L’année 2026 marque les 50 ans des débuts de la Renault Alpine A442 aux 24 Heures du Mans. Début 1976, le pari d’y faire triompher un V6 turbocompressé semblait encore très ambitieux, cette technologie n’ayant alors rien prouvé dans une compétition de ce niveau. La fiabilité et le temps de réponse à l’accélération se présentaient comme deux obstacles difficilement surmontables pour l’imposer dans la course la plus exigeante au monde.

Fifty years ago, Renault and Alpine officially returned to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the ambition of establishing turbocharged engine technology at the world’s greatest endurance race. Their first campaign, in 1976, ultimately ended in retirement for the sole A442 entered, but the prototype’s potential was underlined by pole position and the fastest lap of the race, both set by Jean-Pierre Jabouille.

The Circuit Paul Ricard played a decisive role in the success of the A442 and A443 programme. Between 1976 and 1978, the cars completed extensive private testing there in the hands of some of France’s leading drivers of the era: Patrick Depailler, Guy Fréquelin, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, Jacques Laffite, Henri Pescarolo, Didier Pironi, Jean Ragnotti and Patrick Tambay.

The choice of the venue was no coincidence. The climate at Circuit Paul Ricard is often mild, even during winter, while the layout itself offered a feature unique among permanent European circuits at the time: a straight long enough - 1,800 metres - to replicate the demands of the Hunaudières straight at 24 Hours of Le Mans.

It was notably on the Mistral Straight that the distinctive plexiglass bubble was tested, a solution developed to improve aerodynamics and gain around 5 to 6 km/h in top speed, pushing performance towards 360 km/h. Following testing at Circuit Paul Ricard, some drivers adopted it while others rejected it due to the extreme cockpit temperatures it generated. While Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud showcased its effectiveness by winning the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, the achievement was tempered by Pironi collapsing at the finish after the physical strain of the race.

Back to the Paul Ricard HQ

Fifty years after the start of this successful campaign, three Renault Alpine A441, A442 B and A443 will return to the circuit where they competed most frequently: Circuit Paul Ricard, on the occasion of Les 2 Tours d’Horloge. A A441 will be presented by Jean-Charles Rédélé (interview below), while an A442 B and an A443 will be brought by The Originals Renault – La Collection.

All three cars will take part in on-track demonstrations and will be on display to the public in the paddock. Alain Serpaggi, who was involved in the early stages of the programme from 1973 by developing the naturally aspirated 2-litre A440 and A441 sports prototypes, will be present. On track, he will be joined by Victor Jabouille and Julien Saunier.

The son of Jean Rédélé, founder of the Alpine brand, will exhibit his A441 in the paddock of the 2 Tours d’Horloge and will take part in the race in an A310 V6, together with his three daughters: Ève, Laure and Victoire.

What does the fiftieth anniversary of the official return of Alpine and Renault to Le Mans mean to you?
Jean-Charles Rédélé: This Endurance programme was the culmination of everything my father had undertaken in the discipline since 1963. It represents a lineage of truly remarkable cars. I own an A441 with a naturally aspirated Gordini V6 engine, the chassis that became European Champion in 1974, which I will drive during the opening of the 2 Tours d’Horloge. It will please Alain Serpaggi: he was the one who drove it at the time, and he also carried out its shakedown in 2012 after its restoration.

Will you also be taking part in the race?
Yes, with my A310 V6, the last model designed by my father. This will be my fourth consecutive participation, always alongside my three daughters. We continue to make progress each year, and this time the objective is a top-15 finish. The car is prepared with particular attention paid to the gearbox, its Achilles’ heel. Otherwise, it remains a very reliable model overall.

What attracts you to the 2 Tours d’Horloge?
I made my motorsport debut at the 1992 edition of the 2 Tours d’Horloge, the very first one, at the wheel of a Berlinette. Since then, I have competed there around ten times. It is a race accessible to beginners while still offering a very high level for those fighting at the front. Everyone can find their place. My daughters made their debut there with only a Fun Cup race as prior experience. There is an atmosphere and a mindset in Endurance racing that cannot be found elsewhere: it is a true collective adventure, a genuine team discipline.

