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Circuit Les Planques (1933–1955) Circuit d'Albi (1959–present) | |
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Race information | |
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First held | 1933 |
Most wins (drivers) | Louis Rosier (4) |
Most wins (constructors) | Dallara |
The Albi Grand Prix (French : Grand Prix de l'Albigeois) is a motor race held in Albi, in the Tarn department of Southern France. The first race took place in 1933 and was won by Pierre Veyron in a Bugatti Type 51A. After the Second World War, the Grand Prix was run to Formula One regulations for many years until, following the 1955 Le Mans disaster, racing at Circuit Les Planques came to an end.
In 1959 a new circuit was constructed around the perimeter of the nearby Le Sequestre aerodrome, west of Albi. Initially held as a Formula Junior event, the Grand Prix then took place for some years under Formula Two regulations, at a time when Formula One drivers such as Jim Clark, Jack Brabham and Graham Hill regularly took part in other formulae. It then ran under Formula Three and Formula Renault regulations for many years, but in recent times has been run as a historic or GT race.
The original 1933 circuit was a roughly triangular course 9.226 km (5.733 mi) in length running north-east from Les Planques on the east of Albi to Saint-Juéry, then south-west to meet the Route de Millau and then back to Les Planques. In 1934, the circuit length was slightly decreased to 8.911 km (5.537 mi). In 1954 the distance was considerably shortened to 2.991 km (1.859 mi), cutting out the run to Saint-Juéry. [1]
The 1933 Albi Grand Prix was won by Pierre Veyron in a Bugatti Type 51A. Veyron went on to win the race twice more in 1934 and 1935. The event was held up until the outbreak of the Second World War, other winners including B. Bira and Luigi Villoresi. Tazio Nuvolari won the first post-war race in 1946 with a Maserati 4CL. [2]
Year | Winner | Car | Report |
---|---|---|---|
1933 | Louis Braillard [3] | Bugatti Type 51 | Report |
1934 | Rupert "Buddy" Featherstonhaugh [4] | Maserati 26M | Report |
1935 | Pierre Veyron | Bugatti Type 51 | Report |
1936 | B. Bira | ERA B-Type | Report |
1937 | Humphrey Cook Raymond Mays | ERA C-Type | Report |
1938 | Luigi Villoresi | Maserati 6CM | Report |
1939 | John Wakefield | Maserati 4CL | Report |
1940–1945 | No race | ||
1946 | Tazio Nuvolari | Maserati 4CL | Report |
From 1947 to 1955 the race would mostly be held as a Formula One event. Louis Rosier won four times during this period, and future world Champion Juan Manuel Fangio won in 1949. The 1955 Le Mans disaster brought racing at Les Planques to a halt, the circuit deemed to be unsafe.
Year | Winner | Car | Report |
---|---|---|---|
1947 | Louis Rosier | Talbot T150SS | Report |
1948 | Luigi Villoresi | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Report |
1949 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Report |
1950 | Louis Rosier | Talbot-Lago T26C | Report |
1951 | Maurice Trintignant | Simca Gordini Type 15 | Report |
1952 | Louis Rosier | Ferrari 375 | Report |
1953 | Louis Rosier | Ferrari 375 | Report |
1954 | Roberto Mieres | DB Monomill | Report |
1955 | André Simon | Maserati 250F | Report |
Between 1959 and 1963, at the new Circuit d'Albi, the Grand Prix was run to Formula Junior regulations, with Lotus driver Peter Arundell winning twice.
Year | Winner | Car | Report |
---|---|---|---|
1959 | Colin Davis | Taraschi-Fiat | Report |
1960 | Henry Taylor | Cooper T52-BMC | Report |
1961 | No race | ||
1962 | Peter Arundell | Lotus 22-Cosworth | Report |
1963 | Peter Arundell | Lotus 27-Cosworth | Report |
Between 1964 and 1973 the race was run to Formula Two regulations, apart from the 1970 event which was a Formula Three race. World Champion Jack Brabham won twice; Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi were also winners.
Year | Winner | Car | Report |
---|---|---|---|
1964 | Jack Brabham | Brabham BT10-Cosworth | Report |
1965 | Jim Clark | Lotus 35-Cosworth | Report |
1966 | Jack Brabham | Brabham BT21-Honda | Report |
1967 | Jackie Stewart | Matra MS7-Cosworth | Report |
1968 | Henri Pescarolo | Matra MS7-Cosworth | Report |
1969 | Graham Hill | Lotus 59B-Cosworth | Report |
1970 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Tecno 70-Cosworth | Report |
1971 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Lotus 69-Cosworth | Report |
1972 | Jean-Pierre Jaussaud | Brabham BT38-Cosworth | Report |
1973 | Vittorio Brambilla | March 732-BMW | Report |
Between 1974 and 1978 the Grand Prix was run to Formula Renault regulations. Future World Champion Alain Prost was among the winners, as were René Arnoux and Didier Pironi.
Between 1979 and 2002 the Grand Prix was run to Formula Three regulations. Future Formula One drivers such as Philippe Alliot, Jean Alesi and Olivier Panis were among the winners.
From 2002 the Albi Grand Prix has variously been run for Formula Renault 2.0, GT racing and historic racing events. [5]
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The XIV Grand Prix de l'Albigeois was a Formula One motor race held on 1 June 1952 at Circuit Les Planques, Albi, France. The race was won by Louis Rosier in a Ferrari 375 Chico Landi was second in another 375 and Yves Giraud-Cabantous third in a Talbot-Lago T26C. BRM drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and José Froilán González took pole and fastest lap respectively, but both retired with mechanical problems.
The XV Grand Prix de l'Albigeois was a combined Formula One and Formula Two motor race held on 31 May 1953 at Circuit Les Planques, Albi, France. The race was held over two heats of 10 laps; one for Formula One and one for Formula Two, and a final of 18 laps in which both classes took part. The top four finishers in each heat qualified for the final, plus another four based on finishing position.
The 10th Grand Prix de l'Albigeois was a Formula One motor race held on 29 August 1948 at Les Planques circuit in Albi in the Tarn department of France. The race was held over two heats of 17 laps, with the winner being decided by aggregate time.
The 9th Grand Prix de l'Albigeois was a Formula One motor race held on 13 July 1947 at Les Planques circuit in Albi in the Tarn department of France. The winner of the 40 lap race was Louis Rosier in a Talbot-Lago T150SS. Second was Raymond Sommer in a Simca Gordini Type 11 and Charles Pozzi was third in a Delahaye 135. Maserati drivers Henri Louveau and Luigi Villoresi set pole and fastest lap respectively, but both retired.
Circuit Les Planques was a 9.226 km (5.733 mi) long motor racing road circuit in a triangular shape, located near Albi. The circuit was later shortened to 8.911 km (5.537 mi) in 1934, and again to 2.991 km (1.859 mi) in 1954.