Masters Historic Racing has announced details of its first major summer event of 2009, to be held at Magny-Cours on July 10-12.
The renowned circuit in Nevers has, for 16 years, been the home of the French Grand Prix, and appropriately, Masters Historic Racing will be bringing two busy grids of historic Formula 1 cars, for both its pre- and post 1978 grids, as well as a full set of sports, GT and saloon grids.
Philippe Decharne, the CEO of Circuit Nevers Magny Cours, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming back the Masters, whose first visit last August was very well received. We look forward to working with Masters to create the 2nd Masters Classic GP.”
Masters Historic Racing Director Christopher Tate said: “We are very excited about this return to Magny-Cours, especially since there is no French Grand Prix this year. Masters is now able to provide an opportunity for French fans to see Formula 1 cars, all in period livery and all being driven as hard as ever. Equally, it is excellent for Masters’ competitors to race at Magny-Cours, on a contemporary Formula 1 circuit and in, we hope, summer weather conditions. We intend that the whole weekend should have not just great racing but also a fun, relaxed atmosphere, so that our drivers enjoy the racing – and the wine region!”
The Masters Historic Festival at Magny-Cours falls on the equivalent weekend of the bi-annual Le Mans Classic, which is set to be held next, in July 2010. “So it is very appropriate that we will be running a full grid of our World Sportscar Masters, the pre-74 Le Mans cars” said Tate, “so that any historic racing fans missing the Le Mans Classic should consider visiting Magny-Cours instead! Indeed, with the sports-prototypes and the pre-66 sports-racing cars each having a grid, and also with the Pre-1966 GT cars set for an epic 150 minute two-driver race, we are sure that endurance racing and sports car fans will be well catered for.
“Masters will be working closely with our ‘Ambassador for France’, Dominique Bareille, to attract both present and new-to-Masters French owners and drivers to join in this great array of grids, which should make this event a truly international festival of historic motor racing.”
The 2nd Masters Classic GP has been made possible by Masters’ close cooperation with the circuit and with France’s governing body, FFSA, who will be supervising the FFSA Historic Formula Ford round, as well as the all-new French 1970s Group One Touring cars – which is excellent news for Masters’ owners of suitable cars, who will be very welcome invitees in those two ‘French’ races.
Entry forms and all further details are available at www.themastersseries.com.
[Source: The Masters Series]
