Grand Palais

The teams

VHC competition: Hans Hugenholtz is defending his 2007 title, and furthemore will try to add an eight victory to his trophy collection, on a car which is familiar to him and to the our Auto Lissac fans : a Lotus Elan GT (N° 206). The team Lajournade/Bachard (N°207), also on a Lotus Elan, will challenge him in all competitons. Frédéric Puren, out of luck in 2007 (broken engine in le Mans) will be present, on his Jaguar type E (N° 204). Not less than 5 AC Cobra, with Ludovic Caron (N° 201), Frank Sytner (N°201), and Bob Lynn (N°202) will complete a very interesting group. A plateau (N° 4) than you do not want to miss !

In group H, Jean Ragnotti (N° 251) is back, one more time with Francis Mercier on their red and white Alpine A110. This team is also aining at the informal scratch classication, but he will have to count with a strong opposition in the form of 4 Porsche 911 RSR.

In group G, Jean-Marc Luco, unlucky in 2005, 2006 et 2007 on his Porsche 910 (N° 261) will compete with a strong group of Porsche 910 et 906 despite the absence of lst year's winne, the team Mathai/Jodnexis.

The race

From Paris to Marseille, in 5 legs, 1800 km : Encore Provence

Monday 14 April

Like in 2007, checks and scrutineering wil take place in Grand Palais on Mondy 18th April. On this very special occasion, the Grand Palais will be open to the public.

Tuesday 15th April

A new start policy ! It is a known fact that leaving Paris on a Monday morning can be a challenge. This is why competitors will leave Paris as they wish on Tuesday morning, starting at 7:00 am and will regroup in Fontainebleau where the official start will take place, from 8:45 am.There will be a road stage in the morning, before lunch at the Abbaye of Regny, in the area of Chablis. This leg will finish in the heart of Burgundy, in Beaune, after aa first rac eon the circuit of Dijon-Prenois.

Wednesday 16th April

At lunch time, team will meet on the circuit of Magny-Cours, home to the Formaula One Grand Prix of France This is a classical for the Tour Auto Lissac, and competitors find on this circuit an ever lasting pleasure. Arrival is in Vichy, a city that has welcome for many years the Tour Auto Lissac

Thursday 17th April

The landscapes of Corrèze, and the warm welcome that the Tour Auto received in 2007 are in all memories. After a competion on the circuit of Charade, cars will arrive in Brive la Gaillarde.

Friday 18th April

This leg is a West to East crossing of the central mountain range of France. There will be no competition on circuits. It will be demanding on cars and drivers, as roads are very winding. Arrival is in the city of Avignon.

Saturday 19th April

A day in Provence ! The circuit of Castellet is a first for the Tour Auto Lissac, and for some drivers. But this will be after a unique road stage to discover !Arrival at park Borély in Marseilles will put a final point to this edition.

TODAY'S ARTICLE OSCA

A bit of history :In 1937, the Maserati brothers decide to sell their shares in the company to the Orsi family. Ettore continues his own career with Maserati. Bindo and Ernesto start the OSCA company (Officine Specializzate Construzioni Automobili) which will develop and build racing and sport cars. After being bought back by the MV Agusta group in 1962, this firm will close and the name disappear in 1967.. The MT4 (Maserati Tipo 4 cilindri) has been built from 1948 to 1957. This car, weighing only 550 kg (1200 pounds), a technical wonder, has an outstanding wigth/power ration, which allowed it to win alarge number of trophies. Its engine, with a very hight compression retio of 9:1, has been produced in versions from 1100 to 1500 cm3.

Achievements Most famous is : The victoery of Stirling Moss/Bill Lloyd at hte 12 hours of Sebring in 1954, on a MT 4 1450

OSCA and Tour Auto Lissac En 2006, team Leroy/Jiroyan En 2007, team M Barthélémy (OSCA MT4) This year : 8 OSCA are on the entry list, all in the régularity, N° 1 to 7 and number 30 and they will therefore open the long caravan of the Tour Auto Lissac:

THE OSCA MT4 in short