34 replies to this topic

[molive]

Accoridng to Gazzeta Dello Sports, finantial reasons may force Magny cours (which is on provisional lineup for next year) to be dropped in favour of Le Mans Bugatti circuit.

I'm all for the change! Le Mans is a traditional circuit, along with the likes of Monaco, Monza, SIlverstone, etc.

[troyf1]

I voted other because I'd like to see F1 go back to Paul Ricard. I know it's a test track but all the money spent on the renovation of that track is a waste if it's only gonna be used for testing.

[Bart]

Can somebody post a link to the acutal Le Mans circuit it is suggested they might use? My gut feeling is to stick with Magny-Cours, which has provided some interesting races. Of course, we all know that politics will decide this, not the expected quality of racing.

[BuonoBruttoCattivo]

Originally posted by molive
I'm all for the change! Le Mans is a traditional circuit, along with the likes of Monaco, Monza, SIlverstone, etc.

...Bugatti circuit is not all that.
Magny is better for F1.
They are gonna run a 1000Km race on Bugatti soon (ELMS) and I believe MotoGP runs there as well.

[StickShift]

the Bugatti circuit is horrible.

[molive]

Originally posted by Bart
Can somebody post a link to the acutal Le Mans circuit it is suggested they might use? My gut feeling is to stick with Magny-Cours, which has provided some interesting races. Of course, we all know that politics will decide this, not the expected quality of racing.

Btw, here's the last winner of a F1 race at Lemans: Mr. Jack Brabham.

1967 Le Mans Formula 1 J.Brabham (Brabham BT24 - Repco)

Heres how the circuit looked then:

[TEquiLA]

I think Le Mans should have a go, on the other hand, last few races at Magny Cours were nice

[scheivlak]

Le Mans Bugatti: Tilke avant la lettre. Not really better.
Give me Paul Ricard, especially the longer circuit.
The LM 24 hour circuit (Circuit de la Sarthe) would of course be pretty fantastic (Indianapolis corner!), but I'm afraid it doesn't match the FIA safety regulations.

[TEquiLA]

Originally posted by scheivlak
Le Mans Bugatti: Tilke avant la lettre. Not really better.
Give me Paul Ricard, especially the longer circuit.
The LM 24 hour circuit (Circuit de la Sarthe) would of course be pretty fantastic (Indianapolis corner!), but I'm afraid it doesn't match the FIA safety regulations.

Paul Ricard getting the race back would be even better, agreed 100%

[Estwald]

Other- the long version of Paul Ricard

[bill moffat]

Clermont Ferrand, thank you very much.

[Sir Frank]

Ricard!

Anything but Magny Cours will do for me, I have always hated the Nevers circuit its just so artificial.

[MaxScelerate]

Bugatti is a 'parking-lot' kind of track that doesn't have much to do with 'Le Mans' beside the name. That'd be boring.

I agree that Paul Ricard would be nice. Clermont-Ferrand would be insane, as much as the old Nordscherlieff couldn't host F1 races anymore, so does C-F.. Tht'd be *great* though ;)

[BRG]

Le Mans (Bugatti) is a dire track - we'd do better off staying at Mangy Curs.

The new Clermont Ferrand track is nice or how about a return to Dijon-Prenois?

Ideally, Reims would be nice.... but we are more likely to get Croix-en-Tournois (a track even more Tilkey than Tilke's wildest dreams).

[madmac]

Gotta agree the Le man Buggati circuit is naff & using the full track just isn't ganna happen, shame 'cos its a wonderfull part of the world.

Clemont ferand would be good, or as BRG suggests a return to Dijon but I guess that would need a lot of investment to get it to F1 standards.

[TEquiLA]

Damn, many nice tracks in France to choose from, good thing, they should get two or three back in shape and round robin it thru the years The same goes for the British, German an Italian GPs and as long as I am dreaming I wish for ....

[Witt]

Bugatti is a bike track, and would just not suit F1 cars at all. As much as it pains me to say this, F1 is better off at magny cours.

From what i've seen of the new paul ricard, it would give me headaches watching it with all those ugly blue bits next to the track.

[wawawa]

Could we have the French GP at Gilles Villeneuve?

[random]

Originally posted by Estwald
Other- the long version of Paul Ricard

Yes, the poll is faulty. Bernie owns Paul Ricard so if the French GP goes anywhere, it will be there.

[molive]

Originally posted by random

Yes, the poll is faulty. Bernie owns Paul Ricard so if the French GP goes anywhere, it will be there.

There's a "other" option.;)

[skinnylizard]

why go to Le Mans if your not going to use the 24 hour circuit.
xxx
G

[Nasty McBastard]

le mans bugatti is dull as dishwater for motoGP....so god knows how much of a yawn itd be for F1.

its quite uninspired and uninteresting.

