"Commémoration du Circuit des Ardennes" 8 July to 10 July 2022

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The "Commémoration du Circuit des Ardennes in Bastogne" is a triannual event. The first "Commémoration du Circuit des Ardennes" was organize in 2002. And since the 2002 edition, this event is organize each 3 years.

This event was initially scheduled for July 2020 but he was postponed for the first time to July 2021 and very recently postponed to July 2022. PreWarCar and PostWarCar are accepted in this event and are divided in different categories.

Categories are the following (you can find in the gallery images of this press release some pics of cars accepted in each categories):

Category A : authentic cards which participated to the original races

Category B : cars similar to category A

Category C : cars built until 1918

Category D : cars built between 1919 to 1927

Category E : cars built between 1928 to 1940

Category F : cars built between 1941 to 1970

Category M : motorbikes until 1960

What is the "Commémoration du Circuit des Ardennes" ?

At the instigation of Baron Pierre de Crawhez, the Circuit des Ardennes was the first closed-circuit road race. The city-to-city races had proved their dangerousness because of the innumerable crossroads and public uncontrollable, neutralization in the cities, etc. The race circuit also had the advantage of allowing the public to see the competitors pass several times…

The Circuit des Ardennes was, from 1902, a great success. Organized until 1907, it attracted the greatest European pilots and builders. Baron de Crawhez was a well-known automobile pioneer and winner of the first race in Belgium, Brussels-Spa with his Panhard & Levassor called "Devastation". President of the Sports Committee of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium, Pierre de Crawhez chose the region of the Ardennes for his new race because of the beauty of the landscapes, the ribs which required competent pilots and efficient cars. And the low population density…

On July 1, 1902, at 5 o'clock in the morning, Pierre de Crawhez went first to cover the 500 km of the course. The British driver Jarrott noted: "The other cars left by mixing the categories yet planned, ie cars for 4 cars, carts and race cars. "The big favorite was the organizer of Crawhez himself, who obviously knew the course by heart. A journalist noted: "he is like a hurricane, in an indescribable public clamor ..." After a few laps, he had already won the Raczinsky Cup (100 km at 121 km average).Then came accidents: Jenatzy (the Red Devil ...) who broke his wheels, Caters who went to the ditch to avoid unwary spectators and Théry who hit a cow…

In the third lap, Crawhez hit the Germain du Baron Coppée car, which was riding in the "tourist" category and therefore slower. A spectacular "crash" and car destroyed but Crawhez and his mechanic were safe. The race was finally won by Englishman Charles Jarrott on Panhard.In 1903, after the dramatic Paris-Madrid race, which was interrupted by numerous casualties among the pilots and the public, Crawhez took particular care of security with marshals. And in the villages, the priests lectured their parishioners to encourage them to be cautious and to keep their cows well!

The race started at 3:15 pm Crawhez (and his car Panhard Levassor) were in great shape. After winning again the Raczinsky Cup, Crawhez continued the race in front and finished first ahead of Girardot (CVG) and De Brou (De Dietrich).The novelty in 1904 was the "gudrogenation", an expensive but effective way to stabilize the road and avoid dust.

Registrations were very international with Fletcher and Terry on Mercedes, Bianchi and Girling on Wolseley, Mayhew on Napier and Lancia on Fiat. There were only two Belgian pilots: Hauvast and Jenatzy, both on Pipe. For the main race (because we must remember that there were those of light cars, motorcycles, etc.), the winners were Heath, followed by Clement and Rigolly. The two Belgians had to give up for mechanical trouble.The list of entries in 1905 was promising: Mercedes, Fiat, CGV, Napier, Wolseley, Hotchkiss, Daracq, Panhard Lesvassor, De Dietrich,…

But there were many defections that limited the big cars to 13. But among them , Hemery and Wagner on Darracq, Gabriel, Duray, Rougier, Jenatzy and Caters on Mercedes, Fabry on Itala, Teste, Heath, Tart and Le Blon on Panhard. Hemery was the winner, benefiting in particular from an excellent ratio of 80 HP / 750 kg.In 1906, the Gordon Bennett Cup having been agreed with the countries concerned, France seized the opportunity to create in June at Le Mans the Prix de l'Automobile de France.

This had obviously mobilized a lot of effort on the part of the builders. As a result, the Circuit des Ardennes only brings together Germany and France, without the participation of Panhard or Renault. Duray on De Dietrich won the race which was a triumph for the brand because Rougier (3rd), Gabriel (5th) and Sorel (7th) also ran on De Dietrich!In 1907, the race saw a battle between Belgian brands: Minerva and Pipe. Hauvast and Jenatzy (both on Pipe) had to give up and it was Minerva's triumph: the first three places with Moore-Brabazon, Lee Guinness and Koolhoven.

For 1908, de Crawhez had thought of a new formula (going through 5 countries to finish with the usual Circuit in the Ardennes).But there was pressure to move the Circuit to Spa, along with a "clash" with the date chosen for the Targa Florio, new race in Sicily.

Each country now wanted its race and all resumed the formula of the Circuit des Ardennes: closed circuit … In Belgium, Spa-Francorchamps is the prestigious heir to the global innovation brought by Pierre de Crawhez with this Circuit des Ardennes that we are enthusiastically celebrating.

For people who want join this event in July 2022:

Actually the register are close for all participants but you can subscribe at the newsletter by this link to stay inform. Normally, you can again register at the end of this year. And if you wish, you can also indicate your interest on the Facebook event (here is the name of the event to make it easier to find it : Commemoration du Circuit des Ardennes 2022)

Kinds regards

Prewarcars Passion

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