Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Encyclopedia
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is a motor racing circuit located in central France
, near the towns of Magny-Cours
and Nevers
, some 250 km (160miles) from Paris
. It is famous for staging the Formula One
French Grand Prix
between 1991 and 2008, and the 24-hour Bol d'Or
motorcycle endurance events (since 2000).
and Jacques Laffite
. However, in the 1980s the track fell into disrepair and wasn't used for international motor racing until it was purchased by the Regional Conseil de la Nièvre
.
In the 1990s the Ligier (and, after Ligier was bought, Prost
) Formula One team was based at the circuit and did much of its testing at Magny-Cours. It had hosted the French F1 Grand Prix since 1991, and the Bol d'Or
since 2000. The circuit was re-designed in 2003 and used for a wide range of events include various sports and commercial use.
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
. Although the Bol d'Or has been held at Magny Cours for a decade, the event has had neither the cachet nor the popularity of the Le Mans event.
For the 2003 event, 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.
In 2006, the circuit was the scene of more Formula One
history, when Michael Schumacher
became the first driver ever to win any single Grand Prix a total of 8 times and at the same circuit.
The 2007 race was to mark the last French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, as the French Grand Prix had been indefinitely suspended from the Formula One calendar.
Bernie Ecclestone
originally confirmed that F1 would not return to Magny-Cours in 2008, instead moving to an alternative location possibly in Paris
. However in a typical F1 style u-turn, it was revealed that the 2008 French Grand Prix would take place at Magny-Cours with the release of the official calendar on July 2007.
In May 2008, Ecclestone confirmed that Magny-Cours would stop hosting the French Grand Prix after the 2008 race, suggesting that he was looking into the possibility of hosting the French Grand Prix on the streets of Paris
.
In June 2008, the provisional calendar for the 2009 season
was released, and a French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours appeared on it, scheduled for 28 June. However, in October 2008 the 2009 French Grand Prix was cancelled after the French Motorsports Federation (FFSA) withdrew financing for the event.
In 2009 the track hosted its first Superleague Formula
event. It has also been confirmed it will host a second event in 2010.
corner and the Adelaide
hairpin. It has a mix of slow hairpins and high-speed chicane sections which includes a long fast straight into the first-gear Adelaide hairpin, the best overtaking opportunity on the circuit. The circuit is very flat with negligible change in elevation (only a small valley at the Estoril corner and a slight hill near the Lycee corner) and doesn't provide tremendous overtaking opportunities, despite modifications in 2003. Many Formula 1 races held here were of a processional nature, with most overtaking occurring during pit stop sequences.
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 the towns of Magny-Cours
Magny-Cours
Magny-Cours is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.It is best known for being the home of the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, a famous motor racing circuit . It formerly hosted the Formula One French Grand Prix.-References:* -External links:*...
and Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
, some 250 km (160miles) from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. It is famous for staging the 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 Grand 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....
between 1991 and 2008, and the 24-hour Bol d'Or
Bol d'or
The Bol d'or is a motorcycle endurance race, held annually in France. Originally, it was an automobile as well as motorcycle race. The automobiles were limited to 1100cc engine capacity until the 1950s when the limit was raised to 1500cc, and later to 2000cc...
motorcycle endurance events (since 2000).
History
Usually dubbed Magny-Cours, it was built in 1960 by Jean Bernigaud and was home to the prestigious L'école de pilotage Winfield racing school, which provided such notable drivers as François CevertFrançois Cevert
Albert François Cevert Goldenberg was a French racing driver who took part in the Formula One World Championship.-Family background:...
and Jacques Laffite
Jacques Laffite
Jacques-Henri Laffite is a French former racing driver who competed in Formula One from to . He achieved six grand prix wins, all while driving for the Ligier team. He is now a TV commentator on French television TF1....
. However, in the 1980s the track fell into disrepair and wasn't used for international motor racing until it was purchased by the Regional Conseil de la Nièvre
Nièvre
Nièvre is a department in the centre of France named after the Nièvre River.-History:Nièvre is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
.
In the 1990s the Ligier (and, after Ligier was bought, Prost
Prost Grand Prix
Prost Grand Prix was a Formula One racing team managed by former world champion Alain Prost. The team participated in five seasons from 1997 to 2001.-Purchase of Ligier:...
