[OT] GPL Rouen

I've just been reading the July Motorsport (so this may be old news): "The much worse news is that Rouen has now gone for good. In one act of incredible, idiotic and crass folly, someone has bulldozed both the grandstands and the paddock area, flattening the only infrastructure of the circuit to have survived over the years since racing finally stopped there". "This lament will mark me down as a sentimental twit among many people. The grandstands are not great architectural gems as they are at Reims and few who are unaware of what they represent will even notice, let alone feel sad at their passing". "Even so, it is perhaps worth remembering that this is where Brabham won its first GP or Porsche its one and only Grand Epreuve... it was here too that Jacky Ickx and Dan Gurney won their first F1 races". ".... the awe in which one such as David Purley, bravest of them all, held this place". "...These places are important and they do count, even today. The sole comfort is that the roads on which they raced remain, so we can still see why the greats who raced there accorded Rouen just as much respect as Spa or the Nurburgring. For now, at least". Right now I'm planning a holiday in France and trying to convince my family that we should take a detour en route to visit what remains. On a happier note, I've just ordered my tickets for the Coys Historic Festival at Silverstone next month. The ex-Jo Siffert/Graham Hill Lotus 49 is just one of the cars on show in the Pre-'72 Classic GP class. -- Tony Whitley

Interesting and sad post. I was wondering how "GPL Rouen" could be off topic...and I would say your post is NOT. Marc. "Tony Whitley" <t o n y . w h i t l e y @ n S t P l A w M o r l d . c o m> wrote in message news:kH475.717$[email hidden]... > I've just been reading the July Motorsport (so this may be old news): > > "The much worse news is that Rouen has now gone for good. In one act of > incredible, idiotic and crass folly, someone has bulldozed both the > grandstands and the paddock area, flattening the only infrastructure ofthe > circuit to have survived over the years since racing finally stoppedthere". > > "This lament will mark me down as a sentimental twit among many people.The > grandstands are not great architectural gems as they are at Reims and few > who are unaware of what they represent will even notice, let alone feelsad > at their passing". > > "Even so, it is perhaps worth remembering that this is where Brabham wonits > first GP or Porsche its one and only Grand Epreuve... it was here too that > Jacky Ickx and Dan Gurney won their first F1 races". ".... the awe inwhich > one such as David Purley, bravest of them all, held this place". > > "...These places are important and they do count, even today. The sole > comfort is that the roads on which they raced remain, so we can still see > why the greats who raced there accorded Rouen just as much respect as Spaor > the Nurburgring. For now, at least". > > Right now I'm planning a holiday in France and trying to convince myfamily

Quoted text (10 lines)

> that we should take a detour en route to visit what remains. > > On a happier note, I've just ordered my tickets for the Coys Historic > Festival at Silverstone next month. The ex-Jo Siffert/Graham Hill Lotus 49 > is just one of the cars on show in the Pre-'72 Classic GP class. > -- > Tony Whitley > > >

While Rouen was not in the 1967 GP circuit, it's kinda nice to think that Papy has at least preserved it in a virtual sense. -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. [email hidden] http://www.teleport.com/~mcarver =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

In article <kH475.717$[email hidden]>, "Tony Whitley" <t o n y . w h i t l e y @ n S t P l A w M o r l d . c o m> says...

Quoted text (11 lines)

> I've just been reading the July Motorsport (so this may be old news): > > "The much worse news is that Rouen has now gone for good. In one act of > incredible, idiotic and crass folly, someone has bulldozed both the > grandstands and the paddock area, flattening the only infrastructure of the > circuit to have survived over the years since racing finally stopped there". > > "This lament will mark me down as a sentimental twit among many people. The > grandstands are not great architectural gems as they are at Reims and few > who are unaware of what they represent will even notice, let alone feel sad > at their passing".

