Pau Grand Prix



The Pau Grand Prix (Grand Prix de Pau) is an auto race held in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, southwestern France. The French Grand Prix was held at Pau in 1930, leading to the annual Pau Grand Prix being inaugurated in 1933. It was not run during World War II.

The race takes place around the centre of the city where the streets are closed to form a circuit, and its 68 runnings have variously conformed to the rules of Formula Libre, Sports cars, Grand Prix, Formula One, Formula Two, Formula three, Formula 3000 and Touring cars.

Circuit
The race is run around a street circuit laid out on the French town, and is in many ways similar to the more famous Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. The race cars are set up with greater suspension travel than is typically utilised at a purpose-built racing circuit to minimize the effect of running on the typical undulating tarmac of the street circuit.

Circuit du Sud-Ouest 1900
In 1900, the newly-created Automobile-club du Béarn held a race on a 300 km road circuit, called the Circuit du sud-ouest (Pau-Tarbes-Bayonne-Pau), the name of this race was the same as the circuit. It was won by René de Knyf.

Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest 1901
In 1901, the Automobile-club du Béarn held the same race on the same circuit but not with the same title, the race name changed from Circuit du Sud-Ouest to Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest and this was the first event ever to be called Grand Prix in motor racing, it was the ancestor of the Pau Grand Prix. Some anglophone sources wrongly list a race called the 'Pau Grand Prix' in 1901. This may stem from a mistranslation of the contemporary French sources such as the magazine La France Auto of March 1901.

The Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest comprised four prizes for the different classes of entrants. (Autosport, The Nostalgia Forum, Robert Dick quoting (translating) from La France Automobile, March 1901 (Grand Prix Winners 1895–1949 by Hans Etzrodt Part 1 1895–1916)
 * The Grand Prix de Pau was awarded to Maurice Farman (Panhard 24 hp).
 * The Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver (400 à 650 kg 'Light car' class) was awarded to Henri Farman (Darracq).
 * The second Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver for the under 400 kg Voiturettesclass was awarded to Louis Renault (Renault).
 * The Prix du Béarn was awarded to Osmont in a 'De Dion' tricycle.

La France Automobile, March 1901 reports the results for the 'Semaine de Pau'. There were two discrete events, the 140 km Course des touristes from Pau-Peyrehorade-Pau and the second edition of the Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest on 17 February 1901 around the same 300 km road course as 1900.

The Course des touristes was one of this meeting support race, comprised six prizes for the different classes of entrants. The Prix de la Presse was won by Barbereau (De Dietrich); the Prix du Commerce Palois was awarded to Henri Farman (Darracq); the Prix des Cercles was awarded to Rudeaux (Darracq); the Prix de l’Automobile Club Béarnais was won by 'Bergeon' (De Dietrich); the Prix de l’Automobile Club de France was awarded to Demeester (Gladiator) and Edmond (Darracq); the Prix de Palmarium was awarded to Cormier (De Dion).(Autosport, The Nostalgia Forum, Robert Dick quoting (translating) from La France Automobile, March 1901

In L’Histoire de l’Automobile/Paris 1907 Pierre Souvestre described the 1901 event as : “... dans le Circuit du Sud-Ouest, à l’occasion du meeting de Pau... ” (...in the Circuit du Sud-Ouest, at the meeting in Pau...)

French Grand Prix 1930
The French Grand Prix was held at Pau in 1930, leading to the Pau Grand Prix being inaugurated in 1933.

Starts of the Grand Prix de Pau
In 1933, the Grand Prix de Pau is held in the snow (February) on a circuit in the streets of the city, the race was won by Marcel Lehoux on a Formula Libre.

There is no Grand Prix in 1934, and in 1935, the event returns to a modified route that bypasses the Beaumont Park - route that will remain the same until today - and the pits are moved. In 1937, the categories of motorsport specify and Grand Prix cars is restricted to 4500 cm3. In 1938, the Pau Grand Prix was the scene of a symbolic duel between French René Dreyfus (Delahaye) and the German Rudolf Caracciola (Mercedes-Benz). In 1939, another duel takes place between two teammates Mercedes, between Hermann Lang and Manfred von Brauchitsch, it is ultimately Lang will win the race.

The race takes place regularly with a race almost every year, except for the duration of the World War II, with a return to the calendar in 1947. 1947 and 1948 editions were successful because they take the public in suspense from start to finish. In 1948, the young Nello Pagani win to many famous drivers of the time, such as Raymond Sommer, Philippe Etancelin and Jean-Pierre Wimille.

