'08 French GP - Where?

[nitro_2005]

After reading this article:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/60919

It got me thinking - if France did get a GP next year, and it wouldn't be at Magny-Cours, then: where else?

Some possibilities could be:

Paul Ricard - used as a test venue for F1 in recent year and hosted the GP for a few years.

Nogaro (Circuit Paul Armagnac) - used for many national events such as French GT, and has also hosted an FIA GT round.

Ledenon

Le Mans Bugatti Circuit - hosted French GP once in 1967.

Dijon-Prenois: Has hosted GPs before, both French and Swiss.

Also there's been talks of a Paris street track, but as of posting this, there's no further details. Also a possibility of a GP at Disneyland Paris, but again, no more than that.​

 

[ExigeEvan]

Nowadays you can't just look at a track and say, "ooh, that looks like a great trck for F1. Look at all those corners and that really long straight." Getting a GP depends so much on the infrastructure and the facilities of teh track nowadays, which is why some of the more boring circuits, but better funded, will remain in the calendar for years to come.

No I don't know much about any of those tracks, but the one with the best chance is Paul Ricard as it atleast has all the safety measures in place.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Also there's been talks of a Paris street track, but as of posting this, there's no further details. Also a possibility of a GP at Disneyland Paris, but again, no more than that.

That's for 2009. The "talk of a Paris street track" is little more than an unsubstantiated rumour at best. Locations near Paris were - and still are - being considered as a venue for a new circuit and rumours of a race in the city proper arose as an alternative should no suitable location be found. Likewise the "GP at Disneyland Paris". They won't actually be running a race in EuroDisney, reports suggested that one of the aforementioned potential sites for a new circuit was near the theme park. In other words, when scouting for new GP venues in France, a plot of land near the park has apparently been considered. The same thing happened near Charles de Gaulle internationla airport. I think most people would prefer to go back to magny-Cours than to have a race around EuroDisney.

As for the otehr circuits, Paul Ricard won't get it. It may have hosted rounds before, but the FIA has said it will be used exclusively as a test circuit until such time it is destroyed. I'm led to believe that the facilities used to flood the track in order to allow for teams to test cars in wet conditions make the venue unsuitable for a race. As for the other circuits, Dijon is simply too small to host today's races. On a good lap you'd be able to see your rear winggoing around the corner ahead of you. Bugatti is said to be rather bland by the superbike riders who use the venue, and I believe construction work will be taking place near the famous Dunlop bridge to add a new chicane for the 2008 24 Hour event. Such construction work (unless it's already been done) would drastically alter the profile of La Chapelle. As for the other two, I've never heard of Ledenon, and while Nogaro might have hosted FIA GT events, it may need an upgrade to F1 standards, which probably wouldn't be worth it if the event is only to be held for one year, especially since a new circuit will be constructed for 2009 (and the FIA wouldn't compromise safety just because it's an interim event).

 

[zoxxy]

Mmm, Dijon would be awesome! Not a lot of passing opportunities, but it's a hella fast track.

 

[Sureboss]

Too short a lap for F1. Only Paul Ricard could be considered out of those, the others would almost certainly fail the technical requirements of an F1 track.

 

[Alex.]

Mmm, Dijon would be awesome! Not a lot of passing opportunities, but it's a hella fast track.

Unless your name is Rene Arnoux or Gilles Villeneuve
you may have seen me post this before


A race at Dijon

 

[jammyozzy]

F1 at Dijon again would be fantastic, but as Sureshot pointed out the track is way too short for F1. Now, if they were to build another section onto it...

From memory the '67 GP at LeMans Bugatti was widely regarded as one of the worst GP's ever, and F1 never went back.

Sadly I have no knowledge of the other tracks, but if Paul Ricard is already an F1 test track then I'd say it'd be the most likely choice for a 2008 French GP.

 

[darkfinal]

F1 at Dijon again would be fantastic, but as Sureshot pointed out the track is way too short for F1. Now, if they were to build another section onto it...

Sorry, if they were to build a new section onto it, I wouldn't consider it Dijon anymore

And now that people is talking about a Paris street circuit... is that the same circuit that appeared in GT4?

 

[Muzaffar]

Another Rumor.....

Another name can be added to possible alternative venues for the French grand prix -- Versailles.

With the race almost certain to move away from uninspiring Magny Cours after this season's running, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is keen to set up a new French event either in downtown Paris or the capital's Disneyland Park.

A report in the sports publication L'Equipe on Wednesday, however, said officials of Versailles - which is not far from Paris itself - had put forward the historic city or suburb as a possible alternate F1 venue.

France's minister of culture Christine Albanel, however, who is a former Versailles official, is quoted as saying by the news agency AFP: "I am worried about this.

"If the grand prix takes place in Versailles, then at least 100,000 spectators will come. And that will lead to large problems."

PaddockTalk Perspective

 

[prisonermonkeys]

And now that people is talking about a Paris street circuit... is that the same circuit that appeared in GT4?