Saturday, April 11, 12:00 p.m. – The day after a qualifying session marked by pole position for the exotic KMW Porsche no. 61, tension rises another notch as the cars are lined up in staggered formation on the pit straight. There is still time to finalize strategies, while keeping a close eye on a highly uncertain weather forecast.

A trio breaks away right from the start, given at 12:30 p.m. on a dry track: Marc de Siebenthal in the KMW Porsche no. 61, Romain Belleteste in the Chevron B16 Bi‑Rotor no. 48, and Benjamin Monnay in the Chevron B16 no. 84. Belleteste and Monnay swap positions several times, before the latter begins to lose ground to his two rivals, conceding an average of one second per lap. On lap 12, Belleteste takes the lead, without managing to pull away from de Siebenthal, who strikes back on lap 21. Both drivers regularly set the fastest lap of the race, closing in on the pole time as fuel loads decrease. After one hour of racing, only two tenths of a second separate them, while Monnay is already nearly 40 seconds behind.

After two hours of racing, the stoppage on track of the Porsche 911 3.0 SC no. 9 brings out the safety car. Daniel Roustan and Jean‑André Collard, who have taken over from their respective teammates in the Chevron B16 Bi‑Rotor no. 48 and the KMW Porsche no. 61, find themselves wheel to wheel once again.

At this stage of the race, everyone is closely monitoring fuel consumption in order to stop at the right moment at one of the Sodifuel fuel pumps, the official Aramco fuel distributor for V de V Sports events. In this respect, the advantage goes to the KMW Porsche, capable of running for two hours without refueling, while the fuel‑hungry Mazda bi‑rotor forces the Chevron B16 to pit every 100 minutes.

Another handicap for the crew of the Chevron no. 48 is that its brake pads must be replaced at mid‑race, whereas those of its rival can last the full 8 hours without change. And as if that were not enough, Daniel Roustan and Romain Belleteste receive three drive‑through penalties for repeatedly exceeding track limits. All of this benefits the Châteaux Sport Auto team, which moves back up to second place with its Chevron no. 84.

The KMW Porsche crew now holds more than a one‑lap lead over its closest rival, but then drama strikes: the car stops in its pit. A mounting for the oil catch tank has broken, and fluid has leaked onto the tires. The car rejoins the race, but now finds itself two laps behind the Chevron.

The race seems decided – but not so fast! In the final hour, the weather intervenes and, against all expectations, the main failure caused by the arrival of rain is not human but mechanical. Moisture seeps into the distributor cap of the leading car, which drops to third place. The KMW regains the lead, while the safety car comes out following the stoppage of the Porsche 944 no. 20. The race is restarted for one final lap, which changes nothing.

Marc de Siebenthal and Jean‑André Collard (KMW Porsche SP 30 no. 61) take the win, ahead of Romain Belleteste and Daniel Roustan (Chevron B16 Bi‑Rotor no. 48). Unlucky in the final minutes, Benjamin Monnay and Augustin Sanjuan (Chevron B16 no. 84) nonetheless secure a place on the podium.

Jean‑André Collard, winner alongside Marc de Siebenthal at the wheel of the KMW Porsche SP 30 no. 61: “Shortly after the rain started, we decided to fit rain tires, and it was the right choice. For a few laps, we were fifteen seconds quicker than those who stayed out. And I must admit, we rather like the rain in Belgium! This is only our second race with this car, after our podium at the 2 Tours d’Horloge in November. This KMW Porsche had never won in period racing; yet it was very competitive in Interserie. Marc de Siebenthal, who prepares the car, is over the moon, as is its owner, my uncle Serge Libens.”

In the category of ‘small’ prototypes under 2 liters, Lionel Vancheri, Florent Cazalot and Maxime Jouvin take victory in the Crosslé 47 S no. 40. In Saloon Car, the win goes to the BMW 323i no. 35 of Éric Wassermann and Charles Veillard. The first Porsche 944 was number 20 of Arnold Noret and Jacques Colibet. Finally, in Touring, the BMW 635 Gr.A no. 12 driven by Anthony Schrauwen and Tom Cloet claims first place.

