Tour Auto 2012, Follow Kevin Kivlochan here!

[nikbj68]

Reports from, and with thanks to, Russell Brown at ONI.
   
   Hi everybody,
   
   The 2012 Tour Auto is underway with Sean Lynn driving and Kevin Kivlochan navigating the Cobra again this year. It’s the fifth time they have competed in the event with a win in 2009 in the Ford GT but forced to retire whilst leading the race in 2008, 2010 and 2011 in the Cobra. They have never won in the Cobra so fourth time lucky? Last year it was the broken wishbone on the front suspension that put them out of the race. Let’s all hope that this year they fare better.
   
   The car is AC Cobra - 644 CGT (Chassis No 2130). Chassis 2130 was the one-off Willment Team Cobra raced in period by Bob Olthoff, amongst others, and more widely known as the "Le Mans Prototype".
   
   The cars all went on display in the Grand Palais in Paris on Sunday and Monday – a change from the open Jardin des Tuileries in previous years. Over 10,000 visitors were there to look at the cars and chat with the competitors. A couple of photos are attached of the Cobra and a batch of £1M+ Ferraris.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   The schedule for this year takes the cars from Paris to the finishing line in Nice on Saturday with timed stages on both roads and race tracks along the way.
   
   [edit by Nik]You can follow the action via the official  Tour Auto 2012 website, but I can`t find any TV coverage in the UK this year. [end edit]
   
   So here’s the news from Day 1 on the Road – Tuesday 17th
   
   The cars left Paris early in the morning with drivers gathering from 6am for a Police escort to the real starting point about an hour out of the city at the Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte (used in the 007 film “A View to a Kill”). Setting off for Beaune with a track stage at Dijon Prenois on the way there was a special stage at La Puisaye where Sean and Kevin finished 6th. The Ludovic Caron Cobra (No 200) was in fifth and the team comprising Mark Freeman and Duncan Freeman in the 210 Cobra finished an impressive 2nd. The first and third places were taken by Porsche 911s.
   
   At the Dijon circuit it was a very different story with the Porsches slipping right down the rankings and four Cobras in the top ten. Sean and Kevin finished 3rd at Dijon after 8 laps of the track with the Freeman Cobra in 8th . Ludovic Caron’s Cobra was 6th and the winner of the stage was Jean-Marc Merlin in the number 208 Cobra. A good day all round which left these four Cobras dominating the Top 5 places at the end of the first day in the following order:
   
   1st – Lynn/Kivlochan Cobra
   
   2nd – Merlin/Roche Cobra – 4 secs behind leader
   
   3rd – Kohler/Laboise Lotus Elan – 16 secs behind leader
   
   4th – Caron/David Cobra – 21 secs behind leader
   
   5th – Freeman/Freeman Cobra – 32 secs behind leader.
   
   It’s still very early in the race with the top 7 cars all within a minute of Sean and Kevin.
   
   Today the drivers left Beaune to get to Aix les Bains via the Bresse circuit and I will send out the news as I get it along with any more photos.
   
   Thanks, Russ

[cobham cobra]

Sounds like they're off to a good start. I will lookforward to your updates - thanks Nik / Russ.
   I'll keep my fingers for them - John.

[nikbj68]

There are already 22 pages of photos on the Tour Auto Gallery But not only are there a bevy of Cobras for us AC folk, I`ve spotted an Ace & an Aceca in there too!

[Bill P]

Some Aces
   
   
   Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[nikbj68]

DAY 2: (Again, thanks to Russ.)
   
   Hi everybody,
   
   I will let you know when I get a bit more detail from the coal face and some more pictures but I thought you would like to know how the second day has gone.
   
   There were three “stages” today – starting at the La Bresse circuit and then a stage at Col de Portes and a final stage at Le Revard before the finish in Aix les Bains.
   
   Firstly in the La Bresse stage Shaun and Kevin finished second behind the Ford GT40 of Christopher Stahl and just six seconds ahead of Jean-Marc Merlin’s AC Cobra. That was enough to keep Shaun and Kevin in top spot and extend their lead over the Merlin Cobra to 10 seconds overall.
   
   In the 5Km stage at Col de Portes Shaun and Kevin were in 26th place although only 21 seconds behind the winning Alfa Romeo of Rattazzi and only one second behind the Merlin Cobra.
   
