guilleracing Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi all, Now that the season is over, and the nights are drawing in, thoughts are already turning to next year. I have offered to arrange the participation of British drivers in French events over the last few years. Those who have taken up the challenge have become regulars but they are few in number. I am really interested in knowing what is putting people off. It does cost a bit more than the standard UK event, but not much. Our hillclimbs are generally 2 to 5 miles long, well organised, safe and have a lovely social scene as part of a weekends racing. Please respond as if there is something missing I would be pleased to include it in any future event. Cheers, Greg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon.Rogers1 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I would really love to do one of these events however there are a number of issues. 1. It really needs to not clash with a L7C event. 2. Budget 3. A more detailed list of how etc and the criteria for entry would be useful I suspect that for the moment budget is the main thing stoping me doing this as I must afford most of the L7C events first. You must not underestimate how close a community the Speed Champs for this Club is and that I suspect if everyone else is like me, attending an event is just as much about the driving as is the comradery and banter. Anyway further info can not harm. I'm not just accross the channel either it takes me 5hrs to get to a ferry Management Team Member If in doubt.......Flat out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi Simon, I can't emphasise enough the simplicity of entering. I have run my seven 1990 classic model at numerous events. Apart from putting a new harness, the sole preparation for the event was fitting a small hand held extinguisher into the car. If you drive in events in the UK France will be no problem. The driver must be clad from head to foot in nomex and have a proper "in date" helmet. It is as easy as this, e-mail me for an entry form, fill it in, post it to me and turn up on the day. I have never refused an entry, if you enter, you will be given a place. Better yet, send no money with the entry, pay on the day! We have events 40 miles from St Malo or Roscoff so distance shouldnt be a problem. As an example, St Goueno in Brittany is so well organised, they even have a lady who finds you a hotel room for the event. We even have an insurance in place to recover you back to the UK by private air ambulance should the unfortunate happen. Cost £25.00 per event. Cheers, Greg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david nelson Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I would be intrested but support Simon's post. What sort of licance would we need? Someone said that Han's devises we mandatory in France from 2010, is this correct? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi David, I have had a HANS device for the last three years and I must admit I do not know for sure if is a regulation for 2010. I will phone the federation in France and confirm. You can participate on any level of car MSA licence, some action here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi Greg - I have in the past expressed an interest in doing the ones you organise bu they have always clashed with a club event and as such makes it not as attractive ☹️ however if you could arrange one up Mt Ventoux Do you have next years calendar yet 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 Sorry but the world of banking and their credit crunch have put the brakes on the events at Le ventoux ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racing Snake Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi Very interested but need to know details, please Tea Party Chairman Mad Hatter Racing - Feel The Duralight R Torque 😬 Carl Van Baars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon.Rogers1 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 So over and above next years MSA regs we will need Nomex Boots and belts to which standard. This year we did not need gloves. Next year we do. We really need to fit this into the calendar. I sugest we speak once we know the calendar in about a months time. Simon Management Team Member If in doubt.......Flat out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racing Snake Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 If i am right there are 3 french meetings very close to each other I would be Very interested in these for starters Might not be in the 7 though hope that would not be a problem Tea Party Chairman Mad Hatter Racing - Feel The Duralight R Torque 😬 Carl Van Baars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 This year there were four meetings on each weekend in May. The last one was free entry. The format is normally two day event, practice on Saturday, Racing on Sunday. Relaxed scrutineering, no technical requirements apart from safety requirements you would see on British hills. These events are open to ANY three or four wheeled vehicles. The only exclusions are for bangers. We have had competitors running with eveything fron 1930s Aston Martins to 2009 Lotus Exiges. I suggest anyone who is interested looks on Youtube. The French for hillclimbing is Course De Cote. Greg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Hi Chaps, Here is a 7s eye view of La Pommeraye. Pays de la Loire. Very close to Norman Verona, I believe. We have been going there for 5 years. Run by the chaps who do the 24 hours of Le Mans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon.Rogers1 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Greg May is the issue here I think. We have events from the end of April on something like 4 out of 7 weekends. Simon Management Team Member If in doubt.......Flat out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Hi again, I have a first date for a nice way to get started. The weekend of the 29th of May is the event at St Goueno. This is an event in the French National Hillclimb Championship. This is a chance to rub shoulders with the big French teams and the National class professional drivers. St Goueno is 40 km West of Rennes. I'm going to send my entry in soon as this is a brilliant event. 3.2 km long. