The Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016 was held 1-2 October at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France. Nearly 12,000 spectators shared their common passion at the 7th annual historic car racing event that featured eight grids on the 25-turn, 3.64-mile track near Marseille.
The Dix Mille Tours has been on the Peter Auto calendar of events since 2010. The entrants eagerly await this rendezvous due to the quality of the infrastructure at the Paul Ricard circuit, as well as the technical challenge posed by its layout. The wide run-off areas that border the track give the drivers, whether experienced or not, the opportunity to go pedal to the metal at the wheel of cars that are of great historic value.
“The circuit is safe; the natural surroundings are beautiful and the setting is unique,” said Carlos Tavares, entered in a Lola T70. “I raced on the Paul Ricard track thirty years ago in Supertouring. After a long break Iโm delighted to come back here on a regular basis.”
Alongside the amateur drivers at the 2016 Dix Mille Tours du Castellet were a handful of professionals whose skills added excitement to the eight races making up the weekendโs program. Guys like Martin O’Connell, a double winner in CER 1 and CER 2; Jรผrgen Barth (victorious in the 1977 Le Mans 24 Hours, Eric Hรฉlary (first in the 1993 Le Mans 24 Hours) and Nicolas Minassian who is still racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
โI really get great pleasure driving two cars as different as the 1965 Lotus Elan and the 1989 Group C Aston Martin,โ said the delighted Minassian before going out for his stint on Saturday evening in the Sixtiesโ Endurance race. โItโs back to basics in terms of driving as you have to use the heel and toe technique, double declutch, etc. These are pleasures we no longer enjoy in modern racers.โ
Soheil Ayari, former Oreca and Pescarolo driver in endurance, shared his enthusiasm. โThanks to Peter Autoโs events Iโve been able to discover some of the most beautiful racing cars in history like the Porsche 917, the Ferrari 512 BB LM, and the Lancia LC2 Iโm driving this weekend. Itโs great fun, the organisationโs impeccable and all the grids are exceptional.โ
In addition to the racing cars, more than 500 collector cars from all eras and of all kinds — sports cars, ordinary machines and luxury vehicles — made the event a real open-air museum. In fact the weather, which turned out fine on Sunday, had a few surprises in store for the drivers on Saturday morning when some rain fell. This added spice to practice and the early races with some spins and a few tank slappers. Inside the circuit spectators were free to stroll around the paddocks.
Similar to 2013, 2014 and 2015, Sports Car Digest also documented the Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016. We split up pictures from the vintage races into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, while the second gallery can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs.
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161987 Porsche 962Sixties Endurance class at the Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161963 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 FHCDix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Heritage Touring Cup battle at Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161982 Rondeau M382Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Porsche 917K leads the Alfa Romeo T33/3 Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161990 Mercedes-Benz C111965 Ford Mustang Shelby GT3501972 Ferrari 312 PB1972 Ferrari 312 PB1972 Ferrari 312 PBDix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161990 Mercedes-Benz C11 Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161989 Spice SE89CGroup C battle at Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161979 Lancia Beta Group 4Chevron B19Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161971 Ferrari 512 MLola T70 Mk III BDix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Chevron B19Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Group C class takes off at Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016Porsche 962CRoad Scholars’ Cam Ingram putting the shine on their 1984 911 SC/RS during the 2014 Concours on the Avenue1990 Spice SE90C1982 Rondeau M3821988 Argo JM19Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161972 Ford Capri 2600 RSDix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161963 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 OTSDix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161965 AC Cobra 289Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 20161965 Ferrari 275 GTB1965 Bizzarrini A3/C Grifo CompetizioneDix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Mac Mcgary’s 1964 Huffaker Genie Mk.10.
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
A rare sighting – A Porsche 356 Abarth GTL parked next to a 550 Spyder during the 2014 Concours on the Avenue
1982 Rondeau M382
A well-worn 550 Spyder at the 2014 Concours on the Avenue – Carmel, California
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Group C battle at Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
1974 Shadow DN4 this one driven by Craig Bennett.
1990 Spice SE90C
Michael Doyle’s 1962 Jaguar XKE.
Tour Auto Rally 2016
Philip Mendelovitz – 1969 Datsun 2000
1969 Porsche 917
1987 Porsche 962
Jay Moyes in his 1979 Triumph TR8.
1969 Lotus 69 of Bruce Leeson
1989 Spice SE89C
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
1965 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
1971 Ferrari 512 M
1965 Bizzarrini A3/C Grifo Competizione
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Lola T70 Mk III B
Porsche 917K leads the Alfa Romeo T33/3 Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
1965 Ferrari 275 GTB
1979 Lancia Beta Group 4
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Chevron B19
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
1990 Mercedes-Benz C11
1990 Mercedes-Benz C11 Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Heritage Touring Cup battle at Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
1965 AC Cobra 289
Sixties Endurance class at the Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Chevron B19
1963 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 OTS
1963 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 FHC
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
1972 Ford Capri 2600 RS
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
Group C class takes off at Dix Mille Tours du Castellet 2016
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