Almost certainly not. Opera Paris is both far too narrow, especially at the northern end of the circuit, and far too short at just 2.91 kilometres. The pit in the Place de la Concorde can hold just six cars; the Formula One grid next year will be four times that number.

 

[Muzaffar]

But isn't Versailles near the George Paris and Opera Paris track in GT4?Or is it just another side of Paris?But its possibly going to be a street circuit if they want to host the French GP next year.....

 

[Sureboss]

Sorry, if they were to build a new section onto it, I wouldn't consider it Dijon anymore

And now that people is talking about a Paris street circuit... is that the same circuit that appeared in GT4?

In that case you have two options.

1) Drive around in reverse (that's the car not the track)
or
2) Drive half way then stop for 30 odd seconds and then go again..

.....

 

[Muzaffar]

In that case you have two options.

1) Drive around in reverse (that's the car not the track)
or
2) Drive half way then stop for 30 odd seconds and then go again..

.....

Or maybe doing 100 laps?If IRL could do it,why can't F1?

 

[Danny]

I love Dijon Prenois, I hope to see a GP there again one day.

 

[Blake]

I love Dijon Prenois, I hope to see a GP there again one day.

Indeed, it is just such an awesome circuit. But there is almost no way that it will ever happen in it’s current layout.

 

[Sureboss]

Or maybe doing 100 laps?If IRL could do it,why can't F1?

No reason, but considering most races in F1 history have had a minimum of a minute long lap.....

 

[Alex.]

Looks like it's an magny cours, boys.
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/7/6531.html

 

[Muzaffar]

Well its still not certain where the race will be held next year,but its great news that Magny-Cours will still be featured in F1.Hope they could improve the area a little bit (like make accommodations for the spectators and stuff...) and hopefully Magny-Cours could host a GP till 2012.Yay

 

[Jim Prower]

Funny the French GP has no home, considering that the FIA is a French institution.

 

[Danny]

Having had some thinking time, does anyone else think Rouen-Les-Essarts would be a good Grand Prix course?
I think it's held the GP before...

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Well its still not certain where the race will be held next year,but its great news that Magny-Cours will still be featured in F1.Hope they could improve the area a little bit (like make accommodations for the spectators and stuff...) and hopefully Magny-Cours could host a GP till 2012.Yay

No, thanks. I think Magny-COurs is very bland and one of the worst circuits on the calendar.

 

[tigermoth737]

Well its still not certain where the race will be held next year,but its great news that Magny-Cours will still be featured in F1.Hope they could improve the area a little bit (like make accommodations for the spectators and stuff...) and hopefully Magny-Cours could host a GP till 2012.Yay

Yay for Magny Cours. I think you may be the only person among the living to have ever said that.

 

[Muzaffar]

No, thanks. I think Magny-COurs is very bland and one of the worst circuits on the calendar.

You got to be kidding me.Why should it be bad?(because its in the middle of nowhere?) yeah,you can say its boring if you want,but its better to have a French GP there then none.What would the FIA think of then?

Yay for Magny Cours. I think you may be the only person among the living to have ever said that.

Thanks,really appreciate it.But its a good thing since Indy was dropped of the calender.Bummer.....

Anyways,in my honest opinion,i think they should retain all of the classic circuits in F1.Magny Cours maybe boring to some,but there is a ton of history on the circuit since its 1st GP back in 1991.Michael Schumacher was the only person to win any GP 8 times in Magny Cours,so thats history.With Indy gone from the calender,which circuit could be better and have more history than Indy?And with the trend of "out with the old,in with the new",what would happened to all of those old circuits?

(sorry about the post,seems unimportant for this thread.Was just clearing my mind and give some thoughts if thats okay with you guys...)

 

[jammyozzy]

Having had some thinking time, does anyone else think Rouen-Les-Essarts would be a good Grand Prix course?
I think it's held the GP before...

Rouen would take a lot of work to make it suitable for a Grand Prix. Most of the facilities have been demolished, and whilst the original circuit is still there, seeing as it's public road, everything else would have to be rebuilt. It did host 5 GP's in the fifties and sixties, but that was a long time ago.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

You got to be kidding me.Why should it be bad?(because its in the middle of nowhere?) yeah,you can say its boring if you want,but its better to have a French GP there then none.What would the FIA think of then?

It's bland. It's boring. No-body likes going there (as The Red Bulletin points out, there's a town nearby called "Nevers" which, when pronounced correctly, tells you when everyone wants to come back). Sure, the French Grand Prix might be a part of F1 history, but sometimes history needs to be forgotten.

Who cares what the FIA would think of them? They should be more worried about Bernie Ecclestone and FOM because they control the commercial side, and they support a change of venue for 2009.

 

[tigermoth737]

The FIA have already thought of Paul Ricard for a proposed "Mediteranean GP". Nuff said. As for Rouen, there is no hope in hell that it will ever host a race of any sorts ever again. Its a road now, it may have been a very exciting fun circuit, but its like proposing the German GP to race at the Old Nurburgring. Not gonna happen.