Rendez-vous aux 2 Tours d’Horloge

The winners were presented with Depancel watches, Allure and D\[r]iver Black models. The French brand, partner of V de V Sports, will soon produce a special series dedicated to the 2 Tours d’Horloge. The trophies awarded to the winners came from the Fabrique du Chat Noir: a monumental engraved plaque, entirely handmade by Corentin du Chatnoir in his workshop at Les Garennes‑sur‑Loire, near Angers. Finally, Benson & Cherry, official outfitter of V de V Sports, also treated the competitors by offering each of them a polo shirt.

Beyond the sporting aspect, the Spanish meeting was, as always with V de V Sports, placed under the banner of conviviality, illustrated by the giant paella organized on Friday evening, which brought together drivers, mechanics, marshals and officials.

The next rendezvous is scheduled for November 6, 7 and 8 at the Paul Ricard circuit, for the 2 Tours d’Horloge, the only 24‑hour race in the world entirely dedicated to historic vehicles. In the meantime, you can follow our news on Facebook Facebook and Instagram, with exciting announcements to come…

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ASAVE '65, Race 2

The competitors had clearly learned the lessons of the previous day, particularly in the very tricky Turn 17, and no penalties were handed out this time for exceeding track limits. The tireless Damien Kohler, who had won the ASAVE 76 race a few minutes earlier, was less fortunate at the wheel of his Lotus Elan and was forced to retire. Victory ultimately went to another Lotus Elan, no. 26, driven by Patrick Chalendard. Worth noting is the superb third place of the venerable Austin Healey BJ2 no. 161, a 1959 car shared by Serge Libens and Jean‑André Collard. A final tip of the hat to Dominique Jouvin, who took his small Mini no. 111 to the top of the Touring category and achieved a remarkable fourth place overall.

ASAVE '76, Race 2

After an excellent start, Florian Zavattin managed to keep up with the pace set by Damien Kohler during the opening laps. Then, notably due to tire wear, the driver of the Ford Escort no. 24 gradually lost ground to the Ford GT40 no. 16. Behind this leading duo, Jean‑Jacques Renaut seemed well on his way to securing another podium after yesterday’s result, but a minor mechanical issue forced an unscheduled stop. His son Johan, who took over at the wheel of the Porsche 911 3.0 RSR no. 17, set excellent lap times, but the delay was too great to hope to catch the Porsche 2.5 ST no. 161 of Vincent Jimenez. In the Touring category, behind Florian Zavattin, Christophe Lambert and Jérôme Lesieur claimed second place in their Alfa Romeo Giulia GT no.

Trophée Lotus, Race 2

As on the previous day, Nicolas Beloou (no. 12), Dominique Vulliez (no. 36) and Florent Cazalot (no. 11) engaged in a superb battle. Taking advantage of the slipstream on the circuit’s two long straights, they swapped positions lap after lap. Winner yesterday, Cazalot had to settle for third place this time. Between Beloou and Vulliez, the decision came in the penultimate lap, when Beloou made his move.

For an organiser, kicking off the season in spring in southern Europe offers the best chance of enjoying summer-like weather. That was indeed the case today for the free practice and qualifying sessions of the 1,000 km of Navarra in Spain. It was still 25 degrees in the air this evening at 7 p.m. when the green light came on at the end of the pit straight, releasing the competitors for the 60-minute qualifying session.

Some regular V de V Sports competitors had already raced here in 2024, but that did not necessarily give them a decisive advantage, as the circuit has evolved significantly since then. Fully resurfaced, the track has been extended by 650 meters and now features a faster sequence than before. “Those who, like us, have a good engine but poor brakes will appreciate the changes,” summed up Patrick Brossard yesterday, driver of the TVR Griffith 200 n°11.

At the start of the session, it looked like an easy pole position for Romain Belleteste and Daniel Roustan. The two drivers took turns at the wheel of the 1970 Chevron B16 (n°48), setting very consistent lap times, with a best lap of 2:00.550. The competition then seemed far behind.

