Formule France 1969

Joining Grac and Pygmée in 1969 was Tico Martini's newly-created firm which built 12 Martini MW2s for the category, based in part on the MW1B F3 design. Pygmée built seven MDB14s, also based again on their F3 design, Grac are believed to have built 16 MT6s and Alpine built six A340Bs. The category was flourishing and it made more sense for France's new generation of drivers to stay in Formule France than move prematurely to F3 so five of the previous season's top six stayed for 1969. Only "Max Jean" had moved on.

Already 26 when the season started, Dayan had five seasons of racing behind him and his move to the works Grac team made him the top driver of 1969, winning eight races. His chief competitor was Jimmy Mieusset who had moved from Grac to Martini; he would continue his career into F3 and then hillclimbs, where he won three national titles.

The races

30 Mar 1969 > Albi

07 Apr 1969 > Nogaro

20 Apr 1969 > Montlhéry

20 Apr 1969 > Pau

01 May 1969 > Magny Cours

05 May 1969 > Aeroport Dijon-Longvic

18 May 1969 > Montlhéry

01 Jun 1969 > La Châtre

08 Jun 1969 > Montlhéry

22 Jun 1969 > Rouen-les-Essarts

29 Jun 1969 > Reims

06 Jul 1969 > Clermont-Ferrand

13 Jul 1969 > Magny Cours

03 Aug 1969 > Dax

17 Aug 1969 > Nogaro

24 Aug 1969 > Magny Cours

14 Sep 1969 > Albi

21 Sep 1969 > Montlhéry

28 Sep 1969 > Le Mans-Bugatti

05 Oct 1969 > Montlhéry

1969 Critérium de Formule France table

The other races were won by Jean-Luc Salomon (Martini) who won two early-season races, Jacques Focteau (Martini) and Alain Serpaggi (the ex-Larrousse Alpine A340). Like Dayan, Salomon was tipped to get all the way to Formula 1 but both drivers were killed the following year in separate incidents in a F3 race at Rouen on 28 Jun 1970.