Best of 2022: Yann Séité

After a busy year at Le Castellet where he was able to cover a wide variety of events, Yann presents us his top pictures selection for this season. Here is his best-of 2022.

Top photo:

European Le Mans Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/640 sec. | f/8,0 | ISO 320 | 17mm

In the sunset light, what a spectacular ‘mirror’ livery for the AF Corse Oreca of François Perrodo, Nicklas Nielsen and Alessio Rovera… This trio won the 2021 FIA WEC Pro-Am title. Their LMP2 proudly wears the emblem of my native French Region, Brittany; this logo is also… The one of Perrodo’s oil drilling company.

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS tests Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/1250 sec. | f/4,5 | ISO 200 | 20mm

The official tests of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS took place at Le Castellet on March 7th and 8th. The best lap was achieved by Fabian Schiller (1:52:533), driving this Haupt Racing Mercedes, still in raw carbon like many other competitors.

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS tests Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 70-300mm f4 | 1/125 sec. | f/4 | ISO 800 | 70mm

HE was there, HE unveiled the Audi WRT in yellow and black livery, HE made dozens of selfies and autographs. Always friendly and smiling. Regardless of his ‘room for improvement’ to really match with the best Pro drivers, Valentino Rossi is the perfect ambassador for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS…

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS 6hrs Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/500 sec. | f/8 | ISO 200 | 17mm

Want a proof of the impact of ‘VR46’ on this series ? We are the 4th of June 2022, just before the start of the Paul Ricard race !

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS tests Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/80 sec. | f/10 | ISO 100 | 100mm

This year, Mclaren was raising its game with 6 entries in Endurance and 4 in Sprint : Inception Racing, JP Motorsport, Garage59 and JOTA, with this #38. She is caught here in the ‘S de la Verrerie’ during the March tests.

European Le Mans Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/320 sec. | f/6,3 | ISO 200 | 19mm

17th of April 2022, Le Castellet. On the grid of the ELMS race, I pay a visit to the Mexican driver Memo Rojas (Duqueine Engineering Oreca 07 Gibson) who will take the responsability of the start. He scored not less than 3 victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona (2008, 2011 and 2013) and 2 ELMS titles (2017 and 2019) !

European Le Mans Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/1000 sec. | f/8 | ISO 400 | 400mm

European Le Mans Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/80 sec. | f/10 | ISO 100 | 125mm

European Le Mans Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/1000 sec. | f/8 | ISO 200 | 400mm

International GT Open Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/640 sec. | f/8 | ISO 200 | 38mm

‘Find the odd one out’ ? I shot this orange intruder at the International GT Open round of the 22nd of May 2022. Two races, two victories for the Optimum Motorsport Mclaren of Moss / Osborne.

International GT Open Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/840 sec. | f/8 | ISO 200 | 34mm

Waiting for the GT Open officials scrutineering… Beware of sunburns !

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS 6hrs Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/80 sec. | f/8 | ISO 160 | 135mm

46 (inevitably), and 30-31-32-33 : this was the WRT Audi combination in 2022. The Belgian armada will run under the BMW banner next season !

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS 6hrs Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/640 sec. | f/8 | ISO 200 | 22mm

A ‘drone view’ of the McLaren twin sisters of the JPMotorsport Polish team, with their ‘JP for kids’ symetric liveries, specific to this Paul Ricard race…

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS 6hrs Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/1000 sec. | f/8 | ISO 250 | 310mm

In June 2022, Iron Lynx would secure a double win overall, in the heat of the Castellet (25 degrees at midnight !), the yellow ahead of the white…

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS 6hrs Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/640 sec. | f/7,1 | ISO 200 | 290mm

Dusk on the racetrack. This pack of GTs is spotted at the end of the Mistral straight (1800m long, without chicane), entering the Signes curve at full speed !

Ultimate Cup Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/1000 sec. | f/8 | ISO 200 | 400mm

The Ultimate Cup offers a wide range of disciplines, from single-seaters to LMP3s, as well as Sprint and Endurance GT races. Apart from 4 other meetings in Europe, it visited the Paul Ricard in May and November.

The Endurance Cup crowned the same lineup than in 2019 and 2020 : Pagny / Hallyday / Bouvet, on the Visiom Ferrari 488 GT3.

Ultimate Cup Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7500 + 70-200mm f4 | 1/80 sec. | f/10 | ISO 100 | 100mm

Ultimate Cup Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7100 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/640 sec. | f/8 | ISO 200 | 22mm

CLRT stands for ‘Come Ledogar Rabreau Tugdual’, the 1st and last names of its founders. It is a well known team in Porsche Supercup and French Carrera Cup. Above all, Come Ledogar is a top GT driver : winner at Spa and Le Mans (GTE) in 2021 !!!

Tugdual Rabreau, the co-owner of CLRT, is more a full-time team manager, but he sometimes leaves his office to jump into a Porsche Cup… Like here in the May Ultimate Cup event.

Ultimate Cup Series Le Castellet

Nikon D7500 + 70-200mm f4 | 1/250 sec. | f/8 | ISO 320 | 98mm

Paul Ricard, the creator of the eponym racetrack, was the owner of a famous French yellow alcohol : ‘Le Pastis Ricard’, that made him one of the richest men in France.

Looks like pure Ricard runs into the veins of this Ferrari 488 GT3 !

SRO Racing Festival Le Castellet

Nikon D7500 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/1600 sec. | f/8 | ISO 200 | 29mm

The Circuit Paul Ricard traditionally hosts the finals of the SRO Racing Festival. It is one of the most intense racing weekends in France, with no less than 20 races in 2 days. It gathers 8 categories, from single-seaters to GT4, from Mitjet to Porsche Cup.

Armada Racing is a brand new GT4 team. For their inaugural event, their AMG impressed the observers with this colorful livery !

SRO Racing Festival

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/800 sec. | f/8 | ISO 320 | 290mm

In the first straight, here come the two throne pretenders in the GT2 European series. Despite appearances, a double race victory sealed the Pro-Am title for the Audi of Saelens and Longin, ahead of the #15 KTM Oxbow. A contact whilst challenging for 2nd knocked the KTM out of the last race, ending her championship dream with just 10mn remaining !

SRO Racing Festival Le Castellet

Nikon D7500 + 70-200mm f4 | 1/100 sec. | f/9 | ISO 100 | 105mm

FIA motorsport games

Nikon D7500 + 17-50mm f2,8 | 1/100 sec. | f/8 | ISO 800 | 17mm

FIA motorsport games

Nikon D7100 + 100-400mm f5,6 | 1/800 sec. | f/8 | ISO 400 | 240mm

The FIA motorsport games gathered 80 nations entering 17 disciplines, during the last weekend of October. A crowd of 42000 fans attended to the GT, Tourism, karting and drift events, hosted at the Circuit Paul Ricard. The GT Sprint race was won by Germany (Luca Stolz), whereas France (Simon Gachet / Eric Debard) took the Endurance title. Both teams were running a Mercedes-AMG.