   The final stage at Le Revard was just over 10Km - Shaun and Kevin finished tenth and dropped another 7 seconds to Merlin. Ludovic Caron won the stage in his AC Cobra 19 seconds ahead of Shaun and Kevin.
   
   At the end of the second day Shaun and Kevin are still in the lead overall with a precious 2 seconds over the Merlin car. The top 5 at the moment looks like this:
   
   1st – Lynn/Kivlochan – AC Cobra
   
   2nd – Merlin/Roche – AC Cobra – 2 seconds behind the leader
   
   3rd – Kohler/Laboisne – Lotus Elan – 38 seconds behind the leader
   
   4th – Stahl/Niermann – Ford GT40 – 1m06s behind the leader
   
   5th – Freeman/Freeman – AC Cobra – 1m10s behind the leader
   
   We can’t ignore local favourite Ludovic Caron in his AC Cobra in 6th place (1m44s behind) and even Lajournade in 16th place in his Lotus Elan 3m13s behind who featured well last year – Caron won the event in 2011 with Lajournade in second place.
   
   Well done also to Mark and Duncan Freeman in 5th place at the moment. Mark finished 55th last year so let’s hope they can keep the Cobra up there at the top - behind Shaun and Kevin, of course [].
   Russ

[aaron]

quote:Originally posted by nikbj68
   
DAY 2: (Again, thanks to Russ.)
   
   Hi everybody,
   
   I will let you know when I get a bit more detail from the coal face and some more pictures but I thought you would like to know how the second day has gone.
   
   There were three “stages” today – starting at the La Bresse circuit and then a stage at Col de Portes and a final stage at Le Revard before the finish in Aix les Bains.
   
   Firstly in the La Bresse stage Shaun and Kevin finished second behind the Ford GT40 of Christopher Stahl and just six seconds ahead of Jean-Marc Merlin’s AC Cobra. That was enough to keep Shaun and Kevin in top spot and extend their lead over the Merlin Cobra to 10 seconds overall.
   
   In the 5Km stage at Col de Portes Shaun and Kevin were in 26th place although only 21 seconds behind the winning Alfa Romeo of Rattazzi and only one second behind the Merlin Cobra.
   
   The final stage at Le Revard was just over 10Km - Shaun and Kevin finished tenth and dropped another 7 seconds to Merlin. Ludovic Caron won the stage in his AC Cobra 19 seconds ahead of Shaun and Kevin.
   
   At the end of the second day Shaun and Kevin are still in the lead overall with a precious 2 seconds over the Merlin car. The top 5 at the moment looks like this:
   
   1st – Lynn/Kivlochan – AC Cobra
   
   2nd – Merlin/Roche – AC Cobra – 2 seconds behind the leader
   
   3rd – Kohler/Laboisne – Lotus Elan – 38 seconds behind the leader
   
   4th – Stahl/Niermann – Ford GT40 – 1m06s behind the leader
   
   5th – Freeman/Freeman – AC Cobra – 1m10s behind the leader
   
   We can’t ignore local favourite Ludovic Caron in his AC Cobra in 6th place (1m44s behind) and even Lajournade in 16th place in his Lotus Elan 3m13s behind who featured well last year – Caron won the event in 2011 with Lajournade in second place.
   
   Well done also to Mark and Duncan Freeman in 5th place at the moment. Mark finished 55th last year so let’s hope they can keep the Cobra up there at the top - behind Shaun and Kevin, of course [].
   Russ
   

   
   Which car is Ludovic running the real one or the Kirham ?

[nikbj68]

It`s the real one at the moment...[]
   
   Here`s DAY 3, courtesy of Russ:
   
   Hi everybody,
   
   Well we are three days in to the 2012 race which is already an improvement on last year where the suspension collapsed on Day 2. Always good to improve on the previous year ;-)
   
   Today the race left Aix les Bains in the very early hours and there were two special stages at Chadernolles and the Charade motor circuit before the teams finished in Clermont Ferrand. Crossing the Rhone Valley in the morning the teams stopped for lunch at the Chateau Martinanches in the heart of the Auvergne region. No time to enjoy the wines though as it was straight down to business.
   