But after 25 minutes of running, Marc de Siebenthal set a 2:00.069 lap in the surprising 1973 KMW (n°61), powered by a 3‑liter Porsche engine. No one would do better. Tomorrow, the Swiss driver will share the cockpit of the barchetta with his compatriot Jean‑André Collard, as well as with the car’s owner, fellow Swiss Serge Libens.

Winner here in 2024, Romain Belleteste therefore has to settle for second place. “I’m a bit frustrated not to have had time to go back out for one last attempt on new tires,” said the Atlantic Racing driver. “But the circuit is really great, with flow and elevation changes, without being overwhelming. It’s not a physically demanding track, but it is technical.”

Éric Wassermann and Charles Veillard will share the wheel of the BMW 323i n°35 tomorrow, which will start from the front of the grid in the Saloon Car category. Philippe Baert, Stéphane Moreau and Sébastien Morales posted the best performance in Grand Touring with the Porsche 911 3.0 SC n°9. In Touring, Vincent Truffaz and Carlos Tavares set the fastest time in the BMW 635 CSi n°183.

Marc de Siebenthal, pole-sitter in the KMW Porsche n°61: “Pole position is one thing, but the important thing is the race. We have good setups that suit all three of us. The car is well balanced. Tomorrow, we’ll adjust our race strategy depending on the weather. And we’re almost hoping for rain, because those are conditions that suit the car even better. But we’re also confident if conditions remain like today, as our Porsche engine is generally strong when track conditions put heavy demands on the mechanicals. If all the bolts are properly tightened, it should make it to the finish!”

The 1,000 km of Navarra will start tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. and finish eight hours later, at 8:30 p.m., at sunset… a sun that may well be absent, as regular showers are forecast throughout the afternoon…

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ASAVE '65

Patrick Chalendard, in the Lotus Elan n°26, took the win after a hard-fought race, having been put under pressure right up to the pit-stop sequence. A stop from which the Lotus Elan n°16 of Damien Kohler, then fighting for victory, never recovered. The podium was completed by Marc Carlin / Éric Lebreton in the Ford GT40 n°73 and Serge Libens / Jean‑André Collard in the Austin Healey n°161. In the Touring class, Dominique Jouvin imposed his Mini n°111 at the end of a fine battle with Laurent Paulus in the Ford Mustang n°69. Finally, on its first race appearance, the Lotus 23B n°146 of Régis Prévost, Xavier Rascagnères and Didier Mantz took victory in the prototype category.

ASAVE '76

Before the start, Joël Laplacette spoke of a possible duel between the Ford GT40 n°16 of Damien Kohler and the Ford Escort n°24 of Florian Vattin. The event’s announcer based this on the twisty nature of the circuit, theoretically favoring the agility of the touring car. But that was not to be. In perfect harmony with his machine, Damien Kohler ultimately took victory with more than a one‑minute advantage at the end of the 45‑minute race. Also worth noting are the 3rd place of Johan and Jean‑Jacques Renaut in their Porsche 3.0 RS, and the strong performance of Jean‑Marc Schneider, who secured a solid 5th place at the wheel of his Datsun 240 Z.

Trophée Lotus

Same drivers, same result! Regulars on the podium, Florent Cazalot (n°11), Nicolas Beloou (n°12) and Dominique Vulliez (n°36) crossed the finish line in that order. Running nose‑to‑tail throughout the race, the three drivers seemed to be waiting for “money time” to make their move… in vain, as the intervention of the safety car after Laurent Bouchetal’s off‑track excursion (n°2) definitively froze the positions.

A rich and varied prototype field 

No shortage of victory contenders

The #48 Chevron B16 Bi-Rotor fielded by Atlantic Racing will be the car to beat. Romain Belleteste, winner in 2023, is back for another crack at the Spanish venue, this time alongside Daniel Roustan. But expect the Châteaux Sport Auto camp to come out swinging : they missed out on victory by a mere 20 seconds last time around!

Chevron B16 #84 – entered for Benjamin Monnay and Augustin Sanjuan, an all-new pairing compared to last year's Navarra event – should be firmly in the mix. Another strong contender is the KMW Porsche SP30. Fresh out of the workshop just three days before the start of Les 2 Tours d'Horloge, it still managed a promising 3rd place finish. Serge Libens, Marc de Siebenthal, Henrique Gemperle and Jean-André Collard certainly have the pace to challenge at the front.

