Forget Le Mans, with its big budgets and top speeds above 200 miles an hour. The 2CV might look as suitable for racing as a shopping trolley, but its slow speed and distinct cornering makes racing an art.
At Snetterton, 24 competitors entered for 706 laps of the 1.952 miles (3 km) circuit -- with the fastest lap recorded at just over 64 mph (102 kph).
Aside from the 24 “2CV” cars, there were also four (4) minis and six (6) 2CV/Hybrid cars - neither the minis nor the hybrid cars counted in the main race as they have larger engines than the Citroen 2CV which has a standard 602cc engine, but the extra vehicles added to the atmosphere of the race and enhanced the experience for spectators.
Drivers regularly take corners two or three abreast and then slipstream the car in front before trying to overtake before the next bend.
Teams have between two and four drivers who take control for a maximum of three hours at a time; the cars run for about two hours on a 20-litre tank of fuel, so drivers often change when the vehicle needs refuelling.
An engine change can take anything from 10 to 20 minutes and a gearbox, about 10 minutes, and many of the mechanics were kept busy as failures occurred, one car (no 79) had 3 engine changes over the race during its 24 pit stops!
The very last Citroen 2CV rolled off the production line in July 1990, but there are still plenty around and it doesn't take much to modify them for racing, boosting the normal 22 brake horsepower to 49.
Many modifications over the years have been for safety reasons, while the rest are intended to produce better handling or performance. Changes usually require only basic tools and knowledge.
The race started at 5pm on Saturday afternoon and ended 24 hours later. In a hotly contested race, the lead constantly changed but after a night of thrills and spills, Number 79 - Team Lion 1 (Grey and red car) won the endurance race.
This year's race will be at the Snetterton race circuit on the 26th & 27th of August.
#2cv #citroen #24hours #motorsport