2021 Race Dates

[Will Nuthall]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Sorry, Will, I guess you're talking about Grand Prix de l'Age d'Or aka GPAO?

GPH de France first: a reliable source says it will be hard to hold it without foreign entries, meaning Masters. What can be done there without Brits? Not much I fear.

Last communication from PA dated 11/3 confirmed Le Castellet 30 Ap/2 May, GPAO Dijon 4/6 June with the return of Group C cars, Nogaro, Vallelunga and Estoril. Remember, on 24/2 most of those dates were TBC.
From the last lines of the 11/3 email you see more to come at the end of March, in your mother's tongue: The detailed program for the second part of the season will be unveiled within a fortnight.
Edit myself: LMC website still working.

Yes sorry GPAO.

In theory by early/mid June Brits will be able to travel to both GPAO and GPH de F?

I would think LMC relies more on British spectators - these will be less willing to travel over than the racing Brits.

I am still hopeful to come over to GPAO and GPH!

[john ruston]

LMC is a puzzle at moment.
Understand ACO want it to run but need spectators and club cars
There are people who should know these things find it unlikely although Monaco Historic's organisers are very bullish about that going ahead.
Throw in the duty and customs difficulties and peoples apprehension travelling looks a bit of a lottery.
I wanted to take two cars to Spa for 6 hr meeting . If LMC on we will take both with second one needing carnet but if LMC is cancelled not doing paperwork for a single race trip to Europe.
Peculiar situation!

[Gerard C]

No worry for GPAO its not often that a French uses an acronym! And I worked for the former owner during two years or so, I'm almost fluent…

Re the vaccination here (no political words intended) I do hope that within two months and a half, "some" of us will have had their jab. No kidding!

If you can go to both GPAO and GPH de F this would be good news. For you first, for the competitors and quite a few millions of citizens if not more!
Bear in mind that the facilities like hotels are not numerous, specially around Le Castellet and the accesses to the Paul Ricard track can be jammed.

[john ruston]

If you were older Will like us old farts could have had the jab.
You now know who are the International Star Drivers are!
Never in history have so many geriatrics been called international sportsmen!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by john ruston

If you were older Will like us old farts could have had the jab.
You now know who are the International Star Drivers are!
Never in history have so many geriatrics been called international sportsmen!

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Peculiar situation!

Words are missing to tell you how much I understand your feelings, John.
Imagine LMC need circa 100 k spectators and if the allowance per village is 5k it gives twenty villages in total! Not realistic imo.
But OK, lets imagine its feasible. Then how do you manage the parkings and campings and how do you avoid people to change place with each other? Counting them one by one? And the paddock entrance will become a happy-very-few affair…

Breaking news from this evening: 16 districts are lock-downed for at least one month, curfew is maintained for everyone… Next step will be end of April if I'm right.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Never in history have so many geriatrics been called international sportsmen!

And professionals! Good to see you keep on smiling.

[Colin McKay]

If you have survived the competitor's camping toilets at LMC covid won't be a problem!

[Gerard C]

No doubt Mike is smiling. Cheers!

[Gerard C]

Of course we're talking LMC several times a day with friends. All of a sudden I had a thought for the competitors entering in a series where cracking test is mandatory. For instance, one of my mate drives a WM. If everything goes wrong, some will have to make a new test while the car will have cover zero mile… OMG!

[Gerard C]

John and Will, what is the last rumor re LMC in your area? Delayed to August then to 2022 may be?

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

If you have survived the competitor's camping toilets at LMC covid won't be a problem!

Are they the last outpost of traditional Le Mans toilets? I remember when I first went in the 80s things were not what we were used to in the UK!

Sent from my AC2003 using Tapatalk

[Gerard C]

Dont even think about comparing what is done in the UK vs France, Max. It works with what is not done. Whatever the subject. I remember you said France is no more the country you used to appreciate, I agreed upon that, and its sad to say things did not improve much…

In the other hand, Mike recognized that the toilet situation has been improved at Dijon Prenois, emphasizing it was at the expense of the restaurant! So is the suggested choice, no more fromage ou/et dessert, it became toilets or restaurant there… Still, its a great track, dont you think so?

[Will Nuthall]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

John and Will, what is the last rumor re LMC in your area? Delayed to August then to 2022 may be?

Presumably it was scheduled to happen in 2022 anyway? So suppose cancellation/another postponing would be a similar thing.

