Angouleme Celebrates Alfa Romeo

From the Archives, September, 2010

Story and Photos by Ian Wilson

The first motor race around the streets of Angouleme, les Circuits des Remparts, with racers like Jean-Pierre Wimille, Maurice Trintignant and Raymond Sommer taking part, was held in 1939 in this charming piece of French countryside.

Sommer won with his private Alfa Romeo 308. Racing ceased in 1955 after the Le Mans tragedy, thankfully being revived in vintage form in 1978. Along with Monaco and Pau, Angouleme is one of the last surviving great street circuits.

On September 17-19th, more than seventy years after Sommer’s victory, the tiny town of Angouleme in France celebrated the centenary of Alfa with the roar of the twin overhead camshaft engines reverberating through the streets once again. Amazingly, the only changes to the circuit are straw bales replaced by steel Armco. Like many other major vintage event such as Monterey and Goodwood, les Circuits des Remparts, (circuit of the city walls) has become a weekend for showing off your cars, joining in the rally, entering the races, meeting friends, old and new, making contacts, and swapping tales. But the backdrop is the capitol of the Charente, a particularly beautiful region of France. Entrants and visitors come from all over Europe to be part of this special event.

By Friday the streets and squares filled with exotic machinery, echoing through this ancient place, most getting ready for the Concours d’Elegance, a spectacle where entrants display their beloved cars, appearing in period dress in front of an enthusiastic audience. Saturday morning, bright and ever so early, one can see hundreds of amazing cars gathering by the banks of the Charente River outside the new home of the Bande Dessinée (international comic book festival).

Teams study their maps in readiness for the tour of the sweeping countryside of the Charente Department. But maps are not really necessary, as you are greeted by the sight of local people at nearly every junction encouraging the cars and giving directions. Like the Mille Miglia, the route is lined with young and old, enjoying the sounds and sights of this wonderful display of classic vehicles. Lunch is taken in Cognac and a further route routed everyone back to the finishing rostrum in the Champs de Mars in Angouleme. During the day those who stayed in town were entertained by a superb display of the vehicles designed by Jacques Durand, who created as series of cars using Renault and Panhard engines (Sovam, Sera, Arista). It was an amazing collection of cars from the pen of one man. Around the Hotel de Ville gardens, set amongst the flowers sat a mouth watering array of cars.

Sunday morning practice has entrants driving around in the tire tracks of the famous, avoiding kerbs, barriers, handling the ever so tight hairpin corners and working out how and where to overtake. A few competitors did not make it through to their races due to the odd mishap, mechanical and directional. Most however, made it through safely.

The race classes were as follows:

#Plateau Jean-Pierre Wimille (Vintage Cars)
#Plateau Henri Pescarolo (GT & GTS)
#Plateau DB – Charles Deutsch – René Bonnet
#Plateau Jean Rolland (Alfa Romeo’s homage)
#Plateau Maurice Trintignant (Vintage Cars)
#Plateau Bugatti Grand Prix
#Plateau MEP – Monomills
#Plateau Gérard Larrousse (GT & GTS)
#Plateau Robert Manzon (Grand-Prix 1950-59)
#FINAL Larousse – Pescarolo

Three wheeled Morgans dominated the first race, the Wimille Plateau (plateau being used here by the French as a tray or selection as analogous to class) demonstrating how to lay down single tyre rubber tracks! Fast, furious and brave action, close racing was the order of the day.

The Pescarolo GT race saw Paul Conway make it third time lucky, as he steered and slid his thundering V8 Morgan between the barriers just keeping ahead of the fast charging Damien Kohler in the very quick Diva GT, after a race long tussle. Alfas, Minis, MGA and Jaguar made up the field as the two leaders weaved their way through to the chequered flag.

A host of mainly blue DB Panhards then took to the streets—a race just for DBs(!), with lots of three wheeled cornering, and a number not making it to the finish. All the same, a credit to the car and fascinating to see so many DBs out racing.

Alfas made a welcome return to Angouleme in the Jean Rolland event and screamed their way amongst the tall buildings, in and out of the sun as it pierced through the gaps between houses, their shrill and evocative sound thrilling the crowds. Celebrating their Centenary, Alfas could be seen all around the town.

The Trintignant race saw MGs, Rileys, Amilcars and the giant eleven liter Vauxhall of Tony Lees relive the early history of this event. Lots of opposite lock driving being a welcome sight from the current GP racing. Close racing and much overtaking as well.

The Bugatti race was robbed of a potentially titanic battle due to the non appearance of Martin Overington in his 35B. However Michael Hudson took up the reins and gave all watching a wonderful display in his similar car. Eighteen Bugattis is an awesome sight and sound, and brought out the rare 1933 type 59, last of the GP racers.

Monomills also had their own affair and gave us an insight into Rene Bonnet’s 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s single seat Panhard and Citroen engine cars, a great sight and sound, being driven with so much enthusiasm.

The Larousse grid brought together tail happy GT racers, doing their best to slide their way round, avoiding contact with the all too close Armco. Agile Alpines, powerful Porsches, mighty Minis, while the favorite Peerless and Warwick drifted to the delight of the crowd in the late summer sun.

A glorious array of eagerly awaited Historic GP and single seat cars took to the tarmac. Ferrari, Cooper, Talbot, Gordini returned to their old haunt, to make the hairs stand on end and take us back to those halcyon days in a magnificent show of wonderful machinery.

The finale brought out the top honors from the two GT races, but a problem with the leading Porsche early in the proceedings robbed us of a super final charge to the line, as it stopped suddenly on the exit from the last corner, all the fast following cars somehow managing to avoid the parked Porsche! This did not stop the remainder making the most of it, putting on a great display for the approving crowds, rounding off yet another wonderful weekend. See you here in September 2011.

More great photos below!