Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours facts for kids
Grand Prix Circuit (2003–present)
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| Location | Magny-Cours, France |
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| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) CEST (DST) |
| Coordinates | 46°51′48″N 03°09′48″E / 46.86333°N 3.16333°E |
| Capacity | 139,112 |
| FIA Grade | 1 |
| Owner | Conseil Départemental de la Nièvre (1986–present) |
| Opened | 7 August 1960 |
| Former names | Circuit Jean Behra (1960–1970) |
| Major events | Current: World SBK (1991, 2003–present) GT World Challenge Europe (2020–2022, 2024–present) FFSA GT (1997–present) Former: Formula One French Grand Prix (1991–2008) WTCC Race of France (2005–2006) Grand Prix motorcycle racing French motorcycle Grand Prix (1992) Bol d'Or (2000–2014) International GT Open (2006–2011) World Sportscar Championship (1991–1992) FIA GT (2000–2005) Superleague Formula (2009–2010) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (2003–present) | |
| Length | 4.411 km (2.741 mi) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Race lap record | 1:15.377 ( Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F2004, 2004, F1) |
| National Circuit (2003–present) | |
| Length | 2.684 km (1.668 mi) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Club Circuit (1992–present) | |
| Length | 1.727 km (1.073 mi) |
| Turns | 11 |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1992–2002) | |
| Length | 4.250 km (2.641 mi) |
| Turns | 15 |
| Race lap record | 1:15.045 ( David Coulthard, McLaren MP4-17, 2002, F1) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1989–1991) | |
| Length | 4.271 km (2.654 mi) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Race lap record | 1:19.168 ( Nigel Mansell, Williams FW14, 1991, F1) |
| Full Circuit (1971–1988) | |
| Length | 3.850 km (2.391 mi) |
| Turns | 14 |
| Race lap record | 1:20.200 ( Jacques Laffite, Martini MK16, 1975, F2) |
| Original Circuit (1960–1988) | |
| Length | 1.995 km (1.240 mi) |
| Turns | 5 |
| Race lap record | 0:47.900 ( Paul Hawkins, Lola T70 Mk.IIIB GT, 1969, Group 4) |
The Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is a famous motor racing track in central France. It is located near the towns of Magny-Cours and Nevers. The circuit is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Paris.
This track has hosted many important races. From 1991 to 2008, it was home to the Formula One French Grand Prix. It also hosted the 24-hour Bol d'Or motorcycle endurance race for many years. Since 2003, it has been a regular stop for the Superbike World Championship.
Magny-Cours has also welcomed other international championships. These include the World Sportscar Championship and the World Touring Car Championship. A special engineering college, Institut supérieur de l'automobile et des transports, is also located at the circuit. There is also a museum called Conservatoire de la monoplace française.
Contents
History of the Magny-Cours Circuit
The Magny-Cours circuit was built in 1960 by Jean Bernigaud. It quickly became known for the Winfield racing school. This school helped train famous drivers like François Cevert and Jacques Laffite. The track officially opened on August 7, 1960.
However, the circuit became run down in the 1980s. It was not used for big international races for a while. In 1986, the local government, the Conseil Départemental de la Nièvre, bought it. They worked to bring it back to life.
In the 1990s, Formula One teams like Ligier and Prost used the circuit. They often tested their race cars there. The track then hosted the French Formula One Grand Prix from 1991 to 2008. It also hosted the Bol d'Or motorcycle race from 2000 to 2014.
The circuit was updated in 2003 to make races more exciting. Changes were made to the final corner and a chicane (a sharp bend). This was done to help drivers overtake each other more easily.
In 2004, Michael Schumacher won the 2004 French Grand Prix using a special four-stop strategy. Two years later, in 2006, he made history. He became the first driver to win any single Formula One Grand Prix eight times at the same circuit.
After 2008, Formula One stopped racing at Magny-Cours. This was mainly because of its remote location. It was hard for spectators to get there, and there weren't enough places to stay. The 2009 French Grand Prix was canceled due to a lack of funding.
The circuit later hosted Superleague Formula events in 2009 and 2010. In 2014, part of the 2014 Paris–Nice cycling race even used the track. Cyclists rode almost a full lap in the opposite direction!
What the Magny-Cours Track is Like
Today, the Magny-Cours track is very smooth. It has excellent facilities for racing teams. Many of its corners are actually named after famous turns from other race tracks. For example, there's the fast Estoril corner and the Adelaide hairpin. There are also chicanes named after the Nürburgring and Imola circuits.
The track has a mix of slow, tight turns and fast, winding sections. The long, fast straight leads into the slow Adelaide hairpin. This hairpin is usually the best place for drivers to overtake. The circuit is mostly flat, with only small changes in height.
Even with the changes made in 2003, it can still be hard to overtake. This means that races at Magny-Cours are sometimes not very exciting. Most overtaking often happens when cars stop for new tires or fuel.
However, rain can make races much more interesting. The 1999 French Grand Prix is a good example. A heavy rainstorm stopped the race. After it restarted, many top drivers had problems. This allowed Heinz-Harald Frentzen to win unexpectedly in his Jordan car.
The Bol d'Or motorcycle race was held here for many years. But in 2015, it moved back to the Circuit Paul Ricard.
Exciting Events at Magny-Cours
Magny-Cours hosts a variety of races and events throughout the year.
