Circuit Paul Ricard Circuit 1C-V2
Circuit Paul Ricard Circuit 1C-V2 Notes:
The Circuit Paul Ricard, in Le Castellet, an hour drive away from Marseille, France, is a world-class racing complex hosting top-notch motorsports competitions since 1969, which include the French Grand Prix of Formula 1, the MotoGP, the 6 Hours of Castellet, and many others. Blessed with a Mediterranean climate, ideal for vineyards and living the good life, the Circuit Paul Ricard is a perfect place for racing year-round, with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The circuit features two independent tracks: a 1.8-km (1.1 miles) circuit and a 3.8-km (2.36 miles) circuit, which combine into the default 5.8-km (3.6 millas) Full Circuit. The complex also includes a dynamic driving center, a 4WD track, and a Go Karting course, serving the needs of all types of motorsports fans.
The average speed in the Circuit Paul Ricard can be as high as 160 km/h (100 mph) when using the Mistral Straight in its full length of 1.8 km (1.1 mi). Adding the Chicane Nord (Chicane North) limits the average speed of the circuit to 138 km/h (86 mph). The Circuit Paul Ricard is famous for its ample, high-technology, blue-striped runoff areas made of an asphalt-tungsten compound designed to improve braking and avoid fatal crashes. One of the world's fastest turns is Signes, right after Mistral Straight, where high-performance vehicles go thundering at 290 km/h (180 mph).
Circuit 1C-V2 Notes:
Circuit Paul Ricard's 1C-V2 configuration delivers 5.842 kilometers through 21 corners representing the modern Formula 1 layout incorporating both Chicane 1C (added halfway along Mistral Straight) and Verrerie V2 variation creating slower technical sections, located at Le Castellet near Marseille in southern France where Paul Ricard built this facility in 1969. This FIA Grade One circuit emphasizes safety through the distinctive blue-and-red striped runoff areas made from asphalt-tungsten compound providing high-friction escape zones, while the 1C chicane reduces Mistral Straight speeds from unsafe 350 kph to controlled 280 kph before mid-straight braking zone. The V2 Verrerie variation features three possible configurations with Formula 1 using the slowest sharpest option creating technical challenge, while GT Open utilizes faster alternatives demonstrating the circuit's 167-possible-configuration versatility that earned Paul Ricard reputation as motorsport's ultimate modular testing facility.
The 1C-V2 configuration's character emerges from Mistral chicane's strategic impact transforming the former high-speed blast into safety-conscious technical section. The 1.8-kilometer Mistral Straight historically enabled 350+ kph speeds creating dangerous incidents, but 1C chicane insertion forces mid-straight braking and direction changes reducing average speeds from 100 mph on faster configurations to 86 mph on 1C-V2 layout. The Verrerie S-curves' V2 variant adds three turn options where F1 cars navigate the sharpest slowest routing while Blancpain GT Series continues using faster 1A configuration without chicanes entirely. Southern France's Mediterranean climate creates year-round testing opportunities with minimal rain, while the circuit's famous blue-and-red runoff striping provides visual distance references alongside safety benefits. The facility's 167 possible configurations stem from modular design enabling varied layouts for different testing and racing needs. Formula 1 French Grand Prix returned 2018-2019 using 1C-V2 before departing again, while the circuit continues hosting MotoGP, World Endurance Championship, and extensive manufacturer testing. The configuration particularly demonstrates modern safety-first design philosophy where chicane additions sacrifice raw speed for controlled technical challenge, transforming Paul Ricard from limitless high-speed test track into FIA-compliant contemporary circuit balancing performance with prudent risk management across southern France's most versatile motorsport facility.
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