MAGNY COURS

Overview

Magny-Cours is a blend of slow corners and high-speed sections, including a very fast dash to the first-gear Adelaide hairpin bend. It is the only track on the calendar where the cars go over the start/finish line in first gear.

The long right-hander at Estoril is especially challenging, because the drivers need to carry as much speed as possible through it to reach the maximum speed on the run down to Adelaide. The 180deg left-hander on the return section is preceded by a deceptively fast chicane. Towards the end of the lap, the track goes downhill and it is difficult for the drivers to locate the apex for the right-left chicane just before the final right-hander.

The circuit doesn't provide a lot of overtaking opportunities, which means the races here are commonly regarded as quite uneventful, with the exception of the recent races in which it rained. Most notable of these races was the 1999 race, which was interrupted by a downpour. After a restart, most top contenders developed problems, which paved the way for Heinz-Harald Frentzen to claim a surprising victory in his Jordan.

In 2002, the final corner and chicane were changed in an effort to increase overtaking, with little effect. This did, however, change the approach to strategy at this circuit as it made the pitlane much shorter. Because less time was lost making a pit stop, Michael Schumacher was able to win the 2004 French Grand Prix using an unprecedented four-stop strategy.

Specifications:

• Starting time: 14:00 CET
• Local time: CET
• Circuit length: 4.411 km
• Length internal circuit : 1 727 m
• Length external circuit : 2 621 m
• Width of the track : 10.40m - 18m
• First GP: 1991
• Race Laps : 70 laps
• Total distance: 308.77 km
• Winner 2006: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
• Fastest lap : Micahel Schumacher, 2004  Ferrari, 1:15.377

History:

France is rich in the traditions of motorsport, and its national Grand Prix has been ever-present on the calendar since the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship, in 1950. Seven circuits have hosted the French event, namely Reims, Rouen, Clermont-Ferrand, Le Mans-Bugatti, Paul Ricard (Le Castellet), Dijon-Prenois and Magny-Cours.

The Nevers Magny-Cours circuit, some 160 miles (250km) from Paris in south-east France, took over from Paul Ricard in 1991 after a huge redevelopment programme had turned the one-time club racing circuit into a state-of-the-art international facility.

Usually dubbed Magny-Cours, it was first built in 1960 by Jean Bernigaud and was home to a racing school, which provided such notable drivers as François Cévert and Jacques Laffite. However, come the 1980s, the track was in a very bad shape and it wasn't until the Regional Conseil de la Nièvre bought the track, that international motor racing started to return.

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