2021 Mr Snooze Stripey FRENCH GP

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2021 Mr Snooze Stripey FRENCH GP

#1

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

2021 Mr Snooze Stripey French GP Image

First things first: Get your GTP votes in. You know the drill, start with a click on this link
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk/forums/vi ... 96#p406096


OK where were we? Oh yeah....Those bloody stripes.....it has to be Le Castellet, Paul Ricard if you prefer. It has to be better than Magny Bores was. Its no Reims, Rouen-les-Essarts or even the 5.1-mile Charade circuit at Clermont-Ferrand, so demanding it provoked motion sickness in some drivers. But its what we have got. And plenty of lines to judge track limits.
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We move on from the excitement that the intricacies of the F1 rule makers produced in Baku. But it turned out fun didnt it. Net result was we had neither of the two primary championship contenders score any points. But now we move on to a track which may suit the Red Bulls less than the Mercs, so we are at the point where we could actually Lewis retake the lead,.. A Lewis win will ensure that, even with Max 2nd with fastest lap.

Will normality return to the Mercedes mob after their two street race issues?
I have read that changes have been made to their now famous "Magic Button so Lewis cant press it when pressured.

Will Vettel and Gasly continue their improved form?

Will Danny Ric find the missing something to unlock the McLaren secret that seems only Lando knows?

Will Lewis make another mistake? :dunno:

Can Sergio get in the title mix? If Max and Lewis can take each other out on lap 1, Sergio can nip through and pick up another win, maybe. (He is 32 points behind Lewis.)

Will we have any tyre issues here? Will the teams play Russian Roulette with tyre pressures or will they do s they are told?

Will Alonso do a Sergio and learn the intricacies of the Alpine on home soil?

Might as well mention it here, but this is the first of 3 GP weekends in a row, from France we go to a country called Styria. The following weekend the very same place becomes Austria., :whistling:

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OH yeah.... limited spectators will be there , but better than none. I think 15000 per day. Will they all rooting for the boys at Alpine? Aside from Ocon of course the French have Gasly to support. Both seem to be improved this year.

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Gasly and Ocon are the two home racers, with Ocon's Alpine team hoping to impress at home too

France held the first grand prix in 1906, was integral to the establishment of organised motor racing and had been host to Formula One every year bar one since the championship began. Until 2008 when continuing losses forced it off the calendar. It returned in 2018, then missed 2020 through Covid.


What of Paul Ricard? My view has always been, a great circuit. For GTs, Sportscars, Touring Cars. In fact anything but it seems F1.

so we haven’t always seen classic races at Paul Ricard since the French Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2018, but it’s still a track that allows overtaking and often sees battles come to a head in the closing stages. Well, it did once, in 2019

The last time we raced here in 2019, there was drama throughout the top ten on the final lap, with Charles Leclerc closing down Valtteri Bottas and threatening to steal second place, while it all kicked off between Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hulkenberg, Lando Norris and Kimi Raikkonen in the lower points positions.

Norris was running in P7 with Ricciardo – then at Renault – chasing him down and attempting an overtake but going wide and then forcing the McLaren off track as he rejoined. Raikkonen jumped both only for Ricciardo to then overtake the Finn again into Signes and cross the line seventh, picking up two time penalties that dropped him out of the points afterwards.

Four cars scrapping on the final lap was a twist in the tail for those still awake, and with an even closer midfield this year, here’s hoping for more.

Anyway here are the highlights of the last visit here in 2019.




While we are in video mode here are some exciting French GP moments from days gone.



I still wince when I think in 2002 Kimi lost what would have been his first win thanks to a Toyota dumping its oil in front of him, allowing Schu to pass for the win.


OK The track

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First Grand Prix
1971

Number of Laps
53

Circuit Length
5.842km

Race Distance
309.69 km

Lap Record
1:32.740 Sebastian Vettel (2019)



Le Castellet
When was the track built?
Work began on pastis magnate Paul Ricard’s track in 1969, with French racers Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Henri Pescarolo acting as consultants on the layout. Racing began at the circuit a year later.

When was its first Grand Prix?
Formula 1 hit the Circuit Paul Ricard in 1971, with Jackie Stewart winning the inaugural race in his Tyrrell 003.

What’s the circuit like?
The Circuit Paul Ricard’s even distribution of high-, medium- and low-speed corners is a key reason why it’s one of the most used test circuits in the world (the typically good weather is another). F1 drivers love the 290km/h right-hander at Signes and the 5g joyride of the following Beausset bend, while the circuit’s 2018 return to the F1 calendar showed that the French Grand Prix track is a bit of an overtaking gem.


