30th Anniversary of Sport & Collection event in France: more than 600 Ferraris Against Cancer

    From 30th of May to 2nd of June 2024, the Sport & Collection “500 Ferraris Against Cancer” event celebrated its 30th anniversary with unprecedented fervour and enthusiasm.

    This iconic event, held annually at the Val de Vienne circuit in Le Vigeant, centre of France, brings together Ferrari enthusiasts and motorsport fans for a noble cause: fighting cancer.

    Since its first edition in 1995, this event has raised significant funds for cancer research while providing a unique and memorable spectacle for participants and spectators.

    The origins of Sport & Collection date back to 1995 when a few Ferrari and motorsport enthusiasts decided to organize an event that combined their passion with a philanthropic cause.

    The idea was simple yet powerful: gather as many Ferraris and other Gran Turismo or prestigious cars as possible on a circuit for demonstrations and races, while raising funds for cancer research.

    An association was created, and the first events were organized, once a year. Over the years, the event has grown, attracting participants and spectators from all around the world.

    From only a dozen of Ferraris gathered during the first edition, the 30th edition gathered around 625 different Ferraris on site over the four-day event!

    The 2024 edition really marked a significant milestone with this 30th anniversary. The organizers managed to provide to participants and visitors a spectacular edition, full of surprises and with a car display of exceptional quality, never seen before.

    This edition finally closed with a record turnout of visitors (more than 40,000!), collectors (1319!), and famous racing drivers.

    With more than 625 Ferrari gathered this year, and around 85% coming from France, this event has become the biggest ‘unofficial’ (meaning not organized by the company) Ferrari event in Europe.

    Each decade from Ferrari beginnings was represented. The oldest Ferrari car was a 1950 212 Export Spyder bodied by Motto, S/N 0094 E. It was brought by the faithful to the event French collector Emmanuel Midy, who also brought his F40.

 

            1950 212 Export, S/N 0094 E

    Several other major French collectors brought large parts of their Ferrari collection to beat the previous Ferrari attendance records for this event.

    For example, two famous Ferrari collectors from South of France brought each, more than five of the cars from their impressive collection.

    They provided an exceptional display of Ferrari supercars, representing the full story of Ferrari supercars (except the Enzo model, that was missing) and Icona models (Monza SP2 and Daytona SP3).

    A fantastic French 288 GTO was displayed, S/N 55165, no less than four Ferrari F40 participated in races, track experiences for visitors or static display.

    The fantastic yellow F50, S/N 107200, was there, one LaFerrari, S/N 206996, was also present.

    Two Monza SP2, S/N 251594 and S/N 258370, two Daytona SP3, S/N 290745 and S/N 303669, three 812 Competizione and two 812 Competizione Aperta completed the modern supercars display, not forgetting a brand new SF90 XX coupé, one of the first delivered in France, S/N 300965.

    Ferrari enthusiasts were also fulfilled with an exceptional selection of older racing and street cars.

    On the racing side, famous luxury watch maker and Ferrari collector Richard Mille brought four Ferraris from his extraordinary collection: two vintage Formula One Ferrari, a 312T and 312T5 (respectively S/N 024 and S/N 042), a 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ Group IV Competizione conversion, S/N 13715, and the yellow 365 P2, S/N 0828, probably the most exceptional car of the event.

    Except S/N 0094 E and S/N 0828 already mentioned, three other vintage Ferrari racers represented the early glory years of the Ferrari racing teams in the 1950s: S/N 0198 ET, a 225 S Export Spyder by Vignale coming from Germany, S/N 0294 AM, a 340 MM Spyder coming from Italy (and a regular entrant at Sport & Collection events), and a very rarely seen gem coming from Alsatian French area, the 735 S Spyder by Scaglietti, S/N 0446 M/0556 MD.

 

            735 Sport, S/N 0446 M/0556 MD

    This car has been owned by the same French enthusiast for several decades and comes out very rarely. It was its first apparition at Sport & Collection.

