A host of world-class classics are set to turn French lanes into a moving motor show next spring as more than 230 crews take part in the Tour Auto Optic 2000 tour from 18-24 April. The event, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next year, will chart a winding and challenging course from Paris to Cannes.
Homage will be paid to classics that have added to the rich history of the tour, including the Ferrari 250GT Competizione, Jaguar MkII 3.8, Ligier JS2 and Matra MS650, while the impressively large field will count dozens of more attainable classics, such as MGBs among its ranks.
The tour will begin in the Grand Palais in Paris, with crews leaving at dawn the following day in the direction of the Chateau de Courances. From there, teams will do battle across timed regularity events on 11 closed-road special stages, while also testing their mettle at four racing circuits: Dijon-Prenois, Bresse, Ledenon and Paul Ricard.
The route of the tour changes every year, with next year’s including Beaune, Lyon and Valence, with the fourth leg ending in Marseille ahead of reaching the finish line in Cannes. By the time competitors reach the end of the tour, they will have covered an impressive 2000km – much of which will be under competition conditions.
To make things even more exciting, a night stage has been added to the itinerary for the first time. On the final day, crews will be challenged to a night run on the Cote d’Azur, which will include two special stages.
Four times winner of the Paris-Dakar rally and former World Rally Champion Ari Vatanen will add to the atmosphere by carrying out road-closing duties in a BMW M4, while former Tour winner Francois Chatriot, nicknamed ‘The Cat’, will be joining the Finn.