"The Chevrons were right at home in Navarra in 2024 and I'm sure the revised layout will suit them even better," says Laure Van de Vyver. "The GTs and touring cars are always in the fight too. And I expect the S2000 machinery to be really quick. Honestly, anyone's guess who's going to win."

Speaking of S2000, two Crosslé 47S entries will line up on the grid ; a first for the championship! The #40 car runs under the banner of Les 4 Fantastics, with Lionel Vancheri, Florent Cazalot, Maxime Jouvin and Romain Lachieze. The foursome made their debut at Les 2 Tours d'Horloge last November, recording just 16 stops across 24 hours and completing 343 laps (22nd overall).

The second chassis is #42, entered by team Forez Gump, with Eric Balay, Philippe Vulin, Pierrick Vulin and David Thiollier – a crew brand new to the championship. Their low fuel consumption, combined with the ability to push stints to the 2h10 maximum continuous driving limit, could be a real trump card. Also worth watching is a third Crosslé, the 9S-Zetec #28, driven by Xavier Michel and Gislain Genecand. The pair conquered Les 2 Tours d'Horloge in 2025 and will be looking to build on that momentum in 2026.

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Could the Touring Cars upset the order?

A strong BMW presence

A glance at the entry list suggests the overall winner could well emerge from the touring car ranks. Far-fetched? Not at all! A BMW 635 CSi has already claimed outright victory at the V de V Sports Barcelona 6 Hours back in 2023. That very car, #183 from Châteaux Sport Auto, is entered for the Spanish round.

A second 635 CSi will be on hand: #12, driven by Anthony Schrauwen and Tom Cloet, a team making their V de V Sports debut this very weekend. The perfect stage for an upset? Sticking with BMW and newcomers, note the arrival of the 2002 TI fielded by JAC Motors, with Bart Blommaert and Rikkert Leeman (#101). Clear evidence that V de V Sports' historic endurance racing is drawing in a steady stream of fresh competitors!

Grand Touring: expect fireworks

Will Porsche reign supreme in Navarra?

Porsches make up a full third of the grid, spanning an impressive range of models. Take the 3.0 SC #9 from GT Classic, for example.

Philippe Baert, Stéphane Moreau and Sébastien Morales ran a faultless race at Les 2 Tours d'Horloge last November, crossing the line 9th overall and first in GTS 3. They head to Navarra determined to deliver more of the same.

Two 944 S2s (#112 from JP Racing and #20 from Cudini Racing Team) along with three 964s (#24 for Christine de Siebenthal, #26 for Le Duigou Racing and #66 for Team Zoch Racing) will also be hammering the Navarra tarmac, fuelling genuine races within the race.

The German machines frequently run nose-to-tail, creating a thrilling "Cup"-style atmosphere that's a joy to watch.

Saloon Cars: guaranteed variety

BMW, Caterham, TVR and Porsche go head to head!

Rounding out the bill is the Saloon Cars (SC) category, a perfect addition to the 8 Hours of Navarra. The popular TVR Griffith 200, entered by Eric Van de Vyver and shared with Patrick Brossard, Guillaume Maillard and Pierre-Olivier Calendini, will be on track.

Taking on the yellow Brit is the eye-catching Caterham Superseven #22. Thierry Lortal and Vincent Delarche are more than capable of a standout result.

To do so, they'll need to see off the BMW 323i from Wassermann Racing and the Porsche 911 3.0 SC #72 from Flatsix Le Mans Circuit, a returning team proudly carrying the number synonymous with Le Mans. Or could the spoils go to #85 from Atlantic Racing? Because alongside the Chevron B16 already mentioned, the Belleteste family's outfit is also represented in Saloon Cars with a BMW 635 Super Production, shared among Jean-Marie Belleteste, Steve Goldin and Jose Oliveira.

BIG NAMES AT THE START!