    Except the Richard Mille’s 312 Ts, two other Ferrari Formula One could be admired: another 312 T5, S/N 048, coming from Germany with its owner Jurgen Boden, also the owner of S/N 0198 ET.

    And the ex-French racer Jean Alesi, F93A, S/N 143, was displayed on Club Ferrari France stand, surrounded by fantastic automotive artworks by French artists Yan Denes and Olivier Boiteux.

    Several other interesting racing cars could be seen: a nice yellow 250 GT Boano, S/N 0541 GT, with competition features and coming from Switzerland, a fantastic 250 GT SWB Competizione with alloy body and coming from Italy (Corrado Cupellini’s S/N 1791 GT) and a 250 GTO replica, based on 250 GTE, S/N 4243 GT.

 

            250 GT SWB, S/N 1791 GT

    Still on the competition side, a huge number (nearly forty!) of F355, 360, F430 and 488 Challenge could fight on the track all weekend long.

    Even a brand new 296 Challenge, S/N 295316, was displayed on Modena Sport’s stand, the official Ferrari dealer from Toulouse.

    A 550 Prodrive Competition was displayed in the middle of other racing rarities like a Lancia LC2 and a Maserati MC12 GT1.

    To be complete with the competition Ferraris, a 2011, white and red, 458 Italia GT3, S/N 3464, was also engaged, as well as a 599 XX Evo, S/N 170893.

    Many early Ferrari street cars from the 1960s and 1970s were also there for the delight of fans of Ferrari.

    This 2024 edition celebrated the 60th anniversary of the 275 model. Six examples competed in specific classes of the Ferrari Concours d’Etat, held during the weekend.

    Two of them were 275 GTS Spyders, three of them 275 GTB and the last one was a 275 GTB/4, S/N 10589, owned by very long-time Ferrari collector Jacques Bajol, who won the 275 GTB category.

    It was also possible to admire a large selection of Ferrari 250 GTs, from a 250 GT Coupé Pinin Farina, S/N 1827 GT, to a fantastic black 250 GT Lusso, S/N 4519 GT, passing by four different 250 GTE examples.

    The 250 GT Pinin Farina took the 250 GT class of this Concours d’Etat, opened to the oldest cars of the plateau.
A nice Verde Pino 330 GT 2+2 Serie I, S/N 6545 GT, was also displayed.

    The 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ category included the six examples present at this edition. The Daytona, S/N 16409, with perfect registration plates ‘365 GTB 75’ won this Class, while the Boxer Class saw the victory of a perfect red 365 GT4/BB, S/N 17857.

    Best of Show went to an exceptional car, bought from the “W Collection” by its new owner just two weeks before at Monaco Artcurial auction: the Ferrari 250 GT LWB Spyder California, S/N 1057 GT.

 

            250 GT LWB Spyder California, S/N 1057 GT

    This left-hand drive car, the 12th 250 GT California built, was completely restored by its previous owner and is now in an astonishing condition inside and outside in its classy livery of dark grey over beige. It is now owned by the former president of Club Ferrari France, Alexandre Lafond.

    If you consider all the Ferraris already described (Competition cars, vintage cars and supercars) and you add dozens of each model built by Ferrari between the 308 model to the latest 296 GTS, you’ll get the 600+ Ferraris present at this unforgettable event.

    But Sport & Collection is not only a Ferrari meeting. A part of the paddock was reserved for other sport brands, like Lamborghini, Maserati, McLaren, Alpine and Porsche.

    Several hundred exclusive sports cars, modern or not, were there not to forget that there are competitors for Ferrari in the sports cars market.

    Some vintage cars from all makes were also invited to enter the Concours d’Elegance, that was held on Saturday.

    This Concours d’Elegance was created in 2021, and is reserved to the 1920s to 1940s exceptional cars from ‘Grandes Marques’ and to prestigious GT models from the 1950s and 1960s.

