The Jaguar XE 300 Sport has set a unique lap record on France’s long forgotten race track to mark the 30th anniversary of its closure.
Driven by former touring car driver Vincent Radermecker, who
also set the production saloon record in the XE SV Project 8 at the Nürburgring,
managed to complete the technical 8km course in 4 minutes 09 seconds averaging
speeds of 72mph.
Vincent said after the challenge: “The longest straight is
barely 600 metres, so I can see why drivers used to call this the French
Nürburgring. It’s a privilege to drive this track and it’s really special to
drive here with Jaguar.
“The agility, dynamic handling and all-wheel drive traction
of the XE 300 Sport came into its own.”
The Circuit de Charade is famed for looping around a dormant
volcano and using public roads but was eventually closed in 1988 thanks to
short run-off areas and sharp volcanic rocks, all of which took its toll on the
cars and the drivers alike.
But unlike some of the great who took the track between 1958
and 1988, such as Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi and
Graham Hill, Vincent faced a few modern obstacles including two gateways and a
roundabout.
The full, original track is now officially closed, but the
southern section of the circuit has been transformed into a modern racing
venue, which retains some of the charm that made France’s forgotten track a
star in the past.
Watch the lap record below.
Gallery
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