The highlight of the season, the 2 Tours d’Horloge which traditionally welcomes renowned drivers and personalities from the world of motorsport and sport in general among its competitors. They include 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 in this race since the very beginning when he often shared the wheel of the V de V-liveried TVR Griffith 200 with Eric Van de Vyver . After discovering the 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 with thirteen participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans), Grégory Galiffi, then presenter of the show Direct Auto broadcast on the C8 channel, took part in the 2022 and 2023 editions of this race. His colleague from Auto Moto on TF1, Jean-Pierre Gagick, another great enthusiast of events bringing together historic racing cars, also experienced the magic of the 2 Tours d’Horloge since 2023.

Among the former Le Mans 24 Hours winners who also recently competed in the 2 Tours d’Horloge, let’s mention Benoît Tréluyer, winner of the Sarthe classic in 2011, 2012 and 2014 at the wheel of a works Audi R18 e-Tron Quattro TDI. He was the FIA World Endurance Champion in 2012 and filled the runner-up spot in 2013, 2014 and 2015, as well as clinching Japanese Super GT (2008) and Formula Nippon (2006) championship titles.

A key figure in the 2025 edition of the 2 Tours d’Horloge, German ace Frank Stipler, a former Audi Sport works driver (3 wins in the Nürburgring 24 Hours and 1 win in the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours driving the Audi R8 LMS), was also among the prestigious participants. After having opened up a big lead, he suffered a transmission problem that delayed his Chevron B19, prepared by the British Côtes du Rhone Racing Team, for 30 minutes in his pit. He then staged an incredible comeback ultimately finishing in second place overall!

Another renowned driver to have distinguished himself in this year’s 2 Tours d'Horloge, Andreas Bakkerud (Norwegian ace, three-time European champion and runner-up in the World Rallycross Championship) associated with José Garcia/Patrick Kolb /Patric Niederhauser at the wheel of the Lionspeed GP Porsche 964 won the GT category and finished 4th in the overall classification.

Let's also mention Philippe Gache (a talented driver in F3000, IndyCar, Touring Cars, Endurance, Rally Raid, etc.) who, in 2024 teamed up with the Monegasque father/son duo of Jean-Pierre and Stéphane Richelmi. While the father has distinguished himself brilliantly in rallying, his son boasts 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 the WEC in 2018 and 2019, LMP2 champion in the Asian Le Mans Series in 2017-2018.

Another participant was Soheil Ayari, one of the most decorated and versatile French racing drivers, with a total of 7 French championship titles (single-seater, Super Touring and Grand Touring), two European GT championship titles, one International Le Mans Cup title in LMP2, victory in the Formula 3 World Cup in Macau, and 5 podium finishes in F3000. And Raymond Narac, credited with several titles and victories in GT in the greatest endurance races.

ICONIC MANUFACTURERS IN THE RACE

Created by Jean Rédélé in 1955, the Alpine brand has distinguished itself in the most famous endurance races. Thus, from 1964 to 1969, Alpine accumulated six class victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans before achieving the holy grail by winning the race outright in 1978 thanks to Jean-Pierre Jaussaud / Didier Pironi at the wheel of an A442B. Alpine's victorious quest in the Sarthe classic has continued in recent years with three more wins in 2016, 2018 and 2019 in the LMP2 category under the banner of the Signatech Alpine team. At the 2 Tours d'Horloge, Alpine is represented by an A310 V6 in the hands of Jean-Charles Rédélé and his daughters Eve, Laure and Victoire, respectively founder of the brand Jean Rédélé’s son and his granddaughters.

Ligier, a brand founded by Guy Ligier, driver, former team boss of the eponymous car brand, which also distinguished itself in the 24 Hours of Le Mans by reaching the second step of the podium in the general classification in 1975 driven by the duo, Jean-Louis Lafosse/Guy Chasseuil in a JS2 powered by a Ford Cosworth engine. The Ligier team then shone in Formula 1 contesting 326 Grands Prix and scoring 50 podium finishes including nine victories before being bought by Alain Prost and renamed Prost Grand Prix. But the Ligier saga in endurance racing did not stop there. In 2014, a new Ligier took over from the JS2: a sports prototype named the JS P2 which finished second in the LMP2 category in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the start of a brilliant career. The starting grid of the 2 Tours d'Horloge included a Ligier JS2 entrusted to Philippe Ligier, the son of the founder, Jacques Nicolet, who took over the Ligier brand, and Pierre-Olivier Calendini whose ambitions are to recall the great memories of the halcyon days of its history.

