Around the tracks

Grand Prix Historique: Pau

Lotus man Schryver streets ahead in south of France

Michael Schryver was the star of Pau netting a remarkable quartet of wins during its Grand Prix Historique. His prowess around the confines of the French town netted him doubles in the HGPCA Pre-1965 events and Formula Junior races.

Having elected to concentrate on this meeting rather than race at Monaco the previous weekend, Schryver arrived fresh from a hugely encouraging run at the HGPCA Donington in his newly acquired Lotus 18. Capitalising on the absence of Frank Sytner’s Brabham BT4, Schryver was able to see off the challenge of Richard Attwood (BRM P261) to take the first of what will surely be many wins.

Hopping into his Formula Junior Lotus 22, Schryver made it four from four, but Denis Welch was a constant threat in his Merlyn Mk5, finishing within a couple of lengths in both races.

Pau marked the debut event for the new Grand Prix Masters movement for 3-litre F1 machinery. Peter Williams (March 761) was the class of the field in both races, although Frank Lyons (McLaren M26) in the first race and Peter Wuensch (Brabharn BT37) in the second had both closed in at the flag. A week after running his Lotus 72 for the first time at Monaco, Alistair Morrison claimed a fourth and a third in the JPS-liveried car.

A year ago, Carlos Barbot had driven the race of his life to beat John Sheldon (Chevron B16) by little more than a second in the European Sports Prototype contest This time around, with an aggregate result from two 15-lap races, the Portuguese racer made hay in the dry conditions of Sunday’s second race to easily overcome the time deficit he collected in the damp of Saturday.

Bill Wykeham and John Bendall maintained their superb form aboard a Cobra to prevail in the Gentlemen Drivers contest, although Nick Whale and Ian Guest did well to keep their Jaguar E-type on the same lap as the thundering AC.