John you could also do the Oldtimer?!
No jab for me for a while yet...although you'd be surprised how long I've been around! That Tour Auto was quite a while ago now!!

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Will Nuthall

although you'd be surprised how long I've been around!

Did you finish on the podium at Dijon, 2016 may be, driving a Cooper? Bravely taking over your mate Barry Cannell before the check' flag? That's what I found in some archives about Motors Cup.

[Will Nuthall]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Did you finish on the podium at Dijon, 2016 may be, driving a Cooper? Bravely taking over your mate Barry Cannell before the check' flag? That's what I found in some archives about Motors Cup.

That would be me - I think first time racing at Dijon was a bit earlier...maybe 2013!

[Gerard C]

Sure you had this: https://racingcarmedia.com/index.php...on-motors-cup/ Note Simon H Lola sponsorship which became "Giitanes". Clever!
https://www.newsclassicracing.com/Di...p-2-l-histoire
I see you're a GWR winner, Silverstone and Charade too. Not really Mr Johns, yes? Kudos. What do you intend to drive at LMC, if I may ask?

[Will Nuthall]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Sure you had this: https://racingcarmedia.com/index.php...on-motors-cup/ Note Simon H Lola sponsorship which became "Giitanes". Clever!
https://www.newsclassicracing.com/Di...p-2-l-histoire
I see you're a GWR winner, Silverstone and Charade too. Not really Mr Johns, yes? Kudos. What do you intend to drive at LMC, if I may ask?

Anything to get around French advertising laws!

Thank you - must have been lucky a few times!

Unfortunately no racing at LMC would be just working on a car, the only other time I have been down for it was 2018 and didn't race then either!
It's one for this to do list at some point if I get the opportunity!

[john ruston]

Will , compared to an old boy like me your still young!
Pre War race at Ring is a regularity . My cars won the race five times when it was a proper race 2x 30 min races with five different cars.
It may be worthwhile if we think about post wars for Oldtimers if the PA races are stopped.
LMC , everyone has an opinion but the people who do know are not saying.
Local hoteliers are saying it’s cancelled but people wired into ACO are implying that they want it to go ahead as they need the money.
I can’t see how they can generate funds if those thousands of club cars are not allowed or in Brits case don’t want to cross Channel

[Will Nuthall]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Will , compared to an old boy like me your still young!
Pre War race at Ring is a regularity . My cars won the race five times when it was a proper race 2x 30 min races with five different cars.
It may be worthwhile if we think about post wars for Oldtimers if the PA races are stopped.
LMC , everyone has an opinion but the people who do know are not saying.
Local hoteliers are saying it’s cancelled but people wired into ACO are implying that they want it to go ahead as they need the money.
I can’t see how they can generate funds if those thousands of club cars are not allowed or in Brits case don’t want to cross Channel

Ah I thought it was could have been a race again, shame!

The latest French lockdown seemingly includes Alpes-Maritimes and is on until at least the Sunday before Monaco...

[Gerard C]

Watta mess… This is about french meetings/trainings only, not Monaco not LMC.
Last communication from our MSUK was 12 March.
Following the PM announcements (well…) today 19th new deal.
We're warned that all is to be discussed and decided locally, step by step, region by region, town, organiser, meeting, cars, karting…
On n'est pas sortis de l'auberge, in other words not sorted yet. Sorry for the bad news.

[kickstart]

Foreign trips this summer are looking less likely if this article is right
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56467813

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by kickstart

Foreign trips this summer are looking less likely if this article is right
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56467813

Holidays, yes, but for business people or those involved in sporting events?

[midgetman]

How does a sporting event differ from a holiday for the Ordinary Joe?

I've just been listening to a virologist talking about this on Five Live. He seems to think International travel, particularly to France ATM, is the biggest threat to our safety. "Don't repeat the mistakes of 2020" was his theme. He thinks people bringing the virus back from overseas was a big driver of the winter wave here.

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[john ruston]

At our historic level it should be classed as a holiday!
Certainly calling historic drivers in FIA events international sportsmen is a very long stretch of credulity. You let the drivers travel across boarders and then the teams and hangers on and more spread of new variants which we now understand may not be totally covered by AZ or P vaccines.
If Joe Bloggs is going to be prevented in going to Benidorm I should not go to Dijon or anywhere else to mess with old bags of bolts.