THE V DE V SPORTS 2025 CALENDAR UNVEILED

After a successful 2024 with the 6 Hours of Navarra as the new opening round of the season, the 6 Hours of Paul Ricard as a summer event and the famous 2 Tours d’Horloge as the closing race, in 2025 V de V Sports will offer three major rendezvous as the main attractions at the meetings, which are also rich in exciting support grids.

The 2025 season will begin on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th April on the Nevers Magny-Cours circuit with a 6-hour race, which will include two free practice sessions (Saturday), one hour of qualifying (Saturday) and the race (Sunday).

Three plateaus will complete the racing programme:

– ASAVE Racing 65 reserved for GT, Touring cars and pre-66 front-engined sports two-seaters (one 30-minute free-practice session, one 30-minute qualifying session and two 45-minute races)

– ASAVE Racing 76 reserved for GT and Touring cars from 1966 to 1976 (one 30-minute free practice session, one 30-minute qualifying session and two 45-minute races). Information on https://asave.fr/

– The Saloon Car Trophy, bringing together GT and Touring cars from the 1960s to the 1990s (one 25-minute free practice session, one 25-minute qualifying session and two 30-minute races). Information on: https://www.salooncar.eu/.

Vintage and sports cars will also be in the spotlight thanks to a dedicated paddock area and the parade of clubs and collectors. More information to follow.

Nine weeks later, competitors will head to the Le Castellet circuit for the 6 Hours of Paul Ricard held on Friday 20th and Saturday 21th June as part of a meeting that will also host the F4 Spain and EUROCUP 3 grids. A one-hour free practice session is planned for Friday, then qualifying (1 hour), and the race (partly run at night), which will take place on Saturday.

Finally, the V de V Sports season will conclude on October 31 – November 1 and 2 with the 19th edition of the 2 Tours d’Horloge. It is the only competition in the world reserved for Historic Competition Vehicles run over a period of 24 hours without interruption. The event was successfully revived in 2021 by its creator Eric Van de Vyver, who is now associated with his daughter Laure in the organisation of this race that’s unique in the world. On the programme: two hours free practice and two hours qualifying and night testing on Friday. The 24-hour race starts on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and finishes on Sunday at 3:00 p.m!

As at the start of the season, the line-up will be completed by the ASAVE Racing 65 and Racing 76 grids, which will have a 30-minute free practice session, a 30-minute qualifying session and two 45-minute races respectively with, in addition, the Lotus Trophy, reserved for Lotus Sevens from the 1960s and Caterham 1600 Kents from the 1980s and 1990s (a 20-minute free practice session, a 20-minute qualifying session and two 30-minute races). Information on: https://www.tropheelotus.fr/.

BIG NAMES AT THE START!

The 2 Tours d’Horloge, the blue-riband race of the season, are accustomed to welcoming among their entrants renowned drivers and personalities from the world of motoring and sport. Starting with former tennis player Henri Leconte (winner of the Davis Cup in 1991, finalist of the French Open in 1988 and winner of the Roland Garros men’s doubles tournament in 1984), a participant from the very beginning in this race where he has often shared the wheel of a TVR Griffith 200 with Eric Van de Vyver. Grégory Galiffi, the presenter of the Direct Auto show broadcast on the C8 channel discovered this event two years ago at the wheel of a Porsche 944 S2 run by the team managed by Alain Cudini (former French Touring Car Champion who also took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans thirteen times), was once again at the start of the race in the 2023 edition. His colleague from Auto Moto on TF1, Jean-Pierre Gagick, another great fan of events bringing together historic competition vehicles, also tasted the magic of the 2 Tours d’Horloge in 2023 and was back again this year with his personal Mustang.

Among the former winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans who have also recently entered for the 2 Tours d’Horloge is Benoît Tréluyer victorious in the Sarthe classic in 2011, 2012 and 2014 at the wheel of a works Audi R18 e-Tron Quattro TDI. He also won the FIA World Endurance Championship title in 2012 as well as filling the runner-up spot in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In addition, his results include Japanese championship titles in Super GT (2008) and Formula Nippon (2006).

Last November, Philippe Gache (talented driver in F3000, IndyCar, Touring, Endurance, Rally Raid, etc.) teamed up with the Monegasque father/son duo composed of Jean-Pierre and Stéphane Richelmi. While the father has brilliantly distinguished himself in rallying, his son has an impressive record in modern endurance racing: LMP2 champion in the World Endurance Championship in 2016 and LMP2 winner in the 24 Hours of Le Mans the same year, LMP2 runner-up in WEC in 2018 and 2019, LMP2 champion in the Asian Le Mans Series in 2017-2018).

Another entrant is Soheil Ayari, one of the most successful and eclectic French racing drivers with a total of 7 French championship titles (single-seater, Super Touring and Grand Touring), two European GT championship titles, a title in the International Le Mans Cup in LMP2, victory in the Formula 3 World Cup in Macau, and 5 podiums in F3000, as well as Raymond Narac credited with several titles and victories in GT in the greatest endurance races.

With a rich calendar of three events in 2025 which will result in a final classification, V de V Sports’ intention is to fulfill the expectations of the many teams and drivers who love authentic endurance races reserved for VHCs.