History 1960s

1962 Rallye International des Routes du Nord (France)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1962 Rallye International des Routes du Nord

Date: February 17–18, 1962

Start/Finish Location: Lille, France

Total Distance: Approximately 1,300 kilometers

Total Entries: 60 crews

Total Starters: 56 crews

Total Finishers: 41 crews

As one of the earliest ERC rounds of 1962, the Rallye des Routes du Nord challenged crews with narrow agricultural roads, frosty tarmac, and high-speed regularity zones across the Nord and Pas-de-Calais regions of France. The conditions required patience, sharp reflexes, and reliable braking on frozen surfaces.

Route

Lille to Arras Loop: Early segments passed through mist-covered farmland and industrial towns, offering little margin for error on frozen tarmac.
Artois Hills: Slight elevation changes, cambered bends, and slippery conditions tested steering and tire feedback.
Coastal Sections: Fast straights near the English Channel provided high-speed timing zones with gusty crosswinds and muddy shoulders.

The rally unfolded across northeastern France, combining speed trials, time controls, and regularity challenges on icy secondary roads and narrow village paths:

The event featured both outright speed sections and regularity trials, challenging not only driving but strategic timekeeping and navigation.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Bernard Consten & Jack Renel · Jaguar Mk2
2nd Place
René Trautmann & Claudine Bouchet · Citroën ID 19
3rd Place
Lucien Bianchi & Georges Harris · Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI

Bernard Consten dominated the rally with clean navigation and strong braking control, managing the Jaguar Mk2’s power through icy corners while others struggled with understeer and late braking zones.

Navigation & Challenges

With no mountain stages or gravel sections, the difficulty of Routes du Nord lay in its deceptive simplicity and constantly changing road grip:

  • Freezing Rain & Frost: Overnight sections featured black ice and frozen ruts that caught out even the most experienced crews.
  • Low Visibility: Fog and early sunset hours meant reliance on pace notes and careful timing to avoid penalties.
  • Time Controls: The combination of regularity and full-speed tests made timekeeping nearly as critical as outright pace.

The 1962 Rallye des Routes du Nord was a thinking driver’s event — less about raw speed than rhythm, caution, and maintaining focus in freezing conditions. It was an essential proving ground in the early-season ERC calendar.

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