) Formula One team was based at the circuit and did much of its testing at Magny-Cours. It had hosted the French F1 Grand Prix since 1991, and the Bol d'Or
Bol d'or
The Bol d'or is a motorcycle endurance race, held annually in France. Originally, it was an automobile as well as motorcycle race. The automobiles were limited to 1100cc engine capacity until the 1950s when the limit was raised to 1500cc, and later to 2000cc...
since 2000. The circuit was re-designed in 2003 and used for a wide range of events include various sports and commercial use.
1999 French Grand Prix
The 1999 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on June 27, 1999 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours near Magny-Cours, France. It was the seventh race of the 1999 Formula One season....
, which was interrupted by a downpour. After a restart, most top contenders developed problems, which paved the way for Heinz-Harald Frentzen
Heinz-Harald Frentzen
Heinz-Harald Frentzen is a German racing driver most famous for his career in Formula One. At various times driving for Williams, Jordan, Sauber, Prost, and Arrows, he achieved three race wins before his retirement from F1 in 2003.-Early career:He was born in the West German city of...
to claim a surprising victory in his Jordan
Jordan Grand Prix
Jordan Grand Prix was a Formula One constructor that competed from 1991 to 2005. The team is named after Irish businessman and founder Eddie Jordan...
. Although the Bol d'Or has been held at Magny Cours for a decade, the event has had neither the cachet nor the popularity of the Le Mans event.
For the 2003 event, 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
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
was able to win the 2004 French Grand Prix
2004 French Grand Prix
The 2004 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 4, 2004 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. This race has become famous for a 4 stop strategy used by Michael Schumacher to beat Fernando Alonso's Renault.__FORCETOC__- Qualifying :-Race:...
using an unprecedented four-stop strategy.
In 2006, the circuit was the scene of more 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...
history, when Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
became the first driver ever to win any single Grand Prix a total of 8 times and at the same circuit.
The 2007 race was to mark the last French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, as the French Grand Prix had been indefinitely suspended from the Formula One calendar.
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
originally confirmed that F1 would not return to Magny-Cours in 2008, instead moving to an alternative location possibly in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. However in a typical F1 style u-turn, it was revealed that the 2008 French Grand Prix would take place at Magny-Cours with the release of the official calendar on July 2007.
In May 2008, Ecclestone confirmed that Magny-Cours would stop hosting the French Grand Prix after the 2008 race, suggesting that he was looking into the possibility of hosting the French Grand Prix on the streets of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
In June 2008, the provisional calendar for the 2009 season
2009 Formula One season
The 2009 Formula One season was the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. The season took place over 17 rounds, and started with the on 29 March 2009. It ended on 1 November 2009 with the inaugural ....
was released, and a French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours appeared on it, scheduled for 28 June. However, in October 2008 the 2009 French Grand Prix was cancelled after the French Motorsports Federation (FFSA) withdrew financing for the event.
In 2009 the track hosted its first Superleague Formula
Superleague Formula
Superleague Formula is an open wheel single seater motor racing formula, which started in 2008, at Donington Park in the United Kingdom. The league introduced team sponsorship by association football clubs. It goes by the saying 'The Beautiful Race: Football at 300 km/h'. By 2011 the link with...
event. It has also been confirmed it will host a second event in 2010.
The circuit
The track nowadays is a modern, smooth circuit with good facilities for the teams and spectators. Unusually, many corners are modelled on famous turns from other circuits, and are named after those circuits, e.g. the fast EstorilAutódromo do Estoril
The Autódromo do Estoril is a race course in Portugal, owned by state-run holding management company Parpública. Its length is . It was the home of the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996....
corner and the Adelaide
Adelaide Street Circuit
The Adelaide Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit in the East Parklands adjacent to the central business district of the city of Adelaide in South Australia....
hairpin. It has a mix of slow hairpins and high-speed chicane sections which includes a long fast straight into the first-gear Adelaide hairpin, the best overtaking opportunity on the circuit. The circuit is very flat with negligible change in elevation (only a small valley at the Estoril corner and a slight hill near the Lycee corner) and doesn't provide tremendous overtaking opportunities, despite modifications in 2003. Many Formula 1 races held here were of a processional nature, with most overtaking occurring during pit stop sequences.