   The morning timed stage at Chadernolles was just a short 6Km sprint and saw all the old favourites battling it out at the top. In the end the winner of the stage was Ludovic Caron in his AC Cobra with the Freeman Cobra in third and Shaun & Kevin coming in 4th just five seconds behind Caron.  With three Cobras in the top 4 they were only split by Rolland D’Abel de Libran placed second in his Jaguar MkII. With the Merlin/Roche Cobra down in 17th and 23 seconds behind the stage winner this extended Shaun and Kevin’s lead at the top of the table to 20 seconds.
   
   In the afternoon the cars took to the Charade circuit for 8 laps of racing (see attached photo).
   
   
   
   It was a British winner at the chequered flag although it was the Meins/Huxley Ford GT40. Shaun and Kevin finished second just two seconds behind the Meins car. With the Merlin Cobra 25 seconds off the Ford GT40 pace Shaun and Kevin managed to extend their lead once again. The Freeman Cobra slipped to 12 place on the Charade circuit dropping 57 seconds to the GT40. This was a chance for the Meins GT40 to shine but they are not in overall contention finishing the day in 48th place over 41 minutes behind the leaders. One final note from the Charade circuit – the Ludovic Caron Cobra only completed two laps and is now effectively out of the race down in 51st place and almost 49 minutes behind.
   
   So who is in the lead? Are you keeping up?
   Prior to the official rankings being published and all penalties being taken into account the Top 5 looks like this:
   
   1 – Lynn/Kivlochan AC Cobra
   
   2 – Merlin/Roche AC Cobra – 43 seconds
   
   3 – Kohler/Laboisne Lotus Elan 1m 31s
   
   4 – Freeman/Freeman AC Cobra 2m 04s
   
   5 – Payen/Couedel Jaguar E Type 2m 56s
   
   With last year’s runner up, Lajournade in the Lotus Elan down in 9th place and 3m42s off the pace and the 2011 winner Ludovic Caron down in 51st place this is a great opportunity for Shaun and Kevin to snatch a victory. There are still two days to go so plenty more twists and turns to come!!
   
   Russ

[Gus Meyjes]

Thanks guys for the great reporting and photos. I'm enjoying it!
   
   Gus

[nikbj68]

Aaron, are you some kind of wizard? Did you make this happen?: "...the Ludovic Caron Cobra only completed two laps and is now effectively out of the race down in 51st place and almost 49 minutes behind..."
   We`ll have to keep an eye on today`s photos, just in case!
   
   I believe there`s a 20-hour penalty for 'non-Francais' vehicles with mechanical faults(such as English air in the tyres), as evident below... 1 sidelight not working!
   
   

[TLegate]

MOT failure - throw him out!! Shades of 1966 once again.
   
   They will be so choked about Ludovic What a shame, but I'm surely the timekeepers meant to say 49 seconds behind....

[aaron]

quote:Originally posted by nikbj68
   
Aaron, are you some kind of wizard? Did you make this happen?: "...the Ludovic Caron Cobra only completed two laps and is now effectively out of the race down in 51st place and almost 49 minutes behind..."
   We`ll have to keep an eye on today`s photos, just in case!
   
   I believe there`s a 20-hour penalty for 'non-Francais' vehicles with mechanical faults(such as English air in the tyres), as evident below... 1 sidelight not working!
   
   
   
   

   
   Ha, his original car packed up a couple of years ago,then the Kirkham came out to play the following day !! I know one of Ludovics Cobras now wears a large white stripe across it with two thin green stripes, I wonder if the other car has been decorated the same ?

[nikbj68]

DAY 4, the penultimate! Russ has had a lot to type today!
   
   Hi everybody,
   
   It’s a big day at Tour Auto today with 4 Special Stages (8-11) taking the drivers down to Nimes – the last overnight stop before the race heads for the finishing line in Nice tomorrow.
   
   Augerolles – Special Stage 8
   
   This stage was a medium distance (8Km) and saw Ludovic Caron re-enter the race even though he has no chance of winning the overall event after his problems at Charade yesterday. Not only did Caron return to the race he returned in style with a lightning fast run that won him the stage by 14 seconds over D’Abel de Libran in the Jaguar MkII. Third place went to Rattazzi’s Alfa, fourth place was the GT40 of Richard Meins and Shaun & Kevin came in fifth at 23 seconds behind Ludovic Caron’s AC Cobra. More importantly the other two Cobras we have been following were the Freeman Cobra in 34th (1m8s) and the Merlin Cobra (3m25s). Kohler in the Lotus Elan was way off the pace down in 23rd place.
   
