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| Tour Auto | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tour Auto |
| Genre | Historic rally |
| Status | Active |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location | France |
| First | 1966 |
| Founder | Charles Pozzi; revived by Peter Auto |
Tour Auto Tour Auto is an annual historic road rally held in France that celebrates classic and competition automobiles from the 20th century. Combining closed-circuit racing at permanent venues, timed special stages on public roads, and regularity sections, the event attracts collectors, professional drivers, constructors and marques from across Europe and beyond. It blends elements associated with Rallye Monte Carlo, Mille Miglia, Le Mans 24 Hours, Goodwood Festival of Speed and historic motorsport festivals, positioning itself among premier historic motoring events.
The event originated in the mid-1960s as a revival of long-distance touring competitions that traced roots to early 20th-century endurance trials and endurance road races such as Rallye de Monte-Carlo and the pre-war Mille Miglia. Initially instigated by private entrants and dealerships including Charles Pozzi, the rally developed through the 1970s alongside professional series like the World Sportscar Championship and saw participation from manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Porsche and Jaguar. After a pause in the late 20th century, the event was relaunched and professionalised by organisers such as Peter Auto and promoters connected to historic racing circuits like Circuit Paul Ricard and Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Its modern incarnation preserves continuity with classic endurance narratives represented by Le Mans Series competitors and historic touring car traditions exemplified by European Touring Car Championship entrants.
Each edition follows a multi-day itinerary across regional highways and departmental roads in France, often beginning in the Paris region and concluding on the Mediterranean coast or in historic automotive hubs such as Biarritz, Cannes, Nice or Bordeaux. The format mixes closed-road special stages, timed laps at circuits including Circuit Paul Ricard, Circuit de Dijon-Prenois and Spa-Francorchamps when routed into neighboring countries, and hillclimb or sprints at venues like Col de Turini when alpine stages are included. Organisers publish daily roadbooks that reference municipal authorities including Ministry of the Interior (France) coordination and obtain permissions from prefectures such as the Prefecture of Paris and regional councils including Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council. Support logistics use service parks and paddocks associated with motorsport venues and facilities of partners like Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile-affiliated circuits.
Entries encompass marque-specific competition cars and road-going classics from manufacturers including Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Citroën, Delahaye, Ferrari, Lancia, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Shelby American. Classes are typically organised by era and specification with categories referencing homologation and historical competition status similar to classifications used in FIA Historic Sportscar Championship and Masters Historic Racing. Typical groupings include pre-war classics, 1950s sports prototypes, 1960s GT and touring cars, and late 20th-century homologation specials such as Ford GT40, Shelby Cobra, Jaguar E-Type and Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA. Specialist marques and coachbuilders like Pininfarina, Carrozzeria Touring and Bertone are often represented by coupés, roadsters and berlinettas restored to period specification.
The competitive structure integrates special-stage time trials on open road sections, circuit lap timing, and regularity tests judged against set average speeds, reflecting systems used in Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique and Mille Miglia Storica. Timing equipment conforms to standards comparable with those used at FIA-sanctioned events; results are compiled into general classifications awarding overall winners, class winners, and special trophies such as historic marque cups. Sporting regulations reference technical scrutineering criteria analogous to FIA Historic Technical Passport procedures and require documentation including original homologation papers or period competition records maintained by bodies like Automobile Club de France.
Over successive editions, winners have included accomplished drivers and teams from historic racing circles, motorsport professionals who also contested series like World Sportscar Championship and celebrity entrants affiliated with marques such as Porsche Club and Ferrari Owners' Club. Famous victors have driven icons like the Ford GT40, Ferrari 250 GTO, Porsche 911 and Jaguar C-Type, setting stage and circuit records at venues including Le Castellet and Le Mans Bugatti Circuit layouts during invitational heats. Notable participants from broader motorsport history include figures associated with Formula One teams, endurance specialists linked to 24 Hours of Le Mans, and historic-racing champions from Goodwood Revival.
Event organisation involves partnerships among professional promoters, regional authorities, motorsport federations and private sponsors such as luxury brands and automotive heritage organisations. Safety protocols mirror those established at Rallye Monte-Carlo and Le Mans 24 Hours for public-road competition, requiring marshal networks, medical response teams, fire services, route inspections and vehicle safety equipment standards akin to FIA homologation rules. Insurance arrangements are coordinated with national insurers and liability frameworks observed by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest in endurance contexts. Scrutineering and competitor briefings are conducted at official venues with compliance oversight provided by appointed stewards drawn from Fédération Française du Sport Automobile officials.
The rally has significant cultural resonance within automotive heritage communities including collectors affiliated with RM Sotheby's, Bonhams and marque clubs such as Ferrari Club and Aston Martin Owners Club. Media coverage spans specialist motorsport press—Autosport, Motorsport Magazine, Classic & Sports Car—and international outlets reporting on classic-car auctions, concours events like Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and lifestyle features in publications such as Forbes and The Guardian. Broadcast partners and online streaming platforms provide stage highlights, interviews and onboard footage, while social media channels and enthusiast forums document restoration projects, provenance research and concours preparation related to participating automobiles.
Category:Historic rallying