17 replies to this topic

[GerhardP]

Does anybody of you happen to know if the AGS team, which was in F1 in the late 80's with Phillippe Streiff as their lead driver, does still exist (e.g. as a sportscar team or so), and if it still exists, if it is still located at Gonfaron in southern France?

[fines]

The team was sold in its last year of F1 (1991) and ceased to exist. IIRC, the site of the factory and their test track (LeLuc) is now used by a venture selling F1 driving thrills for rich kids.

[BRG]

Originally posted by fines
selling F1 driving thrills for rich kids.

I thought that was Minardi?

[fines]

[Frank de Jong]

GerhardP, in Italy "AGS Motorsport" runs two Audi A4´s in the European Touring Car Championship, driven by Roberto Colciago and Massimo Pigoli. I don´t think this Italian AGS team is in any way related to the former Formula 1 team, which was French, of course.
But this may have caused some confusion.

[Egon Thurner]

AGS Formule 1 al le Luc (southern France) now is a racing driver scool. The have 10 Formula 1 cars and 10 Formula 3 cars. The owner(s) seem to be from switzerland.

One of the instructors is ex-F1-driver Patrick Gaillard.

More info (only in german): www.ags-formel1.com

[HistoryFan]

AGS wanted to merge with Larrousse in 1991. Some details?

[HistoryFan]

Another question: AGS was sold to Patrizio Cantù and Gabriele Raffanelli in 1991. Are there any details about Raffanelli?

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by HistoryFan
Another question: AGS was sold to Patrizio Cantù and Gabriele Raffanelli in 1991. Are there any details about Raffanelli?

Owned Bigazzi WTCC/ETCC Team in early 90s didnt he? Liked off shore yachting as weel as I recall.

[Graham Gauld]

Going back to basics, AGS , was founded by Henri Julien who lives in Gonfaron. He is still living in Gonfaron and concentrates on his collection of 500cc Formula III and Formula Junior cars - not all his own make -and compiled a book covering every 500cc racing car built. He could not find a publisher and so published it himself. He borrowed everything I have in my archives on 500cc Formula III and so is still very enthusiastic even though he has nothing to do with the AGS cars at Le Luc which are new builds in a superb facility at the track.

[COUGAR508]

It was sad that they had to leave F1. For a brief period in 1989, with Tarquini driving, they looked like they were making real progress. I presume that it was a lack of finance which stalled their ambitions?

[Formula Once]

I was at Le Luc last year and had the pleasure of meeting Henri Julien. A nice and modest man and a wonderful track. AGS did quite well in 1988 with Streiff driving its first proper F1 car, but, looking back, the crash at Rio at the beginning of 1989 ended what could have been.

PS Raffanelli went sportscar racing with a Judd powered Lola in 2001 after failing to buy a sportscar project from TWR.

[COUGAR508]

Yes, in 1988/89 they produced neat, compact and very effective little cars. The Streiff crash probably did take a lot of the wind out of their sails.

[HistoryFan]

Originally posted by Formula Once
I was at Le Luc last year and had the pleasure of meeting Henri Julien. A nice and modest man and a wonderful track. AGS did quite well in 1988 with Streiff driving its first proper F1 car, but, looking back, the crash at Rio at the beginning of 1989 ended what could have been.

PS Raffanelli went sportscar racing with a Judd powered Lola in 2001 after failing to buy a sportscar project from TWR.

Thank you for the info!

[P. Dron]

Originally posted by fines
The team was sold in its last year of F1 (1991) and ceased to exist. IIRC, the site of the factory and their test track (LeLuc) is now used by a venture selling F1 driving thrills for rich kids.

Don't bother unless you are well under 6ft tall. I went there a few years ago to do a feature for The Daily Telegraph. I squeezed into the bare chassis inside the racing school. I found that my right foot could do full throttle or full brakes, but to switch from one to the other required considerable effort. Also, the top of my head was well above the rollover bar, without putting on a helmet. I am still not sure how I managed to get out of the thing. I am the short member of the family, by the way - about 6ft 3/4in. But for those of you of more practical build, the way the operation is organized seemed pretty good.

[Hieronymus]

Originally posted by P. Dron


Don't bother unless you are well under 6ft tall. I went there a few years ago to do a feature for The Daily Telegraph. I squeezed into the bare chassis inside the racing school. I found that my right foot could do full throttle or full brakes, but to switch from one to the other required considerable effort. Also, the top of my head was well above the rollover bar, without putting on a helmet. I am still not sure how I managed to get out of the thing. I am the short member of the family, by the way - about 6ft 3/4in. But for those of you of more practical build, the way the operation is organized seemed pretty good.

Ever considered rugger instead of racing?

Here are lots on Henri Julien and AGS:

http://www.autodiva....b2df9720ceaf206

[P. Dron]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hieronymus
[B]

Ever considered rugger instead of racing?

No.

[Formula Once]

I am about 185 cm tall and I had plenty of space in their latest F1 car which I think they introduced in 2005. I liked driving it, its easy to operate and Patrick knows how to explain things. Sliding the Opel/Lotus around on a wet track in the morning provided even more fun, though.