Circuit info
Circuit Paul Ricard
Interesting facts
Circuit Paul Ricard was financed by pastis magnate Paul Ricard, who wanted to experience for himself what it took to build a racetrack; it opened in Le Castellet near Marseille on 19 April 1970, and its mild winter climate made it a favourite off-season testing venue for teams. The original layout's defining feature was the 1.8 km Mistral straight, where engines ran flat out for extended periods and frequently failed as a result; in 1985 it was the site of the fastest speed ever recorded in a Formula 1 car, 335 km/h, set by Marc Surer in a turbocharged Brabham-BMW. The circuit pioneered colour-coded run-off zones instead of traditional gravel traps: the 'blue zone' used an asphalt-and-tungsten mix, while the 'red zone' had a highly abrasive surface designed to shorten braking distances. After Elio de Angelis's fatal testing accident in 1986, the Mistral straight was shortened to just over a kilometre and the fast Verrerie sweepers were bypassed, cutting the Grand Prix lap nearly in half, from 5.809 km to 3.812 km. Alain Prost won the French Grand Prix here four times, in 1983, 1988, 1989 and 1990. After Paul Ricard's death, Bernie Ecclestone's company bought the circuit in 1999 and ran it for years purely as a test facility under the name Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track; Formula 1 only returned in 2018, after the Magny-Cours era, and stayed on the calendar through 2022. You'll find it in Le Castellet, France. On the calendar since 1971, this circuit has hosted 18 races, the latest in 2022. Jackie Stewart took the inaugural win here in 1971. Max Verstappen won here most recently, in 2022. The most successful driver at this circuit is Alain Prost, with 4 wins. McLaren is the dominant constructor at this circuit, with 3 wins. Sebastian Vettel set the fastest lap here, 1:32.740 (Ferrari, 2019).