© Getty ImagesFive Things To Know About Paul RicardThe French Grand Prix is an iconic race full of surprises.
OracleRedBullRacingreturnstoCircuitPaulRicardthisweekend,andalthoughit’sonlybeenbackonthecalendarsince2018,it’sadriverandfanfavourite.
The track has a mixture of everything from the Beausset bend, a 5G turn to the flat-out turn at Signes, but there’s also a lot you might not know, or understand about the French Grand Prix and the Circuit Paul Ricard
It's Fair To Say That The French GP Trophies Are I-Kong-ic© Getty Images
The FIA in Formula One’s sporting regulations stipulate that trophies must be ‘in the form of a traditional cup’, but you may have noticed that in France the trophy is an aggressive looking Gorilla in the colours of the Tricolour. The trophy has been designed by Richard Orlinski, a French sculptor and artist. The trophies are a copy of his full-size ‘King Kong’ statue that is at the circuit. His famous ‘The Bear’, ‘The Panther’, and ‘The Horse’ can also be seen at the track.
PaulRicardIsn’tAFamousDriverFromYearsGoneBy
Do You Know How Circuit Paul Ricard Got Its Name?© Getty Images
Now you might expect that a racing circuit might be named after a historical racing figure. Tracks and corners around the globe are often named after former heroes who have raced well at a particular circuit or are from the country where the track is based (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for example).
However, Paul Ricard was a drinks magnate most famous for Ricard. Ricard is a pastis, the French alcoholic drink that is an anise and liquorice flavoured aperitif.
Ricard was ahead of his time and knew that sports sponsorship was a great way to market his tipple. He was the first commercial sponsor of the Tour de France in 1948 and also sponsored many motoring events. His most famous achievement being the construction of the Circuit Paul Ricard, which is where we’ll be this weekend.
TheFrenchGrandPrixWasTheFirstEverGrandPrix
France Is Cemented Deep In Racing History© Getty Images
1906 saw the first Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France. There had been many motor races before held in France, but this was the first to be referred to as a ‘Grand Prix’, or grand prize in translation. The Grand Prix for the first outing was 45,000 French Francs and the race, which was held on a 103km closed-course of public roads near the city of Le Mans, was won by Hungarian driver Ferenc Szisz in a Renault.
ThereAre167TrackVariations
The Lines Of Paul Ricard Aren't Just Decorative© Getty Images
In the late 1990s, when Circuit Paul Ricard had been opened for close to 30 years, Bernie Ecclestone bought it and reworked it as a high-tech test track. The distinctive layout of the modern circuit, which is made obvious by its high-grip red and blue run off areas, offers a total of 167 track configurations, which vary from just 0.8km to 5.8km in lap length. Just think, that means If Circuit Paul Ricard hosted a race every year on a different track, the Team would not use the same track for a second time until the year 2188.
CircuitPaulRicardHasBirthedManyWorldChampions
Damon Hill Is One Of Many World Champs To Graduate From Winfield© Getty Images
The French circuit has been home to the Winfield Racing School since the 1970s and has produced more than 30 Formula One drivers, including World Champions Damon Hill, Alain Prost. Oliver Panis, Jean Alesi, René Arnoux, Jacques Laffite and Christian Danner also began their careers at the School.
In total – so far – the drivers who began their career at the school have collected 90 wins in Formula One as well as four WTCC championship titles and six winners of Le Mans 24h.
