Charade Circuit
Encyclopedia
The Charade Circuit is a motorsport
road course in the Auvergne
mountain
s in France
near Clermont-Ferrand
, the home of Michelin
and Patrick Depailler
.
Built in 1958 around the sides of an extinct volcano
, the originally 8.055 km (5.005-mi) long Charade was described as an even twistier and faster version of the Nürburgring
. Some drivers like Jochen Rindt
in the 1969 French Grand Prix
complained of motion sickness
, and wore open face helmets, just in case. But 1970
was no better- Rindt was hit in the face by a rock, something that the circuit was usually littered with, and often caused punctures on the track.
The French Grand Prix motorcycle racing
events were held at Charade from 1959 to 1967, and 1972 to 1974.
In 1964, the VI Trophée d'Auvergne Formula 2 race podium was a sign of things to come: Denny Hulme
, Jackie Stewart
and Jochen Rindt
showed their skill before the track hosted the 1965 French Grand Prix
.
In 1966 John Frankenheimer
made the film Grand Prix in front of 3000 locals who posed as race spectators watching actors like Yves Montand
and Françoise Hardy
.
In total four Formula One
French Grands Prix
were held at Charade: 1965
, 1969
, 1970
and 1972
. Due to drivers cutting corners, a stone thrown from Emerson Fittipaldi
's Lotus
hit Helmut Marko
in the eye during the 1972 French Grand Prix
, ending his F1 career, as well as the one of the circuit. The stones also had caused ten deflated tyres, but luckily no big crashes. The French Grand Prix moved back to the new Paul Ricard Circuit, where the French Grand Prix was held in 1971
.
Formula 3, sports car racing
, and touring car racing
as when as Rallying
and hillclimbing
continued there until the 1980s when the original layout was criticized. Due to the layout on the side of a mountain it was not possible to build larger runoff areas, a similar problem as at the old Nürburgring
. In 1980, three marshalls were killed, and in 1984 the drivers protested. The last race on the 8km track was held on September 18, 1988.
A 3.86 km (2.4-mi) abbreviated version of the circuit is still in operation, hosting races like Formula Three
.
It is possible to travel around much of the old circuit using Google Streetview, giving a person some idea of the incredible dangers faced by drivers on these narrow country roads.
Motorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
road course in the Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
near Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, the home of Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
and Patrick Depailler
Patrick Depailler
Patrick André Eugène Joseph Depailler was a racing driver from France. He participated in 95 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 2 July 1972. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.Depailler was born in Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme. As a child, he...
.
Built in 1958 around the sides of an extinct volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
, the originally 8.055 km (5.005-mi) long Charade was described as an even twistier and faster version of the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
. Some drivers like Jochen Rindt
Jochen Rindt
Karl Jochen Rindt was a German racing driver who represented Austria during his career. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship , after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix...
in the 1969 French Grand Prix
1969 French Grand Prix
The 1969 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Charade Circuit on July 6, 1969. It was the fifth round of the 1969 Formula One season.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings...
complained of motion sickness
Motion sickness
Motion sickness or kinetosis, also known as travel sickness, is a condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system's sense of movement...
, and wore open face helmets, just in case. But 1970
1970 French Grand Prix
The 1970 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Charade Circuit on July 5, 1970.- Classification :-Notes:* Pole Position: Jacky Ickx - 2:58.22* Fastest Lap: Jack Brabham – 3:00.75...
was no better- Rindt was hit in the face by a rock, something that the circuit was usually littered with, and often caused punctures on the track.
The French Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
events were held at Charade from 1959 to 1967, and 1972 to 1974.
In 1964, the VI Trophée d'Auvergne Formula 2 race podium was a sign of things to come: Denny Hulme
Denny Hulme
Denis Clive "Denny" Hulme, OBE was a New Zealand racing driver, the 1967 Formula One World Champion for the Brabham team....
, Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
and Jochen Rindt
Jochen Rindt
Karl Jochen Rindt was a German racing driver who represented Austria during his career. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship , after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix...
showed their skill before the track hosted the 1965 French Grand Prix
1965 French Grand Prix
The 1965 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Clermont-Ferrand on June 27, 1965.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Jim Clark - 3:18.3* Fastest Lap: Jim Clark - 3:18.9 on lap 34* Lap Leaders: Jim Clark 40 laps ....
.
In 1966 John Frankenheimer
John Frankenheimer
John Michael Frankenheimer was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films...
made the film Grand Prix in front of 3000 locals who posed as race spectators watching actors like Yves Montand
Yves Montand
-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
and Françoise Hardy
Françoise Hardy
Françoise Madeleine Hardy is a French singer, actress and astrologer. Hardy is an iconic figure in fashion, music and style. She is married to the singer and movie actor Jacques Dutronc.-Biography:...
.
In total four Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
French Grands Prix
French Grand Prix
The French Grand Prix was a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships....
were held at Charade: 1965
1965 French Grand Prix
The 1965 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Clermont-Ferrand on June 27, 1965.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Jim Clark - 3:18.3* Fastest Lap: Jim Clark - 3:18.9 on lap 34* Lap Leaders: Jim Clark 40 laps ....
, 1969
1969 French Grand Prix
The 1969 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Charade Circuit on July 6, 1969. It was the fifth round of the 1969 Formula One season.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings...
, 1970
1970 French Grand Prix
The 1970 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Charade Circuit on July 5, 1970.- Classification :-Notes:* Pole Position: Jacky Ickx - 2:58.22* Fastest Lap: Jack Brabham – 3:00.75...
and 1972
1972 French Grand Prix
The 1972 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Charade Circuit on July 2, 1972.Due to cutting the corners, a stone thrown from Emerson Fittipaldi's Lotus hit Helmut Marko in the eye during the 1972 French Grand Prix, ending his F1 career. The stones also had caused ten deflated tyres,...
. Due to drivers cutting corners, a stone thrown from Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
's Lotus
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
hit Helmut Marko
Helmut Marko
Dr. Helmut Marko is a former racing driver from Austria.A friend of Jochen Rindt, he entered racing, and eventually participated in 10 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 15 August 1971...
in the eye during the 1972 French Grand Prix
1972 French Grand Prix
The 1972 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Charade Circuit on July 2, 1972.Due to cutting the corners, a stone thrown from Emerson Fittipaldi's Lotus hit Helmut Marko in the eye during the 1972 French Grand Prix, ending his F1 career. The stones also had caused ten deflated tyres,...
, ending his F1 career, as well as the one of the circuit. The stones also had caused ten deflated tyres, but luckily no big crashes. The French Grand Prix moved back to the new Paul Ricard Circuit, where the French Grand Prix was held in 1971
1971 French Grand Prix
The 1971 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Circuit Paul Ricard on 4 July 1971.- Race report :The race was taking place for the first time at the brand new Paul Ricard circuit in the mountains outside Marseille. Jackie Stewart gained pole position - helped by extensive tyre...
.
Formula 3, sports car racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
, and touring car racing
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
as when as Rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
and hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
continued there until the 1980s when the original layout was criticized. Due to the layout on the side of a mountain it was not possible to build larger runoff areas, a similar problem as at the old Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
. In 1980, three marshalls were killed, and in 1984 the drivers protested. The last race on the 8km track was held on September 18, 1988.
A 3.86 km (2.4-mi) abbreviated version of the circuit is still in operation, hosting races like Formula Three
Formula Three
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
.
It is possible to travel around much of the old circuit using Google Streetview, giving a person some idea of the incredible dangers faced by drivers on these narrow country roads.
Websites
- Satellite picture by Google Maps (present layout; zoom out to see the old circuit)