[en] We present new experimental results concerning the azimuthal distributions of light and intermediate mass fragments at midrapidity for Au (100 - 800 AMeV) +Au collisions measured with the phase I setup of the FOPI detector at GSI in Darmstadt. The azimuthal distributions are investigated as a function of the collision centrality, the incident energy, the fragment charge and transverse momentum. The maximum of the azimuthal anisotropy is obtained for collisions associated with impact parameters around 7 fm. Intermediate mass fragments present a stronger out-of-plane emission signal that light fragments. We show in particular that the azimuthal anisotropy as a function of the scaled fragment transverse momentum follows an universal curve for incident energies ranging from 250 to 800 AMeV. A signature for a transition from in-plane to out-of-plane emission is evidenced at the lowest beam energies. (author)