    A very nice selection of iconic vehicles was presented to a large and enthusiastic public : Mercedes 300 SL roadster, several Bugattis (Tank, Type 50…), Hispano-Suizas, Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Drophead Coupé, Delage D8, Aston Martin DB2/4, Facel-Vega, Invicta, Peugeot Darl’mat, etc.

 

            Monza SP2, S/N 258370

    Four Ferraris were engaged: Philippe Labouret’s 275 GTS, S/N 6819; Peter Come’s 275 GTB, S/N 8507 (winner of the ‘Années 60s’ Class); Corrado Cupellini’s 250 GT SWB Alloy Competition, S/N 1791 GT (‘Prix du Public’ winner) and Alexandre Lafond’s 250 California S/N 1057 GT, that won the ‘Prix du Jury’.

    The Best of Show went to the wonderful 1938 Delage D8-120 Cabriolet De Villars.

    On Saturday a tourist rally brought nearly 200 cars and their crew to the Poitou countryside, to discover magnificent narrow roads, authentic villages and majestic castles.

    A nice variety of cars were entered, from English roadsters (XK model) to very modern sports cars (half of the participants were Ferraris, but there were also Lamborghinis, Maseratis and even a Porsche Carrera GT, etc.).

    After around 220 km of the road trip, the entrants finally arrived at the Circuit du Val de Vienne.

    Excepting track action that was omnipresent during all the four-days event, with different “Plateaux” that followed one another from morning to evening, there was also another type of action on the Circuit du Val de Vienne: auctions!

    Two auctions were organised during the weekend: on Friday, a motorcars auction was organized by auction house Balsan Enchères.
Twenty-four lots were proposed, including six Ferraris, from a 1989 Mondial T Coupé to a 2012 F430 Berlinetta.

    Another auction was organized on Saturday evening, this time by famous Artcurial auction house and for charity purposes.

    A variety of automobilia lots was presented, mainly offered by sponsors in order to improve the fundraising, all the money collected during the auction being directly given to cancer research.

    Another highlight of the event was the presence of famous drivers who accepted to attend the event voluntarily.

    Ex-Scuderia Formula One French drivers René Arnoux and Jean Alesi were present, as well as Formula One and/or Endurance pilots Henri Pescarolo (33 participations in 24 Heures du Mans and four victories in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1984).

    German Jürgen Barth (winner of 24 Heures du Mans 1977 with a Porsche 936), Belgian Christine Beckers (class winner of the 24 Heures du Mans 1974 with a Chevron B23) and Thierry Boutsen (Formula One driver with three GP victories, 10 participations at 24 Heures du Mans with two 2nd places).

    Italian Emanuele Pirro (five-time winner of 24 Heures du Mans in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2007 with Audi). Bringing so many stars of motorsport was another big achievement from Jean-Pierre Doury and his team from Sport & Collection association.

    The traditional Sunday Ferrari parade was one of the last highlights of the weekend, with several hundreds of cars cruising on the track to the delight of the public.

    The first rows of the parade were quite impressive with the exceptional 365 P2, 212 Motto, 340 MM and 735 S, followed by the 250 GT cars and a few rows behind, an impressive row with the four Icona cars present, the Daytona SP3 and Monza SP2.

A replica plane of Francesco Baracca’s Spad VII (whose ‘Cavallino Rampante’ logo became the Ferrari one) flight over the parade releasing smoke in the colours of Italy. And the Patrouille de France planes finally managed to close the event despite uncertain weather.

 

            Daytona SP3, S/N 290745 and 303669

    This exceptional edition of the thirtieth anniversary, which will remain engraved in memories, managed to raise €500,000 for research against cancer.

    Proving once again that automotive passion can be a driver of change, offering not only moments of pleasure and spectacle but also concrete and vital advances in the fight against cancer.

    Next edition of Sport & Collection will be held from 29th of May to 1st of June 2025.