Chronology
Since 1982 ...
1982-1992 The Grand Prix de l'Age d'Or Lanvin. Peter Auto developed this event from 1982 to 1992. Thus, the Coupes de l'Age d'Or managed by a sporting association became the Grand Prix de l'Age d'Or Lanvin, a high standard historic car meeting, probably one of the first musts in this field in the late '80's. The Grand Prix of Bourgogne, Provence and Croix en Ternois echoed this event on the Dijon, Castellet and …Croix en Ternois circuits.
1992 The Tour Auto Optic 2ooo is the Tour de France Automobile (the oldest motor racing event still in operation) retrospective. It quickly became one of the major historic events that no amateur would miss. Nowadays one of the international classics, it brings together each year in April, 200 handpicked cars, which start from Paris and arrive, five days later and 2000 Km further, after driving along scenic roads dotted with timed stages on closed road and circuits.
1994-1995 The 1000 km of Paris. Peter Auto has entered the modern competition field with this event. After reading a paper about the 1000 km of Paris, Patrick Peter decided to update the concept. As there were no more GT and endurance races, he decided not to operate as a retrospective, but in modern competition and did so in association with close friend Bernard Consten. The dilapidated state of the Montlhery track no longer permitting to welcome modern cars, the experience ends after two editions.
1994-1996 BPR. This endurance racing come back with the 1000 km of Paris drew Stephane Ratel and Jürgen Barth's attention, thus they decided to joined forces with him: the B(arth) P(eter) R(atel) was born. They launched a new international championship -a 4 hour format- including 12 GT endurance races. The series met the success and destiny everybody knows … In 1994, the BPR organised the first international race in P.R.C (Zhuhai), but also races in Japan, in Brazil and throughout Europe.
1997 FFSA GT and Touring car Championships. A transition period for modern cars activity. After the BPR experience, the French Automobile Sports Federation appoints, for one year, Patrick Peter to manage two of their national championships,
1998 The Tour of España is organised with Carlos de Miguel, a Spanish partner in collaboration with the Spanish (RACE) and Andalusia (FAA) Automobile federations. The tenth edition has shown in 2008 that the Tour de España is definitely the fall classic rally in Europe.
1999-2001 Shell Historic Ferrari Maserati Challenge. Three-year collaboration with Ferrari in Maranello to structure and manage historic races organised for their customers on circuits. Afterwards, the series was run directly by the manufacturer.
2001 The Ronde du Ventoux, another retrospective, this time of the famous Mont Ventoux hillclimb. 2001 is a test. One of the reasons of its success is the idea of transforming the hillclimb into a loop, avoiding the usual boring wait at the top of the hill before going back down to the start. The event will be taken up in 2009 under the name Ronde du Ventoux Optic 2ooo.
2002 Le Mans Classic is the retrospective, put on every two years, of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the big circuit, in collaboration with the ACO. The first edition received the Grand Prix du Jury du Festival International de l'Automobile. 400 cars on the track, 1000 drivers, 100 cars driven by juniors from 6 to 13 years old, 7000 club cars in the Bugatti, 100,000 spectators, an auction and many other activities confirm Le Mans Classic’s position as a worldwide major event in its field.
2004 Le Mans Series. Ten years later, it is the return to modern competition in collaboration with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest. The ambition of the series was to give back to endurance racing its place among the cream of motor sport disciplines. Aim achieved with a grid regularly boasting between 40 and 50 cars on the starting lines of the most renowned European circuits, not forgetting escapades to Brazil and Turkey...
Classic Endurance Racing. The C.E.R. grid, often curtain raising Le Mans Series races, was created to contribute, alongside modern cars, to the celebration of endurance racing. Cars from the most representative period of endurance racing -GTs and Prototypes from 1966 to 1979-, a race format authorising a total of 2 ½ hours driving: the perfect recipe for satisfying drivers and allowing spectators to discover the ancestors of their dream cars. Today, CER has reached a level of competitiveness which makes it one of the best reputed classic series in Europe.
2005 Le Mans Classic Japan. The idea of Le Mans Classic Japan is to organise, every two years alternatively with Le Mans Classic, an event, on a smaller scale, giving the opportunity to Japanese collectors to become familiarised with the one held in France. There is an automatic selection for the first of each grid in the following Le Mans Classic.
2009 Grand Prix de Pau Historique. The retrospective, taken over in 2009 by Peter Auto, of the famous Bearn street circuit born in 1900 and raced within the city walls since 1933. As they should, the grids are for single seaters of the ‘30s to the end of the seventies, but also to pre-1966 GT and Sports cars. A novelty by Peter Auto: a village at the heart of the circuit. The event is programmed every two years.
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The Ronde du Ventoux Optic 2ooo, is the answer to the request of the local Sporting Association, to revive the Ronde du Ventoux which took place in 2001 and is meant to be held every other year. The hill climb has kept the format of a loop, avoiding the boring wait at the top of the hill.
The Gstaad Classic Audemars Piguet. Last born of the Peter Auto road events, the Gstaad Classic Audemars Piguet is a première in Switzerland where it is impossible, or nearly, to organise rallies including special stages on closed roads. The Gstaad Classic Audemars Piguet, always the copy of French Tour Auto Optic 2ooo is organised every other year in collaboration with DSL and the Gstaad Automobile Club.
2010 Dix Mille Tours. Another Peter Auto appointment with automobile history. First event in 2010 with five grids on the Paul Ricard circuit, both modern and full of history, before visiting in 2011 other European tracks…
Trofeo Nastro Rosso. One of the two last born Peter Auto grids which offer to pre-66 Italian Sports and GT cars a first meeting on the track of the Paul Ricard circuit. Favouring the quality of the cars and "fair play" on the track, this grid will be a unique opportunity to admire the elegance of the great Italian brands. An occasion to cheer up the Ferrari owners denied of their Historic Challenge in 2010!
Sixties' Endurance. The other latest Peter Auto creation in collaboration with Carol Spagg is of a different style, older than the Classic Endurance Racing. This endurance race for Pre-63 Sports cars and Pre-66 GTs will be a wonderful occasion to admire for two hours the icons of the world championship of the time …
2011 Grand Prix de Pau. Already organiser of its retrospective; in 2011 Peter Auto became promoter of the Grand Prix de Pau in its modern version. On the agenda: nine series and the first Electrical GP of Pau, for a return to the top of one of the oldest Grand Prix in the world. The latter will take place every year and its classic version takes the opportunity to adopt the same rate.
Spa Classic. The driver’s favourite circuit lacked a retrospective worthy of its glorious history. On the model of Le Mans Classic, Peter Auto takes up the challenge of giving Spa Francorchamps a major historical event. The first Spa Classic meets with the expected success and a second edition is announced for the following year.
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