Along with a F3 race a Sportscar

France

UNLIKE the F3 event, the 20-lap Group 4 and 6 race suffered drastically from a lack of starters. The original five Lolas entered diminished to two, those of Jo Bonnier (Lola-Traco-Chevrolet TIO Mk 3B drysump) and Digby Martland, driving John Woolfe's older Mk 3 with a wet sump TracoChev. The only other car to contest the big 3-litre class was Michel Martin's Ford GT40. Other notable entries were Roger Nathan in the next class with his 2-litre Astra-Climax RNRl, fresh from its recent outing at the 'Ring, Fritz Leinenweber's 2.0 Porsche 910, the Carrera 6 of Bernard Palayer, an old 904 GTS driven by Robert Dutoit and the 91lT of Jacques Rey. Barrie Smith's Chevron­FV A B8 only had the Lotus Elan of Max Cohen-Olivar to contend with in his class, while the smaller classes comprised half a dozen Renault variants and a Honda S800.

Bonnier had his car rigged up with a radio controlled camera focused on himself in practice, and even so had no trouble getting pole position, with Leinenweber next fastest (after he had missed out one of the chicanes!) Martin came next just quicker than Smith, then Natha:i1 and Martland, who practised without a clutch which was changed overnight for the race.

At the start Bonnier made a leisurely getaway with Martin right behind, followed by Leinenweber, Smith and the rest, but at the end of the first lap Bonnier was already well ahcad of the GT40, followed by Martland who was trying to find a way past Smith and Leinenweber. By the next tour Martland was pushing Martin, whom he took on lap 4, but on lap 6 an oil pipe fractured bottoming on the banking and going into the chicane at the start he had a tremendous spin, losing three places. In a cloud of rubber smoke and flying straw he set off again, and then noticed his nil oil pressure and retired.

Martin settled down to his safe second, with Smith third, Leinenweber fourth and Nathan pushing Palayer for fifth plaa;, which he took on lap 11 and slowly pullea clear. Bonnier continued to lap the backmarkers

I, every five laps as well as perform dramatic poses for the camera, which was still clicking away inside the cockpit, and. the race wore on to a finish, Bonnier lapping all but Martin.

Group 4 and 6 20 laps, 67.4 kms

1, Jo Bonnier (5.0 Lola-Traco-Chevrolet T70 Mk 3B). 31 m 5.8 s, 129.66 kph; 2, Michel Martin (5.0 Ford GT40) , 32 m 36.8 s; 3, Barrie Smith (1.6 Chevron-FV A B8). 19 laps; 4, Fritz Leinenweber (2.0 Porsche 910); 5, Roger Nathan (2.0 Astra,climax RNR1); 6, Bernard Palayer (2.0 Porsohe Carrera 6); 7, Robert Du10it (2.0 Por­sche 904 GTS). 17 laps; 8, Jacques Rey (2.0 Porsche 911T); 9, "Peter Rand" (1.3 Alpine Renault Le Mans); 10, Max Cohen-Olivar (1.6 Lotus Elan); .11, Guy-Michel Vial (1.3 Alphine­Renault).

Fastest lap: Bonnier, 1 m 30.1 s, 134.251 kph.

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Monza '64

Montlhery '69