   The net result of the first morning stage was to extend Shaun and Kevin’s cumulative lead at the top to 1m59s over the Kohler Lotus Elan and 2m49s over the Freeman AC Cobra. The Merlin AC Cobra slipped to 7th overall – 3m45s behind.
   
   Laussonne-Le Monastier - Special Stage 9
   
   It was more of the same on Stage 9 with Ludovic Caron taking the honours again – this time over a 6.5Km distance – although the margins were much tighter and the top 9 cars were all within 9 seconds of the Caron AC Cobra. Shaun and Kevin finished the stage in 6th (8s) and Mark Freeman came home in 7th (also 8s). With Merlin’s Cobra in 12th place and Kohler’s Lotus in 17th it was another small addition to the overall lead and Shaun & Kevin stretched out to 2m8s over the Lotus Elan. No change at 2m49s back to the Freeman Cobra in 3rd place.
   
   Pole Mecanique Ales - Special Stage 10
   
   The 4.7Km stage at Pole Mecanique Ales saw an unprecedented AC Cobra top 4 with Ludovic Caron once again taking the spoils from Shaun and Kevin (6s), Jean-Marc Merlin (also 6s) and Mark Freeman (7s). Kohler lost another few valuable seconds coming in 6th on this stage.
   Net result – Shaun and Kevin extended the lead once again to 2m12s over the Kohler Elan and now 2m50s over the Freeman Cobra.
   
   If you are wondering what all these victories are doing for the Ludovic Caron AC Cobra – he’s in 47th place after this stage.
   
   Aubarine - Special Stage 11
   
   The final stage today was a 7.5Km route at Aubarine and it was a stage for the Jaguars with a MkII and an E Type taking the top two spots. Ludovic Caron finished third and there were a couple of small gains for the Kohler Lotus Elan and the Mark Freeman Cobra – both took a few seconds back from Shaun and Kevin who finished 12th on this stage but only 15 seconds behind the winning Jaguar.
   
   So with just one day to go it’s still looking good at the top of the “provisional” leader board with the order remaining exactly the same and the lead standing at 2m6s over the Kohler Lotus Elan and 2m49s over the Freeman Cobra. Last year’s runner-up Jean Pierre Lajournade in the Lotus Elan is down in 7th place at 4m11s and Merlin’s Cobra is down in 8th place with a gap of 4m13s. I’m not expecting any penalties but you never know. The final positions at the end of Day 4 will be confirmed later tonight.
   
   Fingers crossed for a really good Saturday as the cars head for Nice on the Cote D’Azur. There is a morning stage in Collias but the highlight of the day should be the visit to the Paul Ricard circuit for the last stage of the race. It was on this circuit in 2010 that Shaun and Kevin were battling it out with Ludovic Caron and Shaun’s engine blew, taking them out of the race that they were leading at the time.
   
   Keep your eyes open for the final update tomorrow!!
   Finally as a little treat for the weekend I have taken some of the best photos from the Tour Auto website.
   If you like any in particular then you can download in high quality from the website at the address below (click on the link below each photo where it says - Telecharger en Haute Definition) http://www.tourauto.com/fr/s10_phototheque/s10p01_phototheque.php [edit from Nik] Note, you must be in the French langauge version for the hi-def photo download option, as the download link is missing on the English site.[end of edit]
   
   
   There is a nice one I found from Paris last year (2011 Cobra) but all the others are from 2012 – and yes they have had snow!! Just so you are clear Shaun and Kevin are in the #201 red and white Cobra, Ludovic Caron is in the #200 black Cobra, Mark Freeman is in the #210 green Cobra and Jean-Marc Merlin is in the #208 blue Cobra.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Russ

[aaron]

Anyone have any idea what the chassis No`s are for the blue and green Cobras ? There is also a grey Cobra running with Le Mans hardtop ? Also a black Cobra.
   
   
   
   
   
   

[Chafford]

Great thread!

[Gus Meyjes]

I think the French should not be allowed to drive anything but Renaults, Simcas or Peugeots, or whatever they had running "in the day"
   
   Gus