I have enjoyed the aperitif Ricard all my adult life. In a small glass place one ice cube, cover with a small amount of cold water and sip and enjoy. What I had not known was that I was helping build an F1 circuit outside Marseilles. Monsieur Paul Ricard financed the building of the new track at Le Castellet, now called the Circuit Paul Ricard.
The track is characterized by its long 1.8 km Mistral straight and elongated track design. The track is also unusual in that it is built on a plateau, and is very flat. However, the track’s elevation ranges from 408 to 441 m above sea level. In 1986 the track was modified to shorten the circuit, by adding a shortcut through to the middle of the Mistral Straight. This shorter circuit is also known as the GP short circuit and is 3.813 km long. The track offers 167 possible configurations from 0.826 km to the full 5.861 km design. Its flexibility and mild winter weather mean that it is used for testing by several motorsport teams, including Formula One teams.
The track is also known for its distinctive black and blue runoff areas known as the Blue Zone. The runoff surface consists of a mixture of asphalt and tungsten, used instead of gravel traps, as common at other circuits. A second, deeper run-off area is the Red Zone, with a more abrasive surface designed to maximize tyre grip and hence minimize braking distance, although at the cost of extreme tyre wear. The final safeguard consists of Tecpro barriers, a modern improvement on tyre barriers.
After another bore-fest in Canada, we are all hoping that the French GP brings out some competition between the drivers at the top. With the long straight, teams will need powerful and reliable engines, so you can get rid of the Renault engined teams and the Honda engined teams likewise. That leaves Ferrari and Mercedes together at the front again. That does not bode well for excitement; however, let us see. The telecast of the race is at 9.10 p.m. Thai time. I will have a late dinner in Jameson’s Pub then stay to watch the race if you would like to join me.
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