Black round things.

Image

Sector three at the Paul Ricard circuit is more about lateral forces rather than traction and braking; the rest of the lap is quite balanced (one of the reasons why this track is a well-known test venue).
Before the track returned to F1 in 2018 following a prolonged absence, a chicane was placed in the famous Mistral straight to slow down the high top speeds, making it effectively two separate straights with a chicane in the middle.
The winning strategy back in 2019 was a one-stopper, from medium to hard. This was adopted by all the podium finishers, with all but seven of the drivers starting the race on the medium tyre.
Paul Ricard can be very hot at this time of year: last time, track temperatures exceeded 50 C

What has Pirelli got to say?

WHY WE’VE CHOSEN THE TYRES
The French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, returning after a year off due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will use the middle three compounds in the Formula 1 range: C2 as the P Zero White hard, C3 as the P Zero Yellow medium, and C4 as the P Zero Red soft. This is the same choice as was made in 2019, when the race was last run.
These tyres in the middle of the range are well suited to the varied characteristics of the track. New asphalt laid on nearly all the corners just before the 2019 race ensures a smooth surface for them to work on.
Tyre degradation at Paul Ricard is generally low: however, Turn 13 is particularly demanding in terms of continuous energy demands on the tyre, as is the Signes corner after the Mistral straight.

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The Mongols?..... Well when the horses saw all the stripes they bolted in fear. So no Mongols here.

Oh for the supports we have Formula 3. No F2, just F3. And Renault Clio Cup.

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#2

Post by PTRACER »

Mmm. Not interested in this at all. Bring back Magny Cours.
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#3

Post by Picci »

I don't remember a single race that we had here. ALso the painted stuff makes me very dizzy. I also have a tendency to get lost on the track when I play this on my PS4.
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#4

Post by MonteCristo »

PTRACER wrote: 2 years ago Mmm. Not interested in this at all. Bring back Magny Cours.
Reims? :P

I remember when Magny Cours was known as a world class boreodrome.
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#5

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Picci wrote: 2 years ago I don't remember a single race that we had here.
We have only had two since the French GP returned to the calendar, 2018/19. 2020 was a Covid casualty.
Prior to 2018 the last race at Paul Ricard (Le Castellet) the last time was 1990, so no real surprise its not remembered by most.

Just a chronological list of what circuit was used when for the French GP.


Date Circuit
23 june 2019 Le Castellet
24 june 2018 Le Castellet
22 june 2008 Magny-Cours
1 july 2007 Magny-Cours
16 july 2006 Magny-Cours
3 july 2005 Magny-Cours
4 july 2004 Magny-Cours
6 july 2003 Magny-Cours
21 july 2002 Magny-Cours
1 july 2001 Magny-Cours
2 july 2000 Magny-Cours
27 june 1999 Magny-Cours
28 june 1998 Magny-Cours
29 june 1997 Magny-Cours
30 june 1996 Magny-Cours
2 july 1995 Magny-Cours
3 july 1994 Magny-Cours
4 july 1993 Magny-Cours
5 july 1992 Magny-Cours
7 july 1991 Magny-Cours
8 july 1990 Le Castellet
9 july 1989 Le Castellet
3 july 1988 Le Castellet
5 july 1987 Le Castellet
6 july 1986 Le Castellet
7 july 1985 Le Castellet
20 may 1984 Dijon-Prenois
17 april 1983 Le Castellet
25 july 1982 Le Castellet
5 july 1981 Dijon-Prenois
29 june 1980 Le Castellet
1 july 1979 Dijon-Prenois
2 july 1978 Le Castellet
3 july 1977 Dijon-Prenois
4 july 1976 Le Castellet
6 july 1975 Le Castellet
7 july 1974 Dijon-Prenois
1 july 1973 Le Castellet
2 july 1972 Clermont-Ferrand
4 july 1971 Le Castellet
5 july 1970 Clermont-Ferrand
6 july 1969 Clermont-Ferrand
7 july 1968 Rouen-les-Essarts
2 july 1967 Le Mans (Bugatti Circuit)
3 july 1966 Reims
27 june 1965 Clermont-Ferrand
28 june 1964 Rouen-les-Essarts
30 june 1963 Reims
8 july 1962 Rouen-les-Essarts
2 july 1961 Reims
3 july 1960 Reims
5 july 1959 Reims
6 july 1958 Reims
7 july 1957 Rouen-les-Essarts
1 july 1956 Reims
4 july 1954 Reims
5 july 1953 Reims
6 july 1952 Rouen-les-Essarts
1 july 1951 Reims
2 july 1950 Reims


That is 60 French GPs....