I was sad to read this - at least the roads are still there! - Michael

says... I was sad to read this - at least the roads are still there! - Michael

"Neil" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > I'm on holiday in France next week, and will be driving through Rouen.Anybody > know exactly how to get to the roads used for the GP circuit? Any mapson the > web? > > Thanks > > Neil The responses above will help you find the circuit but I thought you might be interested in Charles Dressings article at the Speedvision site. The article is about visiting Rouen and Spa on his way to Le Mans this year. The following is an excerpt from the article: "Some miserable, no-good French (watch it!) civil servant gave the order to bulldoze Rouen's ancient pits and tribunes. Even the chateau petit behind the pits where France's meanest chien once lived disappeared in the process. But at least the graceful and terrifying downhill esses to the Nouveau Monde hairpin remain. Fangio loved this place, and won the '57 Grand Prix de l' ACF, drifting his gorgeous 250F Maserati through the Virage des Six Freres with his foot on the floor. Dan Gurney scored his, Porsche's and Brabham's first grande epreuve win here, foot also hard down on the adult-strength run to Nouveau Monde. (Shiver.)" See the entire article at: http://www.speedvision.com/pub/articles/racing/09commentary/000630.html -- don New GPL Programs for the Converted Tracks: http://www.ianparker1.freeserve.co.uk/gpl/index.html

In article <8jss90$m7g$[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted text (8 lines)

> The responses above will help you find the circuit but I thought you might > be interested in Charles Dressings article at the Speedvision site. The > article is about visiting Rouen and Spa on his way to Le Mans this year. The > following is an excerpt from the article: > > See the entire article at: > http://www.speedvision.com/pub/articles/racing/09commentary/000630.html >

That article is spot on - especially about the way modern F1 has developed until the cars can only drive on billiard-table smooth kart tracks. So much for F1 technology improving road cars! - Michael

I'm on holiday in France next week, and will be driving through Rouen. Anybody know exactly how to get to the roads used for the GP circuit? Any maps on the web? Thanks Neil MichaelJP wrote:

Quoted text (18 lines)

> In article <kH475.717$[email hidden]>, "Tony > Whitley" <t o n y . w h i t l e y @ n S t P l A w M o r l d . c o m> > says... > > I've just been reading the July Motorsport (so this may be old news): > > > > "The much worse news is that Rouen has now gone for good. In one act of > > incredible, idiotic and crass folly, someone has bulldozed both the > > grandstands and the paddock area, flattening the only infrastructure of the > > circuit to have survived over the years since racing finally stopped there". > > > > "This lament will mark me down as a sentimental twit among many people. The > > grandstands are not great architectural gems as they are at Reims and few > > who are unaware of what they represent will even notice, let alone feel sad > > at their passing". > > I was sad to read this - at least the roads are still there! > > - Michael

Neil, Check out http://fgplc.figc.net/Rouen/rouen.htm There you can find some how-to-get-there instructions. Regards, Hena Neil wrote in message <[email hidden]>... >I'm on holiday in France next week, and will be driving through Rouen.Anybody >know exactly how to get to the roads used for the GP circuit? Any maps onthe >web?

Neil, you should check out Finnish GPL Championship -site, http://fgplc.figc.net. There you will find my real life report from les-Essarts with couple of pics included. Wesa On Tue, 4 Jul 2000 10:05:12 +0100 (BST), [email hidden] (Neil) wrote:

Quoted text (7 lines)

>I'm on holiday in France next week, and will be driving through Rouen. Anybody >know exactly how to get to the roads used for the GP circuit? Any maps on the >web? > >Thanks > >Neil

Thanks for the info guys, I've found the roads on my french road atlas. I'll be there on Saturday afternoon, I got permission to stop there from the wife......! Looking forward to it! Cheers, Neil Neil wrote:

Quoted text (28 lines)

> I'm on holiday in France next week, and will be driving through Rouen. Anybody > know exactly how to get to the roads used for the GP circuit? Any maps on the > web? > > Thanks > > Neil > > MichaelJP wrote: > > > In article <kH475.717$[email hidden]>, "Tony > > Whitley" <t o n y . w h i t l e y @ n S t P l A w M o r l d . c o m> > > says... > > > I've just been reading the July Motorsport (so this may be old news): > > > > > > "The much worse news is that Rouen has now gone for good. In one act of > > > incredible, idiotic and crass folly, someone has bulldozed both the > > > grandstands and the paddock area, flattening the only infrastructure of the > > > circuit to have survived over the years since racing finally stopped there". > > > > > > "This lament will mark me down as a sentimental twit among many people. The > > > grandstands are not great architectural gems as they are at Reims and few > > > who are unaware of what they represent will even notice, let alone feel sad > > > at their passing". > > > > I was sad to read this - at least the roads are still there! > > > > - Michael