Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours – Magny-Cours, France

Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is a motor racing circuit located in France, near the towns of Magny-Cours and Nevers. It is most famous for staging the Formula One French Grand Prix, which has been held here since 1991. On 31 May 2007, Bernie Ecclestone initially confirmed that the 2007 French Grand Prix would be the last to be held at Magny Cours, though the release of the 2008 race calendar has confirmed that 2008 French Grand Prix will take place at Magny-Cours. However, Ecclestone has announced in May 2008 that Magny-Cours would not be used from 2009.

The race track nowadays is a modern, smooth circuit with good facilities for the spectators. Most corners are named after other racing circuits, e.g. the fast Estoril corner and the Adelaide hairpin. It is a flat circuit, with negligible change in elevation.

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 Cevert 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.

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.

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.

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. He has since stated that the future of the Magny-Cours circuit is still in negotiations, and that “We’re going to maybe resurrect it for a year, or something like that”. The FIA has subsequently confirmed that the 2008 French Grand Prix will take place at Magny-Cours with the release of the official calendar on July 27, 2007.

However, in May 2008, Ecclestone confirmed that Magny-Cours will stop hosting the French Grand Prix after the 2008 race. Ecclestone is looking into the possibility of hosting the French Grand Prix on the streets of Paris.

Past winners

Formula One

Year – Country – Driver- Constructor:

• 2007 – Finland – Kimi Räikkönen – Ferrari
• 2006 – Germany – Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
• 2005 – Spain – Fernando Alonso – Renault
• 2004 – Germany – Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
• 2003 – Germany – Ralf Schumacher – Williams-BMW
• 2002 – Germany – Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
• 2001 – Germany – Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
• 2000 – United Kingdom – David Coulthard – McLaren-Mercedes
• 1999 – Germany – Heinz-Harald Frentzen – Jordan-Mugen Honda
• 1998 – Germany – Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
• 1997 – Germany – Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
• 1996 – United Kingdom – Damon Hill – Williams-Renault
• 1995 – Germany – Michael Schumacher – Benetton-Renault
• 1994 – Germany – Michael Schumacher – Benetton-Ford
• 1993 – France – Alain Prost – Williams-Renault
• 1992 – United Kingdom – Nigel Mansell – Williams-Renault
• 1991 – United Kingdom – Nigel Mansell – Williams-Renault

World Touring Car Championship:

Year – Race – Driver – Team:

• 2005 – 1 – Jörg Müller – BMW Team Germany; 2 – Jörg Müller – BMW Team Germany
• 2006 – 1 – Dirk Müller – BMW Team Germany; 2 – Andy Priaulx – BMW Team United Kingdom

Other Information

Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours

• Location: Magny-Cours, France
• Time zone: GMT +1 (DST: +2)
• Major Events: F1, GP2, SBK, WTCC
• Circuit Length: 4.411 km (2.74 mi)
• Turns: 17
• Lap Record: 1:15.377 (Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004)