Formula 1 - French GP Magny Cours - Preview

June 26th, 2007

Formula 1 - French GP Magny Cours - Preview

There is a reason to celebrate! This is the last time we will see the F1 race on this dull race track. The contract is over, there will be no race here in 2008 and I do not see Bernie bringing F1 race back here again.

There are lots of corners here, 17 in total making aero very important. The overtaking is more less impossible under normal circumstances. So the qualifying and grid positions are as important here as they are in Monaco. If we want some excitment we need rain or some safety car.Here is a Magny Cours lap with Kimi Raikkonen.

The French Grand Prix was not always dull. Check this now famous fight between Arnoux and G. Villeneuve in 1979 in Dijon.

We will have 3 previous Magny Cours winners on the grid this year - Coulthard won here in 2000, Ralf Schumacher (yes, him) in 2003 and Alonso in 2005. In 2003 Ralf and Montoya managed 1-2 finish for Williams. Barrichello scored impressive 3rd in his Stewart-Ford in 1999. Here are the top 10 drivers in past 10 seasons:

2006
1) Michael Schumacher – Ferrari - 1:32:07.803
2) Fernando Alonso – Renault +10.1 secs
3) Felipe Massa – Ferrari +22.5 secs
4) Ralf Schumacher – Toyota +27.2 secs
5) Kimi Räikkönen - McLaren-Mercedes +33.0 secs
6) Giancarlo Fisichella – Renault +45.2 secs
7) Pedro de la Rosa - McLaren-Mercedes +49.4 secs
8)Nick Heidfeld - Sauber-BMW +1 Lap
9) David Coulthard - RBR-Ferrari +1 Lap
10) Scott Speed - STR-Cosworth + 1 Lap

2005
1) Fernando Alonso - Renault - 1:31:22.233
2) Kimi Räikkönen - McLaren-Mercedes +11.8 secs
3) Michael Schumacher – Ferrari +81.9 secs
4) Jenson Button - BAR-Honda +1 Lap
5) Jarno Trulli – Toyota +1 Lap
6) Giancarlo Fisichella – Renault +1 Lap
7) Ralf Schumacher – Toyota +1 Lap
8)Jacques Villeneuve - Sauber-Petronas +1 Lap
9) Rubens Barrichello – Ferrari +1 Lap
10) David Coulthard - RBR-Cosworth +1 Lap

2004
1) Michael Schumacher - Ferrari - 1:30:18.133
2) Fernando Alonso – Renault +8.3 secs
3) Rubens Barrichello – Ferrari +31.6 secs
4) Jarno Trulli – Renault +32.0 secs
5) Jenson Button - BAR-Honda +32.4 secs
6) David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes +35.5 secs
7) Kimi Räikkönen - McLaren-Mercedes +36.2 secs
8)Juan Pablo Montoya - Williams-BMW +43.4 secs
9) Mark Webber - Jaguar-Cosworth +52.3 secs
10) Marc Gene - Williams-BMW +58.1 secs

2003
1) Ralf Schumacher - Williams-BMW - 1:30:49.213
2) Juan Pablo Montoya - Williams-BMW +13.8 secs
3) Michael Schumacher – Ferrari +19.5 secs
4) Kimi Räikkönen - McLaren-Mercedes +38.0 secs
5) David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes +40.2 secs
6) Mark Webber - Jaguar-Cosworth +66.3 secs
7) Rubens Barrichello – Ferrari +1 Lap
8)Olivier Panis – Toyota +1 Lap
9) Jacques Villeneuve - BAR-Honda +1
10) Antonio Pizzonia - Jaguar-Cosworth +1 Lap

2002
1) Michael Schumacher – Ferrari - 1:32′09.837
2) Kimi Räikkönen - McLaren-Mercedes +1.104s
3) David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes +31.975s
4) Juan Pablo Montoya - Williams-BMW +40.675s
5) Ralf Schumacher - Williams-BMW +41.772s
6) Jenson Button – Renault +1 Lap
7) Nick Heidfeld - Sauber-Petronas +1 Lap
8)Mark Webber - Minardi-Asiatech +1 Lap
9) Pedro de la Rosa - Jaguar-Cosworth +2 Laps
10) Alex Yoong - Minardi-Asiatech +4 Laps

2001
1) Michael Schumacher – Ferrari - 1:33′35.636
2) Ralf Schumacher - Williams-BMW +10.399
3) Rubens Barrichello – Ferrari +16.381
4) David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes +17.106
5) Jarno Trulli - Jordan-Honda +1′08.285
6) Nick Heidfeld - Sauber-Petronas +1 Lap
7) Kimi Räikkönen - Sauber-Petronas +1 Lap
8)Heinz-Harald Frentzen - Jordan-Honda +1 Lap
9) Olivier Panis - BAR-Honda +1 Lap
10) Luciano Burti - Prost-Acer +1 Lap

2000
1) David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes - 1:38′05.538
2) Mika Hakkinen - McLaren-Mercedes +14.748
3) Rubens Barrichello – Ferrari +32.409
4) Jacques Villeneuve - BAR-Honda +1′01.322
5) Ralf Schumacher - Williams-BMW +1′03.981
6) Jarno Trulli - Jordan-Mugen-Honda +1′15.605
7) Heinz-Harald Frentzen - Jordan-Mugen-Honda +1 Lap
8)Jenson Button - Williams-BMW +1 Lap
9) Giancarlo Fisichella - Benetton-Playlife +1 Lap
10) Mika Salo - Sauber-Petronas +1 Lap

1999
1) Heinz-Harald Frentzen - Jordan-Mugen-Honda - 1:58′24.343
2) Mika Hakkinen - McLaren-Mercedes +11.092
3) Rubens Barrichello - Stewart-Ford +43.432
4) Ralf Schumacher - Williams-Supertec +45.475
5) Michael Schumacher – Ferrari +47.881
6) Eddie Irvine – Ferrari +48.901
7) Jarno Trulli - Prost-Peugeot +57.771
8)Olivier Panis - Prost-Peugeot +58.531
9) Ricardo Zonta - BAR-Supertec +1′28.764
10) Luca Badoer - Minardi-Ford +1 Lap

1998
1) Michael Schumacher – Ferrari - 1:34′45.026
2) Eddie Irvine – Ferrari +19.575
3) Mika Hakkinen - McLaren-Mercedes +19.747
4) Jacques Villeneuve - Williams-Mecachrome +1′06.965
5) Alexander Wurz - Benetton-Playlife +1 Lap
6) David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes +1 Lap
7) Jean Alesi - Sauber-Petronas +1 Lap
8)Johnny Herbert - Sauber-Petronas +1 Lap
9) Giancarlo Fisichella - Benetton-Playlife +1 Lap
10) Rubens Barrichello - Stewart-Ford +2 Laps

1997
1) Michael Schumacher – Ferrari - 1:38′50.492
2) Heinz-Harald Frentzen - Williams-Renault +23.537
3) Eddie Irvine – Ferrari +1′14.801
4) Jacques Villeneuve - Williams-Renault +1′21.784
5) Jean Alesi - Benetton-Renault +1′22.735
6) Ralf Schumacher - Jordan-Peugeot +1′29.871
7) David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes – collision
8)Johnny Herbert - Sauber-Petronas +1 lap
9) Giancarlo Fisichella - Jordan-Peugeot +1 lap
10) Jarno Trulli - Prost-Mugen-Honda +2 laps

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