Magny-Cours Circuit V de V FFSA : Practice session February 27-28th 25.02.2009: A fervent defender of his sport, Eric Van de Vyver kicks off the new season with his determination and policy of enabling competitors to take part in their sport under the best conditions of fair-play, friendly atmosphere and competitiveness while keeping

A fervent defender of his sport, Eric Van de Vyver kicks off the new season with his determination and policy of enabling competitors to take part in their sport under the best conditions of fair-play, friendly atmosphere and competitiveness while keeping a close eye on keeping down costs. The practice session is now full with cars from all fields and some newcomers chafing at the bit.

For 2009, the Endurance races are the basis of the V de V FFSA and historic series, created by Eric Van de Vyver in 1992, they are the hard core. For the first event, the practice sessions, there will be many new cars attending. Alongside the Porsche 911 2 litres of the French 2008 champion runner-up car of Patrick Brossard and Philippe Burel, the organising team is bringing out the devilish TVR Griffith Series 200. Eric Van de Vyver and Philippe Burel are the drivers, with a clearly defined objective: the Champion de France title.

Among the contenders for the Championnat de France Endurance VHC, ever-loyal Séverine Moreau Langin has entered the season with the "eternal" Porsche 911 2 litre n°24 of the Team Polybaie whereas Kunert is taking on the services of two new team-mates. Jean-Pierre Maingault and Vincent Le Besne, front-runners in the Challenge Funyo, are in the running with the MGB prepared by José Da Rocha with which they will kick off in the « Paul Ricard 4-Hours ». Out of the same Classic Garage workshop, the Jaguar Type E Lightweight of Gaël Regent will be making its debut after a full restoration before taking part in a number of races.

On the Challenge Endurance VHC side, the 2008 win by the Porsche 911 3 litre RSR of Patrick Biehler and Marc De Siebenthal has inspired other competitors. Bernard Moreau and Miguel Langin will be looking to take back their 2006 and 2007 titles with a totally new car from the Swiss Mecacomponents workshop, just like that of Didier Denat. Denis Tolman is also taking part in the practices with a 3 litre RSR while there is a whole ruck of prototypes coming in to hone their performances on the Magny-Cours track.

The two Elva MK8's prepared in the neighbouring workshop, Meca Moteurs, that of Yann Le Calvez, third in the 2008 Challenge, will be running with new team-mate drivers whilst Sylvain Guanzini, former Breton team-mate, will be making acquaintance with his new car, which has often shone in the past at the hands of the Dutoya brothers. The brothers should be putting in a few appearances in the new Elva MK8.

Michel Quiniou is fine-tuning preparation of his Chevron B16 aiming at a new win, which escaped him last year, in the opening Jarama event at which he is sharing the wheel with Alain Filhol. The Lola T280 will also be making its season debut after the winter break.

Jordi Pujol, having decided to compete in a full season with his Lola T70 Spider will be kicking off in the practice sessions after his last performance at Dijon in 2008 with the support of Julien Schell.

Last but not least, Jean-Marc Luco is at the fore-front of events with five superb cars entered. The Lola T286 powered Cosworth is the most finely honed for the start of season with Maurice Basso. The reserve car, the Porsche 935 Turbo is part of the team along with a Chevron B26, the amazing Porsche 908 T and the mythical Porsche 936/80 which took Jacky Icxk and Reynald Joest onto the second step of the podium in the Le Mans classic in 1980.

In the moderns, the Challenge GT/Tourisme has more and more followers. Encouraged by Thierry Perrier who developed the Mosler MT900 for the 2002 Grand’am, Ludovic Bour and Manuel Ferreira will be campaigning theirs for first time out with Perspective Racing. BF Racing are entrusting their old car, the Porsche 996 RSR, in a new team. The European importer of Mosler, Martin Short, is there with his own car in order to have potential customers test it out. Lots are interested, but especially the « Cup » model which should make its appearance before the German event in the series, at the very attractive price of 80 000 €.

