More from our resident racer
THE FINAL ROUNDS OF THE 2-LITRE CUP SERIES SEE ROBERT SAMPLING MORE CULINARY DELIGHTS AT TWO OF EUROPE’S MOST SPECTACULAR TRACKS: MONZA AND PAUL RICARD…
The final rounds of this season’s 2-Litre Cup were at the Monza Historic meeting in northern Italy and the Dix Milles Tours du Castellet at the Paul Ricard circuit in Provence. We set off on the road trip to Italy in high spirits after the Revival. We were due to make an overnight stop in France on the way out and the same in Switzerland on the way back. The first stop was the nowfamiliar old pits complex at Reims-gueux – where better to stretch the legs with a baguette, a bottle of Badoit and a highly original Instagram post. We’ve all done it, right? Then it was time to crack on to Macon, bed and breakfast in a castle and a steady motor through the Mont Blanc tunnel.
In Italy, we followed signs to Milan before heading to Monza to the north. The circuit itself is in an enormous walled park near the city centre and dates back nearly 100 years. The well-preserved remains of the old banking are to the side of the current Parabolica curve. The ancient track is steep and tree-lined with overhanging marshal’s posts. It’s a striking reminder of a different time, though the locals seem happy enough to use it nowadays to ride their bikes and walk their dogs.
I have mentioned my interest in the availability of good food at, and around, circuits before. As expected, Monza did not disappoint. The event catering consisted of a fresh pasta lunch with tiramisu or similar to follow. There were cheeses – hunks of parmegiano reggiano – and cured meats with lovely fennelflavoured taralli to be fitted in, too. All eaten, of course, against the backing track of cars racing around the circuit.
As well as thirty or so early 911s from the series, there were some 356s, a pair of 904s, a 906, a 910 and a 917 from other races on the bill – a strong paddock, despite the meeting being squeezed in between Goodwood and Spa. After the racing, the journey home took us past the stunning lake Como and one of those well-stocked Italian service stations, into Switzerland and on into France. The time – and the kilometres – passed quickly on the lightly trafficked roads.
We made the corresponding trip to Ricard a month later. It’s another contemporary F1 track, having rejoined the calendar last season. There is something glamorous about the idea of driving to the south of France in a day and this was an opportunity, albeit off-season. We took a modern car. I had a race meeting to get to, not much time to do it – and the weather forecast wasn’t great. All lame excuses, I know. Initially, the route through France was the same, but we continued south beyond Lyon on the Autoroute du Soleil. Eventually we reached our destination. The circuit is east of Marseille and north of the old hill top town of Le Castellet. It’s fifty years old, but has been refashioned a few times and now feels quite modern. It’s best known for the multi-coloured stripes either side of the track, corresponding to different grip conditions. They dominate a photograph, but – surprisingly, perhaps – they are hardly visible when racing. I barely noticed them.
Our attention on these weekends is typically taken up with the 2-Litre Cup, but it’s worth recording that there were almost 100 entries in the Sixties Endurance race at Ricard, with a handful of early 911s – including ours – doublingup and doing both. Sixties Endurance is a two-hour race for sports and GT cars from the decade and, in some cases, earlier, including some plucky – and quick – 356s.
At this meeting, it ran into the dark on Saturday evening. There was a reserve list and a waiting list for the reserve list. We practiced and qualified – quite well, since you ask – but didn’t get to race because of the numbers. It makes you wonder.
The series is to a common format and not cheap, yet it consistently has one of the fullest grids in historic racing. The organisers, Peter Auto, must be getting something right. It’s location, organisation and regulation, as well as an ample supply of espresso and Haribo. It’s not a complicated formula, but neither is it easy to deliver. We are a demanding lot, so kudos to the team for keeping most of us happy most of the time. The same applies to the 2-Litre Cup, which saw a series best of over 40 entries at the event.
It would be remiss not to mention food again. The catering at Ricard featured some lovely Provencal salads. James Turner, of Sports Purpose and 2-Litre Cup fame, raved about the Tarte Tropézienne. After the racing, I drove to Bandol for a quiet dinner. Back in the day, drivers supposedly ‘got their eye in’ on the twisty mountain roads between the resort and the circuit. No such nonsense for me – I had a twelve-hour journey to make in the morning and the rain – largely and unexpectedly absent over the race weekend – had set in. It’s a long way, but quite the experience. We are back at Ricard for the start of next season in April. See you there?
“A STRIKING REMINDER OF A DIFFERENT TIME…”