1950s and early 1960s
In 1949, Juan Manuel Fangio won by dominating the Grand Prix de Pau, he repeated obtaining, as the last year, the pole position, fastest lap and victory in 1950 which saw the creation of FIA Formula One World Championship which Pau isn't in the calendar. In 1950 is alternatively a Formula 2 and non-championship Formula One. The French Jean Behra win in 1954, before a record crowd on a Simca-Gordini as a result of a duel with Ferrari driver Maurice Trintignant while many French manufacturers were no longer present at the GP. During this decade, many Italian manufacturers such as Ferrari, Maserati or Scuderia Lancia races both in Formula 1 and Formula 2.

On 11 April 1955, the Italian Mario Alborghetti died in a racing accident, the Maserati driver is an all-right corner of the station that will be fatal, his death will be announced spectators after the race.

The 1956 edition was cancelled following the tragic accident of 1955 Le Mans disaster that causes the cancellation of any racing in 1956. Safety arrangements are made for the 1957 edition, due to the increased power and speed of vehicles, the circuit lined with trees and homes, must resolve to accommodate the categories of race less demanding. However, limiting the capacity to 1500 cm3 Formula 1 in 1961 allows the Grand Prix de Pau back on the spotlight ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. Although off-fought championship, the event dedicated to the glories of Pau time: Jack Brabham, Maurice Trintignant and especially in 1961, Jim Clark that it is his first victory in Formula 1.

Formula Two period (1964-1984)


In 1964, after Formula 1, Formula 2 stayed and Jim Clark won the Grand Prix for the second consecutive time before relapse the following year. In 1967, drivers like Jean-Pierre Beltoise or Henri Pescarolo make their debut at Pau, in the year Jochen Rindt won his first Grand Prix de Pau before beating again 1969 and 1970. In 1968, Jackie Stewart wins with Matra Sports.

This time show severals former and future world champions like Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Jochen Rindt, Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme, Ronnie Peterson, Emerson Fittipaldi and young French drivers like Johnny Servoz-Gavin, Henri Pescarolo, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Patrick Depailler, François Cevert and foreign pilots known as Reine Wisell and Peter Gethin.

In 1973, the Pau race is threatened by problems of homologation of the circuit is immediately brought up to standard by the personal intervention of the mayor André Labarrère, in office since 1971. François Cevert wins on the route from Pau.

Drivers such as Jacques Laffite, Patrick Depailler and René Arnoux wins in Pau but many F1 drivers at the time continue to engage in Formula 2 on this occasion, just to compete in the Grand Prix which has a solid reputation. In 1980, the 40th edition of the Grand Prix was won by the French Richard Dallest. At that time, the Formula 2 is neglected by the media in favor of Formula 1 and the increased costs will change the situation.

Formula 3000 (1985–1998)
In 1985, the Formula 3000 replaces the old Formula 2 and less popular in Europe as the "second-divison" championship of Formula 1 and the Grand Prix de Pau continues to be part of the European championship. That same year, Alain Prost becomes co-organizer of the race.

In 1987, a little hurricane located on the paddock falls on stands facilities and a tree falls in the middle of the paddock that place anyway. In 1989, Jean Alesi took his first victory in Formula 3000 after a turbulent start (the starting procedure is executed 4 times because of successive problems on the grid, with a spectacular crash).

In 1994, French driver Nicolas Leboissetier is victim of an spectacular accident spectacular on the Virage de la gare ("train station corner") into a tense following the death of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger in Imola during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

The Pau-born driver David Dussau participated in the race in 1996, well positioned on the grid, it will be forced to abandon because of an crash.

Colombian Juan-Pablo Montoya won the race twice, in 1997 and 1998.

At the end of 1998, it was decided that the races will now be organized exclusively as the curtain-raiser of Formula 1 European Grand Prix.

Formula 3 (1999-2006)
Following the disappearance of the Formula 3000 race in Pau, the FIA organizes the new European Formula Three Cup in 1999. Formula 3 was, however, already come to Pau with the French championship as a support race of F3000. The Grand Prix format changes completely: the race is shorter (40 minutes instead of 1 hour and a half in F3000).

The start of the F3000 for less discipline raises an outcry from the passionate spectators because at that time the European Cup Formula 3 is not sufficiently recognized in the middle of motorsport. The first edition of the European Cup is won by Benoît Tréluyer. This race also included the commitment French Formula Three Championship, and served as a non-championship race.

