Promises kept!
On the occasion of the races and the gathering of a host of champions, the KENNOL Grand Prix de France Historique delivered a truly memorable event for the public at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Tens of thousands of passionate fans were there to enjoy it.
The flagship meeting, orchestrated by HVM Racing, the Circuit Paul Ricard, and the FFSA, naturally gave pride of place to competition this weekend, notably with a highlight grid featuring a record number of 1970s/80s Formula 1 cars.
Between two "modern" Grands Prix, Charles Leclerc made a special appearance to greet the public and even gave the start signal. The Scuderia Ferrari driver, accompanied by his team principal Frédéric Vasseur, was one of the major Formula 1 figures to have accepted the invitation from Jean Alesi, President of the Var circuit.
On the racing front, the festive programme worked its magic particularly during the second Masters F1 race, which saw Jacques Villeneuve give the start, and in Group C, where triple Le Mans winner Marcel Fässler secured a new victory.
During the midday demo session, another unforgettable sequence unfolded, bringing together numerous champions, some of whom seized the opportunity to take the wheel of one of their father's iconic Formula 1 cars. This included Jacques Villeneuve (Ferrari 312 T5 from 1980), Adrien Tambay (McLaren M28 from 1979), Nicolas Prost (Renault RE40 from 1983), and Victor Jabouille (Renault RS10 from 1979).
They were joined by others driving legendary F1 cars: Jean Alesi at the wheel of his very first Formula 1 car, the 1989 Tyrrell, as well as Stefan Johansson (McLaren), Thierry Boutsen (Wolf), Philippe Alliot (Larrousse), and Julien Fébreau (Arrows). René Arnoux and Yannick Dalmas also eventually joined them, aboard a priceless Ferrari P4.
COMPETITION SCHEDULE 