Perspective Racing will be the star of the event with the Ferrari F430 of reigning champion Jean-Paul Pagny, still undecided as to the identity of his team-mate, as Pierre Benoist is still suffering from the effects of his quad accident. Within the stable, the Porsche 993 RSR of Eric Vincenot, teamed up with Jean-Marc Bachelier, will be aiming at a zero-fault season after a disappointing 2008 season. The Polybaie team is still a fearsome rival for the title with the very finely-tuned Porsche 996 RSR in the hands of Bernard Moreau and Miguel Langin.

Among the newcomers, the entry of two Porsche 996 Bi-Turbo's by the Belgian team PMB Motorsport and the arrival of three new Porsche 997 Cup in the practice sessions, will provide entertainment in the pack. Although the full programme for the three Porsche's is not yet finalised, at Jarama there will be those of Richard Geiger, Jean-Paul Von Burg and that of Eric Havette replacing his Porsche Cayman, campaigned today by the Lohéac stable of HMC. Rémy Jeanneret and his Porsche 996 RS complete the GT grid for the practice sessions.

A Lotus 2-Eleven, awaiting its type approval and a standard GT, are taking part in the practice sessions with François Fournier within the structure of the Marcassus Sport dealership. Returning to the GTV4 category, two Porsche 996 Cup's will be in the practice sessions with that of the Bruno Briganti stable and that of Richard Hofman. The AB Sport team remains loyal to the Touring Cup with two cars for this opener as is Gomez Compétition lining up with the firm intention of repeating its 2008 exploits. Eric Gasperini will be taking delivery of his car, the ex-V de V.

In order to prepare its season, Ruffier Racing will be present at Magny-Cours and then Jarama with the Viper GT3 and the Lamborghini Gallardo, already seen last season at Magny-Cours.

In the Challenge Endurance Proto clan, all eyes are on the newcomer to the season with the arrival of the Ligier JS51 built in the neighbouring workshops of Automobiles Martini. Although Gilles Alégoët's new baby bears a striking resemblance to the JS49, the reigning champion, apart from the mods made to comply with the new FIA regulations, but it is by no means the same car.

With just a few minor touches, there are a number of upgrades to the general design of the car to keep it among the front-runners. In other words, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".  Pegasus Racing with Julien Schell and David Caussanel will be the first to open the hostilities. The ecurie has three cars for the season, one of which heralds the return of Jean and Jean-Christophe Metz to auto sport after their third and fifth places respectively in 2006.

Two JS49's are announced with that of Alexis Delb, still in the hands of Perspective Racing and that of Italian ecurie, Avelon Formula, already seen last year and which should this time round take part in a few races in addition to their home-ground programme. The Brits of Norma UK are also in the fray with serious ambitions for this season, entering three cars. Jordi Pujol is also there with his Norma M20 F which he will share for the whole season with Angela Vilariño, sister of Ander.

Still in the Norma clan, the south of France ecurie Force Motorsport is entering two cars with ambitious objectives, considering the drivers behind their wheels. They are Nigel Greensall, 2004 Champion, teamed up with Dirk De Groof. The other car will be driven by John Hartshorne and Joachim Ritter.

Another attraction in this category, the new Sportdrive, designed by Olivier Clément, makes its debut at the practice sessions with that of the Grenier family, Michel and Jean-Philippe before receiving the support, as from the « Paul Ricard 4-Hours», by that driven by the manufacturer who will be presenting a totally new design.

The Challenge Funyo drivers are already fired up and ready to go with a start of season event programmed for the end of April at the Paul Ricard HTTT, and are in number for the practice sessions. Three cars from the LDR stable, a newcomer in the discipline with Guillaume Havette, son of Eric, and two young drivers from Rennes.

A major participant in the Challenge Funyo, the HMC stable is lining up a few cars with the 2008 winner, Jacques Fontbonne, Patrice Pelissier and other drivers holding back on their entries depending on the results of this session. Gérald Poussin, arriving during the 2008 season, looks ready to go, targeting the podium for 2009, while a new team, MSI, makes its debut with three cars but with only Dominique Brulon running at Magny-Cours.




The season looks good and competitors are chafing at the bit prior to the traditional start-of-season event at Jarama where the historic cars will be up against one another for the six-hour race, and the moderns for four hours, with the GT and Tourisme race and the Sport Protos race.



- Christophe Profit ,Laure Van de Vyver -