The Paul Ricard Circuit is known for its unusual design; built on a plateau, this circuit is extremely flat. It stands out with its the iconic blue and red painted runoff areas. The Red Zone, the deeper and more abrasive runoff area, circles the Blue Zone and gives the Paul Ricard Circuit its memorable, colourful look. This circuit is historically known for its challenging track, and many drivers crowned victorious at Paul Ricard would move on to win the World Championship as well.
This circuit boasts one of the longest straights in the World Championship, the Mistral straight. In the early days of the circuit this measured a formidable 1.8km. In 1986, the track was modified to shorten the circuit by adding a chicane in the middle of the Mistral Straight, bringing the total length of the track down to 3.8km. Further renovations ahead of the highly anticipated return to the circuit, saw 10,000 tons of asphalt used to resurface the track and pit lane. Additionally, four corners have been modified and the track has been widened at several points, while the Virage de Bendor has been re-shaped and shortened. As a result, the overall track length now comes in at 5.842 km.
Join us for the latest updates and results from the Circuit Paul Ricard, as the first practice session for the 2019 French Grand Prix is about to get underway, with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc at the wheel of the SF90, ready to evaluate the ideal set-up ahead of the qualifying session and the race on Sunday.
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