18 at Magny-Cours
16 at Le Castellet
11 at Reims
5 at Rouen-les-Essarts
5 at Dijon-Prenois
4 at Clermont-Ferrand / Charade
1 at Le Mans

Clermont Ferrand was my favourite although Rouen and Reims appeal as well.
The track was mountainous and had 51 bends.
The Charade Circuit (also known as Circuit Louis Rosier and Circuit Clermont-Ferrand) is in the Auvergne mountains in France near Clermont-Ferrand, ( home of Michelin and Patrick Depailler.)
Built in 1958 around the sides of an extinct volcano, the originally 8.055 km (5.005-mi) long Charade was described as an even twistier and faster version of the Nürburgring. Some drivers like Jochen Rindt in the 1969 French Grand Prix complained of motion sickness, and wore open face helmets, just in case. It was loved by drivers, but located on a mountainside, as well as the track full of gravel and volcanic flint, created a lot of worries . (It is where Helmut Marko lost his eye, as a result of a flint breaking his visor/goggles and hitting his eye)

Image

An interesting article with period pictures of the track: http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/08/the ... t-ferrand/


Some b/w footage from Clermont 1970.


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#6

Post by Michael Ferner »

The picture, of course, shows the modern Circuit de Charade, which is about half the length of the original. You can see the old track vanishing into the distance beyond the photograph with that very long straight just after turn one. The new track joins the original again bottom right of the pic, and the run to the finish is pretty much as was, except for the runoffs and sandtraps of course.

I know for most of you folks the history of the world begins on May 13 in 1950, but there were about three dozen French GPs before that, too, with a many different venues used, ranging from the magnificent (Lyon!) to the ridiculous (Miramas).
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#7

Post by Michkov »

Why go somewhere else when you can have the French GP at Paul Ricard for the next 200 years without repeating layouts. Playing the build your track game on this one certainly has plenty of options.
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#8

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Lewis will find it difficult to accidentally press his now famous 'magic button' this weekend.... Lewis has said that Merc have now fitted a shroud around the button, which was on the rear of the steering wheel, so Lewis will find it more difficult to activate it by mistake as he did after the restart at Baku.

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#9

Post by Michkov »

Have we found out what kind of magic Merc has going on in their cars yet?
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#10

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

P1 about to start

Edit: whoops got it wrong ... on in half an hour at half past. :blush:

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Post by PTRACER »

It's on now. Not even 5 mins in and we saw a few spins and a Haas in the wall (able to drive away).
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#12

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

:suspicious: Nissany in the Williams for Russell for P1.... guess they are paying the bills.

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#13

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Plenty out there using the stripey bits and more.

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#14

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Bottas has found his missing form and topped a session for the first time since Spain. With Hamilton just behind in P2, with Max and Sergio behind. Ocon up there with Alpine in 5th, Alonso 7th. Danny Ri the fastest McLaren in 6th..

Full P1 times.

POS DRIVERGAP TYRE TYRES USED
1 Valtteri BOTTAS1:33.448 5
2 Lewis HAMILTON+0.335 3
3 Max VERSTAPPEN+0.432 4
4 Sergio PEREZ+0.745 4
5 Esteban OCON+0.881 4
6 Daniel RICCIARDO+1.196 5
7 Fernando ALONSO+1.245 5
8 Pierre GASLY+1.251 3
9 Lando NORRIS+1.259 6
10 Yuki TSUNODA+1.399 5
11 Charles LECLERC+1.502 6
12 Antonio GIOVINAZZI+1.668 6
13 Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN+1.687 5
14 Lance STROLL+1.827 3
15 Sebastian VETTEL+1.841 3
16 Carlos SAINZ+1.894 5
17 Nicholas LATIFI+2.164 3
18 Nikita MAZEPIN+3.203 3
19 Mick SCHUMACHER+3.881 3
20 Roy NISSANY+4.433 3

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#15

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Michkov wrote: 2 years ago Why go somewhere else when you can have the French GP at Paul Ricard for the next 200 years without repeating layouts. Playing the build your track game on this one certainly has plenty of options.
Just heard they actually have 247 different configurations....These range from 0.8 km in length to 5.86 km!

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