introducing: the
Trophées d’Auvergne
One of the most fabled names in French motorsport, the Trophées d’Auvergne, returns in 2026 as Motor Racing Legends brings a new headline event to the Circuit de Charade.
Described by Sir Stirling Moss as “The most beautiful circuit in the world,” the Circuit de Charade is a stunning mountain venue, set within a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Clermont-Ferrand, central France. Motor Racing Legends brings the Trophées d’Auvergne back to the circuit from 10th-12th July.
The event, a three-day festival of historic motorsport, is the first major Motor Racing Legends event in France and represents a major step for the organiser. Six series from the MRL stable join the event, plus four other top-quality grids from across Europe.
In the early 1970s, the Trophée d’Auvergne was part of the European 2-Litre Sportscar Championship, and Motor Racing Legends’ 2-Litre Sportscars will revive that spirit at Charade. The grid, modelled on the European series, welcomes lightweight sports racing cars from 1962-1976. Look for the likes of Lola, which took Helmut Marko and Guy Edwards to victories here in the early 1970s, March, and Chevron.
The Trophée d’Auvergne was first held in 1958, won by Innes Ireland in a Lotus XI. Alongside the likes of Jaguar, Lister, and Cooper, Innes’ machine would be welcomed to the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy and Stirling Moss Trophy grid. Willy Mairesse’s Ferrari 250 GT SWB, winner in 1961, could join the HMRN Pre ’63 GT grid, while the new-for-2026 Pre-’66 GT Sprint will be home to a wide variety of top marques.
Clermont Ferrand has more than a century’s worth of history with motor racing, starting with the 1905 Gordon Bennett Cup. Early-20th century racers will join the revived event, too, with Pre-War Sports Cars. Charade’s flowing circuit will suit these cars superbly, and they’ll be a source of joy and fascination for local fans just as they are at any event.
HRDC’s Top Hat series for pre-’66 touring cars, home to some of the finest tin tops ever, is joined by the Historic Grand Prix Car Association and the Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior on the bill.
Motor Racing Legends’ paddock, with individual tents and bespoke hospitality, will travel to Charade, bringing the atmosphere and conviviality that the organiser’s events are famous for.
Race entry will open very soon, with ticket sales beginning in the first quarter of 2026.
“THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CIRCUIT IN THE WORLD”
Located in the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Nature Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Circuit de Charade is the last active mountain circuit in Europe. This exceptional setting is matched by an extraordinary sporting history.
Designed by Jean Auchatraire and Le Mans winner Louis Rosier, the Charade circuit immediately captivated competitors when it hosted the first Trophées d’Auvergne on 27 July 1958, starting with the winners Innes Ireland and Maurice Trintignant. A few days earlier, Stirling Moss had visited the track in his personal Mercedes 300 SL to assess the layout and famously declared, “I don’t know a more wonderful track.” This opinion was later shared by Henri Pescarolo, who described the track, with its 51 bends and 180-metre elevation difference, as a “mini Nürburgring”.
The circuit, often known as Clermont-Ferrand in deference to the nearby town, hosted four Formula One French Grands Prix between 1965 and 1972, as well as multiple two-wheeled Grands Prix and the World Sportscar Championship.
In 1989 the circuit was modernised, with the more-dangerous road section removed. What remained was a reduced length, 8.055 to 3.975 km, permanent circuit that hosted top national championships, including super touring and FFSA GT, in the 1990s. With its spectacular elevation changes and dense vegetation, it offers a breathtaking driving experience unlike any other in Europe.
