“Just happy to have arrived” was a comment heard several times at the end of the 2004 Tour Auto in France. The remark echoes a concern expressed by several participants in recent classic road events after a spate of serious accidents.
2500 kilometers of driving across France from the Paris start on April 19 to St.Tropez on April 26 may not seem too difficult given the five days it takes to complete the route, but with a special stage and races at new circuits everyday—and tough routes on minor “D” roads—the emphasis was on very consistent driving and mechanical reliability.
The results table tells the story of the event: The overall winners were the Hugenholtz in their Lotus Elan. Godeberge/Bornhauser dominated the Competition section in their Michelotti Group 4 Ferrari 308, and Sucari/Baccanelli won the Regularity division in their Ferrari Lusso.
Clearly absent from the results were many of the favorites, including the Ferrari Daytonas and the Ford GT40s. Weather played a major part, with some days having torrential rains, while unfortunately there were a few accidents on the French Autoroute’s in some road sections.
Submitted by Peter Collins
