willy Mairesse/Georges Berger. The Jaguar 3.8 litre Mk. II of Bernard Consten/J. Renel won the Touring category with the BMW 700 coupé of Metternich/Hohenlohe winning the Index of Performance.Motor Sport, August 1960, Page 627; Motor Sport, November 1960, Page 904.
Willy Mairesse won again in 1961 together with Georges Berger.
The last Ferrari victory was in 1964 with Lucien Bianchi/Georges Berger driving a Ferrari 250 GTO, entered by Ecurie Nationale Belge.Motor Sport, November 1964, Pages 949, 956. The event started at Lille, visiting Reims, Rouen, Le Mans, Clermont-Ferrand, Monza and Pau. The Touring car category was won by Peter Procter/Andrew Cowan in a Ford Mustang,Motor Sport, November 1964, Page 948. entered by Alan Mann Racing.For a road test of the Ford Mustang, DPK5B, which Bo Ljungfeldt drove in this event see: Motor Sport, December 1964, Pages 1013–1014. The A.C. Shelby Cobras of Maurice Trintignant, Bob Bondurant and André Simon all retired.
1980s The 1980s saw the event incorporated into the European Rally Championship which saw an influx of new competitors. The last event was held in 1986.
Historic race The event was revived in 1992 as a classic rally, now known as the Tour Auto. It is held in April and features both a competition and a regularity class. The format is a 5-day event combining about 2,500 km of roads, 4 or 5 circuit races and 6 to 8 hillclimbs. The start is always in Paris, whereas the finish alternates between various southern seaside towns like Biarritz, Cannes and Nice. Patrick Peter of Agence Peter is the organiser.
The winning cars over the years (since 1996 only pre '66 cars can win overall, even though cars up to 1974 are allowed) include the Ford Shelby Mustang 350GT, Ford GT40, AC Cobra 289, Lotus Elan, Ferrari Daytona Gr IV. Drivers who won the competition class include Jürgen Barth, Henri Pescarolo and Walter Röhrl.
Competitors Previous winners of the original Tour de France Automobile who have participated in the Historic Tour Auto include JC Andruet, Jean Ragnotti, Bernard Consten, Gérard Larousse, Johnny Rives.
Other famous entrants since 1992 were: Stirling Moss, Danny Sullivan, Phil Hill, Ari Vatanen, Emanuele Pirro, Eric Comas, Bobby Rahal, Rob Walton, Walter Röhrl, Jürgen Barth, Yannick Dalmas, Thierry Boutsen, Romain Dumas, Nick Mason, Olivier Panis.
Dutch racing driver Hans Hugenholtz won the competition class of the Patrick Peter organised event 7 times (1993-1999-2000-2001-2004-2006-2007), more than any other entrant, with a Ferrari Daytona Gr. IV, Shelby Mustang 350GT, Ford GT40 (twice) and a Lotus Elan (3 times).
Winners 1951–1986 YearDriver(s)Co-driverVehicle 1951 Pierre "Pagnibon" Boncompagni Alfred Barraquet Ferrari 212 Export 1952 Marc Gignoux Mme Gignoux DB 7501953 Jacques Péron - Sport R. Bertramnier Osca MT4 Paul Condrillier - Touring car Daniel Renault 4CV 1062 1954 Jacques Pollet Hubert Gauthier Gordini T15S 1956 Alfonso de Portago Edmont Nelson Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta1957 Olivier Gendebien - GT Category Lucien Bianchi Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Jean Hébert - Touring car Marcel Lauga Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce1958 Olivier Gendebien - GT Category Lucien Bianchi Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Jean Hébert - Touring car Bernard Consten Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce1959 Olivier Gendebien - GT Category Lucien Bianchi Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta 'Interim' Hermano da Silva Ramos - Touring car Jean Estager Jaguar Mark 11960 Willy Mairesse - GT Category Georges Berger Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB Bernard Consten - Touring car Jack Renel Jaguar Mark 21961 Willy Mairesse - GT Category Georges Berger Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB Bernard Consten - Touring car Jack Renel Jaguar Mark 21962 André Simon - GT Category Maurice Dupeyron Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB Bernard Consten - Touring car Jack Renel Jaguar Mark 21963 Jean Guichet - GT Category José Behra Ferrari 250 GTO Bernard Consten - Touring car Jack Renel Jaguar Mark 21964 Lucien Bianchi - GT Category Georges Berger Ferrari 250 GTO Peter Procter - Touring car Andrew Cowan Ford Mustang 1969 Gérard Larrousse Maurice Gélin Porsche 911 R 1970 Jean-Pierre Beltoise Patrick Depailler Jean Todt Matra 650 Motor, October 3, 1970, Page 70. 1971 Gérard Larrousse Johnny Rives Matra 650 1972 Jean-Claude Andruet Michèle Espinosi-Petit Ferrari 365 GTB4 1973 Sandro Munari Mario Mannucci Lancia Stratos HF 1974 Gérard Larrousse Jean-Pierre Nicolas Johnny Rives Ligier JS2 1975 Bernard Darniche Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF 1976 Jacques Henry Bernard-Etienne Grobot Porsche Carrera 1977 Bernard Darniche Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF 1978 Michèle Mouton Françoise Conconi Fiat 131 Abarth 1979 Bernard Darniche Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF 1980 Bernard Darniche Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF 1981 Jean-Claude Andruet Chantal Bouchetal Ferrari 308 GTB 1982 Jean-Claude Andruet Michèle Espinosi-Petit Ferrari 308 GTB 1983 Guy Fréquelin Jean-François Fauchille Opel Manta 400 1984 Jean Ragnotti Pierre Thimonier Renault 5 Turbo 1985 Jean Ragnotti Pierre Thimonier Renault 5 Maxi Turbo 1986 François Chatriot Michel Périn Renault 5 Maxi Turbo
See also Giro d'Italia automobilistico
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