[BRG]

It may not be a coincidence that Le Mans is reported (Motorsport News, 1 October) to be spending £10.3 million to update the circuit, partly for the 2005 24 Hours race. But in addition to improvements to the long circuit, it will also include enlarging the paddock, expanding the pits, and improving spectator access.

In the longer term, they are thinking of creating a longer permanent track by extending the Bugatti circuit towards the karting area (which is in the are towards Maison Blanche IIRC) and moving the public oroad outside the track to improve access. These latter ideas would fit very well with hosting the French GP.....

[Witt]

This may be one for the nostalgia forum, but i recall reading somewhere about some bad blood between the owners/controllers of the le mans circuit, and the FIA? And that's why the French GP has been held on just about every circuit in france bar the sarthe circuit or something? If that's right, it must be all water under the bridge now (or money in the pockets)... anyone able to explain if i'm even close or did i just dream about it one time?

[Frans]

I don't think there will be a French GP at all...

[Bart]

I agree that the Le Mans circuit looks crap for F1, so I voted for Magny-Cours. For reasons I'm at a loss to understand, this circuit has provided some interesting races of late.

[BRG]

Originally posted by Witt
anyone able to explain if i'm even close or did i just dream about it one time?

No, you are quite right.

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) who run the Le Mans track, and the racing there including of course the 24 Hour race, have on several occasions been at odds with the FIA - generally about the format of the 24 Hour race. The FIA have wanted to bring it into their various sportscar championships, only to find that the ACO often prefer different classes and categories of cars*. There have been times when things have been in tune (during the Gp C days for instance) or when at least the ACO's class structure is close enough to allow cars to compete in both. At the worst times, Le Mans has stood alone. But like the Indy 500, it is an event of such stature that the FIA generally did not have a strong enough hand to get their way - which as you can imagine they did not like at all. There was a suggestion that the FIA only demanded the insertion of the chicanes along the Mulsanne straight to get one up on the ACO - as the FIA licence the circuit, it was one area where they had some power.

It is a long and sordid story, from which neither ACO not FIA come out with much credit. If you wanted to know more, post a query in the Nostalgia Forum and you will doubtless get loads more detail!


* Cynically, but historically with some justification, many suspect the ACO like to ensure a good level of French participation and, if possible, success! Even if they have to invent a class especially for French teams like WR or Debra to win...

[Hans V]

Originally posted by molive
Accoridng to Gazzeta Dello Sports, finantial reasons may force Magny cours (which is on provisional lineup for next year) to be dropped in favour of Le Mans Bugatti circuit.

I'm all for the change! Le Mans is a traditional circuit, along with the likes of Monaco, Monza, SIlverstone, etc.

I walked most the Bugatti circuit a couple of times during the 24 hour ace this June, and it's IMHO unsuited for F1. Its very narrow and way too "Mickey Mouse". We don't need another Hungary. :-)
It wil be interestnig to see how the sportscar race there this autumn will turn out. I imagine the LMP900 cars may big have problems lapping the slower cars.

If they are to replace Magny Cours I'd thing Paul Ricard would be in pole position for the French GP. After all it's owned by a certain B. Ecclestone.

Hans

[Double Apex]

Let them have a go at Paul Ricard

[RJL]

Originally posted by Estwald
Other- the long version of Paul Ricard

ditto

[MaxScelerate]

That's crazy.. I think no one reads the thread or there wouldn't be that many votes for the BUGATTI circuit... I think everyone who voted Le Mans are dreaming of the Mulsanne straight.

[molive]

Originally posted by MaxScelerate
That's crazy.. I think no one reads the thread or there wouldn't be that many votes for the BUGATTI circuit... I think everyone who voted Le Mans are dreaming of the Mulsanne straight.

But clearly most are not happy with Magny Cours either.

When I read that the current Bugatti is "Mickey-mouse" my 1st thought was: oh, so thats the reason FIA wants it...

[GhostR]

If they're planning to use the Moto GP circuit ... no thanks. Ugly track, very mickey mouse and I think overtaking on that track in an F1 car would be more difficult than at Hungary. They'd need to do a lot of work to it, including widening it (especially the chicane at the start, that set of corners is an absolute recipe for disaster at the start of an F1 race).

[masterhit]

Only five people want Mangy Course.

[random]

Paul Ricard also has a short track. Think Hungary, or Monaco without the armco.

The F1 teams test there in preparation for Monaco. That said, I don't think that section of the track has any grandstands, so thankfully it's probably out.

The full course at Ricard is the business. Lots of places for passing, very high speed straight and some very slow sections as well. But I think the F1 boys would use the same track as the cycles use, it cuts out the slow bits and a good chunk of the straight.

See this map for an explanation: http://www.gpracing....circuits/35.cfm

The top left area "L'Ecole" including the gray cut through is the short track. The other, longer track uses the bottom right portion and the other gray cut-through. This is the track the motorcycles use. Both tracks can be run at the same time. I suspect F1 would use the long, but not the full course.