Historic Tour – Ralt RT3, the ogre of Formula 3

The second trip of the 2021 season of the French Historical Tour Championship highlighted the performance of the Ralf RT3 in F3 Classic. There car English indeed won the two rounds contested this weekend near Dijon-Prenois (Côte-d'Or) in different conditions.

The most spectacular demonstration took place on Saturday. Under downpours of rain, the returning David Caussanel put the pawn behind the regular leaders of the discipline. The former Formula France champion and actor of the Pegasus Racing team in Endurance VdeV beat another Ralf RT3, that of Matthieu Châteaux. Note with what dexterity the young driver steered his boat, sorry, his car to second place on the podium:

The Ralt RT3 acquired its reputation across the Channel by being the machine on which a certain Ayrton Senna won the famous British F3 title in 1983 as well as the Macau Grand Prix in the process. Ground effect single-seater developed in 1979, the RT3 powered the circuits until 1984, proof of its manufacturing quality.

On Sunday, the sun and a dry track could have allowed other models to climb to the top of the podium. The March 783 of defending champion Frédéric Rouvier seemed well on its way to fulfilling this role, until Matthieu Châteaux, again, caught up with him and overtook him.

This meeting allowed the public to remember a manufacturer who has now passed away. Ralt was founded in the early 1950s by Jack Brabham's former business partner, Ron Tauranac, along with his brother Austin Lewis Tauranac. You will have understood, the name Ralf was formed from the initials of the siblings.

Find it in AUTO issue 2324hebdo, on sale Monday evening digitally and Wednesday on newsstands, the report of the Historic Tour in Dijon-Prenois by our special correspondent.