Pau races get new promoter

The Grand Prix de Pau Historique is set to regain its former glory thanks to a new promoter.

Local organising club the ACO Basco Bernais has signed up Patrick Peter’s experienced company, Peter Auto, to run the street race meeting.

The first major change is that the French historic event will only run biennially, starting in 2009. It will not run on the years of the Monaco Historic Grand Prix and the Le Mans Classic, and organisers say this will help raise its profile.

“We want to make it a bigger event than it was in 2008,” said Marine Allainguillaume of Peter Auto. “We will try to increase grid sizes and the quality of the cars, with more international entries.”

Following a very low-key event this year, which lacked a headline race series, Peter Auto is now working to assemble a prestigious race line-up for the weekend of May 23/24 next year.

The news has been well received by former Pau entrants, including race winner Jon Minshaw. “After the 2008 event I didn’t expect to be going back, but with Patrick Peter in charge it will be very different,” he said.