Tracks

GP-track of Magny-Cours

Situated in the center of France - GPS: N 46° 52,065' - E 003° 09,566'


Useful links: pictures & video - map - lodging

(click on the GPS figures above for the map)

Every year since 1991, the French Grand Prix Formule 1 takes place on this 4.410 m long TOP track. Living legend Michael Schumacher won here at least 8 times! Besides his brother Ralf, there were also Nigel Mansell (2x), Alain Prost, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Damon Hill, David Coulthard and Fernando Alonso who won here.

Since 2000, there's also the prestigious Endurance World Cup for motorcycles, the famous "Bol d'Or" (pictures left and under).

Besides these, there are also every year the very competitive World Superbike and the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) that come over here to race on the track of Nevers Magny-Cours.

Besides these 4 international top competitions, there are also the races of the Open French Championship for motorcycles as well as the yearly Bol d'Or Classic.

Everything started in 1959, when the former mayor of Magny-Cours, Jean Bernigaud, decided to build a karting track on the parcel alongside his farm.

 

The track is situated near the litte town of Nevers, about 220 km south of Paris.

Two years later, this track in the middle of France is being changed to a length of 2 km. From that moment on, its reputation grew fast. And it was the world famous racingschool "Winfield" that really put Magny-Cours on the map of racetracks. In fact, it was the guardian school for the coming French Formula 1 stars of the '70's and the '80's.

 

EYBIS rider Freddy Foray wins the Bol d'Or 2009

The school was founded by Bernigaud in 1963, with the help of Jean Lucas and Gerard Crombac.

 

Later, the name was changed to Winfield and the list of succesful pupils grew fast. Jean-Pierre Jaussaud (winner of the 24hrs of Le Mans in 1978 and 1980), Francois Cevert, Patrick Depailler, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Jacques Lafitte are only a few names that learned to race there.

In 1971, the tracklength is being increased to 3.850 m. The same year, Bernigaud dies. Following that event, the track is being taken over by the local motorcycling club, the "ASA Niverais". Bernigaud's widow keeps on playing an important role in the further growth of Magny-Cours.

To help finance the track, teams are being attracted to install their residence. The Martini and Oreca teams are the first to do so.

From the second half of the '70's, the first international races are held on the track. In 1975, the first Formula 2 race is won by Jean-Pierre Jabouille.

From 1978, every year there's a race that counts for the European Formula 3 championship.

 

The series keeps coming back every year until it is stopped in 1984. At that moment, the state of the track is very poor. The next three years, there will be no international races anymore.

In 1988, everything is managed thoroughly with the goal to get the Formula 1 over here and in that way stimulate the department's economy.

 

The track will become the property of the regional council of Nievre.

 

EYBIS rider Matthieu Lagrive wins the Bol d'Or 2008
The project finally gets the support of the former French President Mitterand, who had been at the top of the council of Nievre.
 Pierre Beregovoy, the mayor of Nevers, supported these plans.

The realisation of these plans seems to cost loads of money. A new track, a big industrial zone, a 18-hole golf track, a museum for motorcycles and cars, etc.
 
There's even a new motorway that is built to connect to the existing motorways.
 The industrial zone "Technopole" was built to attract the race-topteams.
 
They get a number of premiums for this choice. One of the first teams to accept the propositions was the Formula 1 team of Guy Ligier.
The new track still had the original lay-out that was developed by Bernigaud in 1971, but every turn was adapted. For the creation, the experience of the French Formula 1 drivers Jacques Lafitte and René Arnoux was useful consultancy.
 
A large number of turns were a copy of existing turns of other tracks. The turns were thus named after the circuits they were copied from.
 
Besides the 48 pitboxes, a paddock of 40.000 square meters, a video monitoring system with continuous digital recordings of the complete track that are kept during 4 days, possibility to light the complete track and 2 helicopter landing strips, in the paddock - where you can stay the night - there is of course enough bathing possibility, as wel as electricity and water connections.