A trio of Renault 4CVs
This year, Renault brought to the track three 4CVs, replicas of models that raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950 and 1951. They were real crowd-pleasers to say the least, both in the paddocks and on the track!
They lined up in Grid 2, reserved for cars from 1949 to 1956. They faced formidably fast competitors by well-known German, English and Italian makers. But the Renault 4CV pilots remained unshaken by these racing giants, and, like David versus Goliath, they took their shot and landed on the podium for performance index.
A well-deserved podium!
We are proud to announce that Julien Saunier and Patrick Henry won the performance index in this grid, behind the wheel of their little 4CV sporting the number 47. To cap it off, Alain Serpaggi (performance index winner in 1969) and Géraldine Gaudy (4CV no. 46) joined them on the podium, taking third.
Throughout the entire race, the third team to take the wheel of the 4CV no. 48--comprised of Christian Chambord and Jean-Pierre Prévot--was well on its way to a podium finish as well, until an incident took them out of the running just minutes before the finish line.
Events for the fans
There was no shortage of excitement for spectators in the Renault club area on Saturday. From the prime pre-starting line location, the superb exhibition of classic models was impossible to miss, with nine Renault 4CVs and nine Renault 5s on full display for passersby. This creation of dialogue between the two models is a nod to the launch press kit of the Renault 5 in late 1971, which highlighted the connection between the two small Renault models. Plus, you will recall that Renault 5 is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!
To join the Renault club space (with the 4CV paddocks) and the pit lane, Renault enlisted a 1933 KZ10 as the so-called “paddock car” to bring spare parts and tyres during driver changes and pit-stops at the stand. This car, converted into a two truck, was also used to carry the technical teams in its rear bucket. What a success! The event spectators snapped all kinds of photos of the nonagenarian, still going strong!
Clubs and collectors join the celebration
The clubs also took part in the celebration! Over 100 classic cars came from all over France, Germany, Switzerland and England. Behind the wheel of an Alpine or a Renault, these classic car owners added to the event’s festive atmosphere, with help from volunteers at the CAR Le Mans club.
This 2022 edition of the event closed with an array of images and emotions. The 2023 edition will be huge celebration to mark 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
To learn more about Renault 4CV, visit The Originals Renault Museum
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