In 2025, nearly 40 crews lined up at the start of the 2 Tours d'Horloge, bringing together around one hundred drivers from thirteen nationalities at the wheel of GTs, Sport Prototypes and Touring cars that have marked the history of Endurance.

V de V Sports would like to thank all the enthusiasts of the sport for their participation and support - because without them, this unique race would not exist.

Our thanks to the following teams: Lionspeed GP, GT Classic, Team BERSI, Cudini Racing Team, Equipe Europe, HCCR / Garage Delarche, Le Duigou Racing, CG Motorsport, Atelier 43, Wassermann Racing, Les 4 Fantastics, 2B Autosport, Atlantic Racing, Côtes du Rhône Racing Team, Mansfeld, Team Zosh Classic, CSP Le Mans, Team Giglio Racing, Chateaux Sport Auto, WKMR, Salewsky, Hyracing, L'atelier Mustang, Redele Competition, Sorg Rennsport, Modern Racing Team

A reminder - Both events on the V de V Sports 2026 calendar are open to GT/Touring cars (up to 1990), Sport-Prototypes (up to 1976), and Sports 2000 cars (up to 1986). The regulations for the 1000 km of Navarra will be identical to those of the 2 Tours d’Horloge: fitting of slick tires forbidden and crews of 2, 3, or 4 drivers, allowing the same team to remain stable throughout the season.

Not until the third hour of the race were the top three positions recaptured by the Chevron B19 (Côtes du Rhône Racing Team) (François Rivaz/Frank Stippler/Alexander Furiani), followed by the B21 (Equipe Europe) (Maxime Guénat/Armand Mille/Yves Scemama/Erwin France) and the Crosslé 9S-Zetec (Atelier 43) (Christian Vaglio-Giors/Gislain Genecand/Xavier Michel). The Equipe Europe B21 soon took the lead before suffering a starter problem and dropping to seventh place, six laps behind the leaders handing first place to the pole-sitting B19. The Atelier 43 Crosslé 9S-Zetec, hampered by a gearbox issue also fell down the time sheets.

The three drivers at the wheel of the leading Chevron proved to be very racy throughout the night thanks in particular to German driver Frank Stippler, a former Audi Sport factory member (3 wins in the Nürburgring 24 Hours and 1 win in the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours driving the Audi R8 LMS). Due to fog rolling in, the race was stopped for over an hour and then for the second time shortly before 8:00 for 2 hours and 50 minutes. At 10:45 the restart was given behind the safety car for an official start at 10:50. Four hours and ten minutes racing remained. The Côtes du Rhône Racing Team’s Chevron B19 m, driven by François Rivaz, Frank Stippler, and Alexander Furiani, continued to lead the race ahead of the KMW Porsche SP30 of the Belgian Mansfeld team in the hands of Serge Libens, Marc de Siebenthal, Henrique Gemperle, Jean André Collard, and the Chevron B21 of Maxime Guénat, Armand Mille, Yves Scemama, and Erwin France. Thus, a trio of sports prototypes led the field ahead of a trio of Porsche 964s entered by Lionspeed GP, 2B Autosport, and Salewsky.

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Watch the race again on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@vdevsports3476

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LEADERSHIP CHANGE!

At 11:32 the leading Chevron, with a lap in hand over its nearest rival, stopped at its pit (transmission problem) while Frank Stippler took over the wheel. He rejoined the race after losing 30 minutes and he was now seven laps behind the leaders. In the meantime, Mansfield’s KMW Porsche SP30, the Equipe Europe’s Chevron B21, the Lionspeed GP and 2B Autosport Porsche 964s had slipped past the leaders. Stippler then set a series of fastest laps getting around up to 15 seconds quicker than the leaders and clawing his way up to 4th place with 2 hours and 28 minutes remaining and then to 3rd place, three laps down, with 2 hours and 2 minutes left on the clock.

