6H Magny-Cours : The VHCs return to the track Jean-Claude Andruet and Henri Leconte on the podium
Last weekend 26 crews and 65 drivers took part in the first endurance event of the 2021 season reserved for historic racing cars on the Nevers Magny-Cours circuit. Despite changeable weather conditions with clear skies interspersed with showers, which caused track conditions that were in perpetual evolution, everybody was delighted to be there. After the never-ending winter break, the many cancellations and postponements caused by the Covid-19 pandemic at last they could again don their driver suits, helmets and gloves and get back behind the wheel of their favourite cars for a long-distance race.
After the two one-hour free practices followed by a one-hour qualifying session, the drivers roared off on Sunday at 12:40 for six hours racing on the very selective 4,411-km Nevers layout. But as the early afternoon was marked by heavy rain the organisers took the wise decision to unleash the field with a flying start after five laps behind the safety car. The 6-hour race had no fewer than 10 different leaders as well as a few safety car deployments. The longest neutralisation lasted almost 28 minutes and was caused by a downpour. Others caused by race incidents were much shorter.