63rd - Roberts / Tomlinson - Fiat
142 - Mustarde / Thorp - Alfa
177 - Ostle / Brack - Mini Cooper S
179 - Vines / Moss - Mini Cooper S
184 - Ring / Cave - Datsun 240Z
213 - Richards / Morrow - Mini Cooper S
The Hillman Imp of Geof O'Nions has sadly retired with gearbox problems
On Tuesday 29thJanuary we started out from Valence in number order, so at 287 we were well toward the back. The first cars left at 7.30am, and our turn came at about 11.00am. The weather is warm and sunny, and little or no snow on the roads was expected.
ZR 3 - Les Ollieres was a nightmare. A very long, tight and twisty section where it was necessary to push hard all the time. We got the speed for our timing wrong in here and pushed too hard, overtaking two cars and catching a third, so we collected some more penalties. 249th in this one.
ZR4 - Albon / Le Cheylard was better - 104th
ZR5 - St Bonnet Le Froid was completely devoid of snow - nothing at all. It was so dull to drive around in the dry that I nearly went to sleep. Big improvement here - 45th. Top Mini and equal to last years 1962-65 Category winner in a Volvo 122 Amazon.
ZR6 - Lalouvesc / Col de Bouisson was fantastic - I know this one reasonably well. The tricky bit starts with a really awkward downhill hairpin, which is so steep as to be almost like a step, and then you have to drive like the wind through a whole series of extremely narrow a twisty sections to stay on time. Exceptionally pleased to have got a 17th finish position through here, and soundly beat the Volvo, and top Mini again.
At the end of Tuesday after ZR 6 the final Team GB standings are:
71st - Roberts / Tomlinson - Fiat - going really well for the team and leading Brits
126 - Ring / Cave - Datsun 240Z
130 - Ostle / Brack - Mini Cooper S
157 - Vines / Moss - Mini Cooper S
158 - Mustarde / Thorp - Mini Cooper S
217 - Richards / Morrow - Mini Cooper S
In the Mini standings Tuesday results are:
- 51st - Picquier
- 130th - Ostle
- 141st - Arnal
- 149th - Nakagawa
- 157th - Vines
- 165th - Hart
- 217th - Richards
- 227th - McAlpine
- 228th - Burnier
- 269th - Gary
Pictured here are Bill Richards commiserating with Geoff O'Nion and David Wilkinson after they had retired their Imp at Valence with seized gearbox.
Second picture is at St Agreve time control with Vines, Arnal and Richards red and white Cooper S types queing to check in.
David Wilkinson, Bill Richards, and Geof O'Nion
Red and white Minis everywhere - it could be from a different time - 1965?
Photo: Nicolas Nogue. Pushing hard
A comparion of Mini offices - PRX720B of Richards / Morrow above and CRX89B of Vines / Moss below.
St Agreve - service for Bill
St Agreve service for Al, Peter and Nigel
Replica works Saab and Healey
Photo: Nicolas Nogue. Not so much snow in the Ardeche this year
Photo: Auto-BMC - Gary / Blumenthal
Photo: Mini Spares - Richards / Morrow
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