- Current Events
- May: Fun Cup France, Grand Prix de France de Superkart
- June: French Superbike Championship
- July: FIM JuniorGP World Championship, FIM Moto2 European Championship, European Talent Cup
- August: GT World Challenge Europe, FFSA GT Championship, French F4 Championship, Alpine Elf Cup Series
- September: Superbike World Championship, Supersport World Championship, Supersport 300 World Championship
- October: Ultimate Cup Series, Historic Tour Magny-Cours
- Past Events
- Formula One (French Grand Prix) (1991–2008)
- World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC Race of France) (2005–2006)
- Grand Prix motorcycle racing (French motorcycle Grand Prix) (1992)
- FIM Endurance World Championship (Bol d'Or) (2000–2014)
- FIA GT Championship (2000–2005)
- Superleague Formula (2009–2010)
- International Formula 3000 (1992–1996, 1999–2004)
- Formula Renault Eurocup (many years between 1993 and 2020)
- Porsche Supercup (many years between 1993 and 2008)
Fastest Laps at Magny-Cours
The official fastest lap record for the current Grand Prix circuit is 1 minute, 15.377 seconds. This was set by Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari F2004 during the 2004 French Grand Prix.
Here are some of the fastest official race lap records for different types of vehicles:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit: 4.412 km (since 2003) | ||||
| Formula One | 1:15.377 | Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari F2004 | 2004 French Grand Prix |
| GP2 | 1:23.405 |  Roldán Rodríguez |
Dallara GP2/05 | 2007 Magny-Cours GP2 Series round |
| World SBK | 1:36.084 | Álvaro Bautista |
Ducati Panigale V4 R | 2023 Magny-Cours World SBK round |
| GT3 | 1:36.215 | Emmanuel Collard |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo | 2022 Magny-Cours Ultimate Cup Series round |
| Formula 4 | 1:39.790 |  Yani Stevenheydens |
Mygale M21-F4 | 2024 Magny-Cours French Formula 4 round |
| Grand Prix Circuit: 4.250 km (1992–2002) | ||||
| Formula One | 1:15.045 | David Coulthard |
McLaren MP4-17 | 2002 French Grand Prix |
| Group C | 1:20.346 | Yannick Dalmas |
Peugeot 905 Evo 1 Bis | 1992 500 km of Magny-Cours |
| 500cc | 1:39.273 | Wayne Gardner |
Yamaha YZR500 | 1992 French motorcycle Grand Prix |
| Grand Prix Circuit: 4.271 km (1989–1991) | ||||
| Formula One | 1:19.168 | Nigel Mansell |
Williams FW14 | 1991 French Grand Prix |
| World SBK | 1:44.980 |  Doug Polen |
Ducati 888 SBK | 1991 Magny-Cours World SBK round |
| Full Circuit: 3.850 km (1971–1988) | ||||
| Formula Two | 1:20.200 | Jacques Laffite |
Martini MK16 | 1975 Grand Prix de Magny-Cours |
| Original Circuit: 1.995 km (1960–1988) | ||||
| Group 4 | 0:47.900 | Paul Hawkins |
Lola T70 Mk.IIIB GT | 1969 Magny-Cours Group 4 race |
Weather at Magny-Cours
The area around Nevers has an oceanic climate. This means it gets a good amount of rain, about 800 millimeters (31 inches) each year. So, rain could affect races, but during the Formula One years, it often stayed dry.
One big exception was the 1999 French Grand Prix. Both the qualifying session and the race itself were held on a completely wet track. When the Grand Prix was held in summer, high temperatures could cause tires to wear out quickly. Now, the main event, the Superbike World Championship, takes place in autumn. This means the weather is usually cooler.
| Climate data for Nevers (1981–2010 averages) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
23.5 (74.3) |
26.7 (80.1) |
30.0 (86.0) |
31.0 (87.8) |
37.5 (99.5) |
38.7 (101.7) |
39.2 (102.6) |
35.1 (95.2) |
30.2 (86.4) |
23.5 (74.3) |
19.5 (67.1) |
39.2 (102.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
12.4 (54.3) |
15.4 (59.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
22.8 (73.0) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.2 (77.4) |
21.4 (70.5) |
16.7 (62.1) |
10.5 (50.9) |
7.1 (44.8) |
16.0 (60.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
1.8 (35.2) |
3.9 (39.0) |
7.9 (46.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
12.8 (55.0) |
12.3 (54.1) |
9.1 (48.4) |
7.0 (44.6) |
2.8 (37.0) |
0.8 (33.4) |
5.8 (42.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −25 (−13) |
−21.8 (−7.2) |
−13.8 (7.2) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
0.2 (32.4) |
3.4 (38.1) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
−8.9 (16.0) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
−16.8 (1.8) |
−25 (−13) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 62.0 (2.44) |
57.8 (2.28) |
54.3 (2.14) |
68.7 (2.70) |
80.1 (3.15) |
70.1 (2.76) |
61.8 (2.43) |
60.9 (2.40) |
67.5 (2.66) |
77.6 (3.06) |
70.1 (2.76) |
73.2 (2.88) |
804.1 (31.66) |
| Average precipitation days | 12.0 | 10.0 | 10.3 | 10.7 | 11.5 | 8.8 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 11.0 | 11.6 | 11.7 | 122.7 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 87 | 82 | 78 | 74 | 77 | 76 | 74 | 77 | 80 | 85 | 87 | 87 | 80.3 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 65.5 | 85.6 | 147.7 | 170.3 | 197.9 | 223.2 | 235.0 | 227.5 | 180.0 | 121.0 | 65.4 | 54.9 | 1,774 |
| Source 1: Météo France | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Infoclimat.fr (humidity, 1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
See also
In Spanish: Circuito de Nevers Magny-Cours para niños