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Hi all, I have checked with the Federation today and the HANS device is shown as a regulation for FRENCH drivers competing in the French championship. Our participation is classed as a demonstration run to show the public in France something they don't normally see. We are not running in the French event so don't need to comply with all the rules. I will telephone a few of the organisers over the next few days to get a feeling of what they require. My advice is wear a HANS device though, my datalogger from my Group C prototype shows 120mph + on several parts of the courses in France. I have seen the sport version of the HANS for sale at £410.00 ( RallyNuts.) You can also have the anchors fitted to an existing helmet. I did my own with genuine parts from Schroth but I am sure Demon Tweeks offer the service. Greg. Edited by - guilleracing on 14 Oct 2009 09:07:53 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahame W Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Certainly interested in longer events, but agree with others regarding budget timing etc. Clearly if it were possible to do 2 events each end of a weeks holiday then that would make the travel investment more worthwhile. Time is however the biggest problem, not only to fit in around the club speed championship but also with regard to advance planning. We will in a few weeks know all of the club speed event dates for 2010, and that really helps plan time and budget, if we couold have a similar list of French events we could enter at a similar time of the year then that would really help us to plan now for time and money and would put competing in France firmly in the plan for 2010. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 If this video doesn't encourage you, I give up! Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikes Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Looks brilliant -would love to do it, but obviously depends on our Championship -do they do double drives? My daughter Kate might not be that keen on UK hillclimbs - happy on the circuits though, but this is something else! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 Hi, We have tried the double drive thing. There are problems. Do either of you speak French? If not it can become very confusing for the French pit marshalls. The concept of double drives does not have much history in France and is quite difficult to get arranged. A better plan is to do two events and each have a go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englishmaninwales Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Judith and I would be interested in a dual drive, depending on cost and dates, but it can become very confusing for the French pit marshalls. surely it's not that complicated? Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 Hi, The complication arrises when you arrive in the staging area and the French marshal says, "Mais Monsieur, vous avez deja montee la course!" "Fait un demi tour et retour au parc pilotes" What will you reply? I should make it clear that the organisers of the event buy in their race officials in. For example, I was once at a club meeting and I was scrutineered by one of the French formula one scrutineers. He was tough. My French log book for my Prototype was arranged by France's chief scrutineer who sits on the le mans eligability panel. These chaps are used to tthe very highest level of professionalism and club level motorsport can be a bit strange to them. Double drives can seem to these chaps like jensen button running in the GP2 race as well as the F1 race. I am open to suggestion as to how we could include this in the weekend. What happens at the moment is that the event is run in batches. The British batch runs up the hill and then the French. This is done for safety reasons, the emergency services know to talk to you in ENGLISH. Mixing up the batches could be potentially problematic. Please don't be put off , come and have a go. As mentioned the month of May has events every weekend so split the driving between two drivers. In the meantime I can ask the question about double drives. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gibson Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Hi Greg, I would be interested in coming along to some events. We tend to have a break in the events over the summer so it would be nice to work in a holiday around some French events. If you can resolve the double drive issue then I would be interested. There are quite a number of double drivers in our championship (and British Sprinting and Hillclimbing in general from what I have seen) so this would be a barrier to entry for most. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englishmaninwales Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 What happens at the moment is that the event is run in batches. As you know, the batch system at Loton, Harewood, Shelsley Walsh etc. enables dual drives, with a change over for dual drives between batches in the start area or Paddock. Surely this just needs replicating through prior planning, and an understanding of the arrangements by drivers, paddock and start marshalls? Malcolm Edited by - Englishmaninwales on 16 Oct 2009 10:35:44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 Hi, Just a thought, There is always the option of running a completely British event on a French hill. We have discussed this with the organisers and it is do-able. I will ask around a few organisers an see what the required number of cars is. This could be fitted in around your championship. Greg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Greg A French hillclimb is on my list of events to enter however, my first priority must be the clubs Speed Championship. Whilst I think it would be a great idea to have a British Hillclimb in France I think it would be unfair to include it as a round of our championship as a number of competitors would immediately be excluded on the grounds of cost as not everyone's budget can extend to a trip to France. Keep us posted with the dates and once the clubs Speed Championship calendar is published for next year people will be able to choose which events to enter. Mark D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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