In 2003, the European Cup is stopped and replaced by the new championship Formula 3 Euro Series, fusion of French and German championships. The Grand Prix became over the years, a very important race in the calendar of Formula 3. The 2005 edition saw the victory of the young Lewis Hamilton, world champion in Formula 1 three years later.

In 2006, Formula 3 is back on the calendar but within the British Championship the two races were won by Romain Grosjean that was not a regular competitor in the championship.

The most important support race, the GT race was a mixture with FFSA GT Championship amateur category and the British GT Championship.

Changing category with the WTCC (2007-2009)
From 2007 to 2009, the discipline changed to touring cars by hosting the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) for the Race of France. F3 Euro Series returned to support the WTCC during the 2008 edition which saw the Brazilian driver Augusto Farfus (WTCC) involved in a crash in the Foch Chicane.

In 2009, after a number of incidents on the opening lap of the second race, the decision was made to deploy the safety car. However, the 'SC' boards informing the drivers of a safety car period had only just been displayed when the safety car driver drove onto the track without being given the order to do so. Franz Engstler, leading the race at the time, was in the process of slowing down when he came around the first corner and had a heavy collision with the safety car which was nearly stopped in the middle of the track. The FIA sanctioned the officials in charge of the safety car at the event.

Following a decision taken by the municipality for financial reasons, the Grand Prix was suspended in 2010, and the WTCC was no longer a participant going forward.

The return of Formula Three (2011-2012)
The event was revived in 2011 with the return of Formula 3 with the International Trophy as the main event. However, the event was shorter than in previous years and only had fifteen drivers on the entry list, causing crowds to be small. In addition, the only French driver, Tom Dillmann, retired on the fourth lap of the race, which was won by the German Marco Wittmann.

One of the most important support races of the weekend was the first electric Grand Prix, run with Andros Trophy cars with full electric drivetrains. The category included mostly French drivers as Soheil Ayari, Franck Lagorce and Olivier Panis.

In 2012, the organizers announced that in addition to the International Trophy there would also be a meeting of the British Formula Three Championship round. But on March 9, 2012, the World Motor Sport Council of the FIA announced that it would be part of a new European Formula Three Championship, revived from the previous series which ended in 1984. The Italian Raffaele Marciello won the Grand Prix after dominating qualifying and the race sprint. This victory made him one of the youngest winners of the Pau Grand Prix at only 18 years of age. There were no French drivers in the event

The Porsche Carrera Cup France was also added to the program for 2012 and one of the drivers was Sébastien Loeb and his team Sébastien Loeb Racing. The Alsatian dominated all meetings of the weekend and impressed when he won both races with leads of over ten seconds.

At the second Grand Prix de Pau electric, the two races were won by the same winners as last year, but in reverse order; the first race was won by Adrien Tambay, the second by Mike Parisy. The participants included the Canadian driver Marc-Antoine Camirand (from Quebec) who, with his car in the colors of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, was present to pay tribute to the Formula 1 driver Gilles Villeneuve and to bring the electric GP to Trois-Rivières. The 2012 edition received between 22,000 and 23,000 spectators, 10 to 15% more than in 2011.

The arrival of Formula Renault (2013)
The 2013 edition took place on 18, 19 and 20 May at the Whit Monday (holiday, historical tradition of Pau Grand Prix). The headliner should have been the British Formula Three Championship, but this series, with a lot of conccurence with the European Formula Three Championship, was forced to reduce its calendar to 4 events and cancel many rounds including Pau. It would therefore take place within a non-championship "special" race from Formula Renault 2.0 open to several European championships teams and drivers: the Formula Renault 2.0 Pau Trophy.

At end of January 2013, the organizers announced that Sébastien Loeb and Jacques Villeneuve will be present in Pau in the Mitjet 2L category.

Historic Grand Prix
Since 2001, historical cars races are held one week before or after the "modern" Grand Prix. The plateau consists, among others, former Formula 1 in the 1960s.

Notable racing Grand Prix Historique de Pau since 2001:


 * Trophée Argentin (Formula 2 for years 1950 and 1960, named in honor of Juan Manuel Fangio).
 * Trophée de Pau (F1 of 1950 and 1960).
 * Trophée Junior (Formula Junior).
 * Trophée des Pyrénées (Formula 3, Formula Ford and Formula France).
 * Trophée Légende (Grand Prix cars before world war II).
 * Trophée Phil Hill (Grand Touring Endurance 1950 and 1960).
 * Trophée Mini Classic (Touring, monotype reserved to Mini Cooper).
 * Trophée Flat4 (Touring, monotype reserved to the old Porsche with Flat 4 engines).