ATA Carnet

[Keep it stiff]

There still seems to be conjecture as to the use of carnet for taking race cars to events in mainland Europe, "may be required" or "likely to be required" is typical of some guidance.

The general consensus on this seems to be that if you take a road registered competition car on a trailer towed by your own vehicle, with V5 proof of ownership for both, then no carnet is required. However if the competition car is non-road registered then a carnet is required.

I need to travel to one event in October with a non-road registered race car. I would prefer not to use a carnet due to the cost and to avoid the faff of having to get it stamped in and out.

I would be interested to hear what approach others have been taking and to what extent, if any, that administration has been imposed/not imposed, complications/non-complications on trips in and out of France.

[KevinBird]

I did the Spa Summer Classic in a works M3 GT4 so not road legal. I took documents to showed I owned it and the tow car and trailer plus details of where I was staying and confirmation of my race entry from the organizing club. The race car and tow car have no ‘race team’ decals and I had no problem leaving or entering the UK

This is the guide I used https://www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk/post/spa-in...

[Steve H]

I’ve done this twice now on the tunnel. Both times the cars on the trailer were wearing numberplates but I was asked no questions and I doubt the plates made any difference. I did have v5 with me but a receipt for purchase would prove ownership just as well.

More important if you need to have a firm discussion about whether the car is being exported (which is essentially what this is all about) is having documents for your entry to the event that you are going to so you can show it will be coming back again in a few days.

ETA. Both cars I took over were fully liveried with team/sponsors logos.

[Keep it stiff]

KevinBird said:

I did the Spa Summer Classic in a works M3 GT4 so not road legal. I took documents to showed I owned it and the tow car and trailer plus details of where I was staying and confirmation of my race entry from the organizing club. The race car and tow car have no ‘race team’ decals and I had no problem leaving or entering the UK

This is the guide I used https://www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk/post/spa-in...

Thanks, that is very helpful.

[Keep it stiff]

I travelled to Dijon last week, it could not have been simpler, not a single question was asked as I towed my box trailer via the tunnel. Upon return British customs asked me to open the trailer as part of their stowaway check.

[wioifoiee]

what constitutes 'proof of ownership' in the eyes of customs then?
i also fancy doing some track days on european circuits next year in the radical.. all i've got as 'proof' of ownership is the invoice/receipt from the dealer i bought it from, with my name/address/chassis number, and my storage/transit insurance document showing the car/trailer as insured.

i really want to take it to magny cour/spa/nurburgring GP next year, sounds like it shouldn't be an issue and i don't need to deal with any paperwork?

[andy97]

CSCC are not going to the Spa Summer Classic in 2023 despite going for many years on the trot, including June 22.

They say,

“Since June, two things have changed our view on racing at Spa in 2023, firstly we have received first-hand accounts of some members being stopped at French customs, when travelling to or from non-CSCC events. These 'could' be isolated cases, but it could indicate a change of guidance at the border. In one recent case, a CSCC member was fined and immediately returned to the UK, despite the race car being road-registered and with applicable paperwork. The second hurdle is that the border is likely to see the introduction of Biometric passport checks, in May 2023 and potential extra delays”.

[Matt W]

All very concerning. I'll be travelling to Spa to race next summer with a road legal car. The cost of a carnet would be enough to make the event unviable for me.

I've seen the "guidance" from MSUK and CSCC but does anybody know where I can find the actual rules/ regulations regarding this?

[stevieturbo]

The bizarre rules seem fairly clear.

There have been a few threads on the matter.

But it seems the rules do not seem to be rigidly enforced and perhaps some common sense is being applied instead.

There's as much chance of someone taking a caravan abroad to sell it, as there is a racer taking their car they intend to race and come home with.
So seems odd motorsport is targeted in this strange manner.

[Steve H]

Motorsport isn’t being targeted.

The rules are there but generally being enforced with a high degree of common sense and very few issues for private owners taking cars to trackdays and rae meetings on the continent.