Thanks to its pit stop strategy, the Equipe Europe Chevron B21 took the lead. It capitalised on the safety car's intervention with 1 hour and 35 minutes remaining to make its final driver change and hold on to its overall lead. The Côtes du Rhône Racing Chevron B19 also made its final stop during the neutralisation period and rejoined the race with Stippler still at the wheel, now only two laps behind the leading Chevron. With 21 minutes to go, the German driver moved into second place less than a lap behind the leader. Despite his superb comeback, the former Audi Sport ace would finally finish 1 minute 10 seconds behind the Chevron B21 entered by Equipe Europe, which went on to win the 2 Tours d’Horloge after 406 laps completed by its drivers Maxime Guénat, Yves Scemama, Erwin France and Armand Mille, who also emerged victorious in the overall classification of the 2025 V de V VHC Endurance Challenge.

Next came the Porsche 964s of Lionspeed GP (1st in its category) for José Garcia/Patrick Kolb/Patric Niederhauser and Andreas Bakkerud (a Norwegian driver, three-time European champion and runner-up in the world rallycross championship), the 2B Autosport entry for the trio Karl, Hugues, César Vandewoestyne and Michel Mitieus,followed bythe Salewski outfit’s car crewed by Maxwell Pozler/Marcus Menden/Nick Salewski/Edgar Salewski.

The GT Classic Porsche 911 3.0 driven by Philippe Baert/Stéphane Moreau/Sébastien Morales emerged victorious in the GTS 3 category after a flawless performance and also finished 9th in the overall standings.

The Caterham Super Seven prepared by Garage Delarche for Vincent Delarche/Laurent Trichet/Thierry Lortal/Nicolas Grue put on a marvellous show winning the Saloon Car category and finishing13th overall, thus demonstrating the competitiveness and reliability of a machine run on a very reasonable budget! Unfortunately, the creator of the 2 Tours d’Horloge, Eric Van de Vyver’s irreplaceable TVR Griffith 200, did not see the finish of this edition. The car which he shared with Guillaume Maillard, Patrick Brossard and Pierre-Olivier Calendini, suffered an impact in the first part of the race and was unable to restart after the second interruption.

The TC3 category saw the victory of the BMW 325i entered by Sorg Rennsport for Dirk Bierbaum/Werner Gloyna/Bernhard Wagner/Stefan Beyer, which saw the flag in 18th spot in the overall standings on their very first participation.

We would also like to underline the success of the Alpine A310 V6 shared by Jean-Charles Rédélé and his daughters Eve, Laure and Victoire, respectively son and granddaughters of Jean Rédélé the founder of the brand, who won the GT3 category as well as finishing 19th in the overall standings.

Winner of the H-TC category, Jean-Pierre Gagick, partnered with Jean-François Coget, Sylvain Tegoni, and Matteo Boulet suffered a racing incident at the wheel of the Ford Mustang GT 350 prepared by Atelier Mustang when its bonnet flew off on the Mistral straight shattering the car’s windscreen. When it returned to the pits, the tuner’s task was to find a replacement windscreen. He owed his salvation to the Arnage team, which had entered a Mustang in the ASAVE class and, out of solidarity, removed its windshield so that it could be fitted to the Mustang of the Auto Moto TV host, thus allowing the crew to rejoin the race and finish the 2 Tours d’Horloge in 20th position. Also worth noting was the performance of Team Giglio Racing (Paul Giglio/Maurizio Giglio/Denis Cartelle/Alain Verdenelli) who changed the engine of their Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAM during the race hoping to be able to rejoin - but in vain.

"Les quatre fantastics," a team comprising Lionel Vacheri/Florent Cazalot/Maxime Jouvin and Romain Lachieze, won the SP 2000 category in which it was the only entrant at the wheel of their Crossle 47S.

L’irremplaçable TVR Griffith 200 d’Eric Van de Vyver, le créateur de l’évènement, associé à Guillaume Maillard, Patrick Brossard et Pierre-Olivier Calendini ne verra hélas pas l’arrivée de cette édition. Victime d’un choc en première partie de course, elle ne parviendra pas à redémarrer après la deuxième interruption de course.