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2006 FORMULA 1 FRENCH GP  

• MONTOYA SACKED - HE'LL RACE NASCAR IN US
• Juan Pablo Montoya has been released immediately by McLaren Mercedes after his announcement to switch to NASCAR. His drive will be taken by Pedro De La rosa this weekend.
• McLAREN: "We have agreed that with so many things happening in Juan Pablo's life right now, he should take some time out of the car and prepare professionally and personally for the future"
• DE LA ROSA: "I'm of course extremely thrilled to have this opportunity to race a car in which I'm really comfortable ... I know the car better than anyone and I'm confident I can achieve important championship points for the team."

2006 RACE RESULT

2006 QUALIFYING

FERRARI QUALIFYING REPORT

• Fourth pole position of the season for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, after those obtained in Sakhir, Imola and Indianapolis all of them with Michael Schumacher and the third all-red front row this year. A Ferrari thus starts the French Grand Prix from the top slot for the fifteenth time, bringing the total of Formula 1 poles to one hundred and eighty three. Michael has obtained the sixty eighth pole of his career, the fourth at this circuit.
• Jean Todt:
• "A fantastic qualifying! Tomorrow on the grid, it will be nice to see two Ferraris on the front row for the third time this season. A big vote of thanks to Bridgestone, who have provided us with exceptional tyres for qualifying. The team did a really excellent job, repairing the cars after the problems we had in the final free practice session. But we are well aware that the only thing that matters for the championships is the race result."
• "Yes, having both cars on the front row means we are in the best possible situation to bring home a good result tomorrow, but we also know what key factors will make the difference: reliability (remember that we will run 70 laps in very high temperatures,) consistent tyre performance, strategy and the way the team handles the pit-stops."
• Michael Schumacher: "I am very happy! Pole position with Felipe starting alongside me - we cannot ask for more! I have to admit I am a bit surprised at the result, especially in light of the fact we started qualifying without much of a reference point after the problems we had this morning in practice. I want to thank all the mechanics, who did a fantastic job to fix the car."
• "The Bridgestones are performing very well. It's great to have repeated the Indianapolis qualifying result, but now I also want to repeat the race result from there, as it is important to pick up as many points as possible. Our aim for tomorrow is obvious: to win."
• Felipe Massa: "This morning I had a clutch problem, which the team was able to fix, but only just before the start of qualifying. A big thank you to the mechanics for doing a fantastic job in getting the car ready in time. The car seems to be working well, it is competitive, as are the Bridgestone tyres. I am very happy to be on the front row for the second time in a row, my third this season."
• "For tomorrow, having new tyres in the race will make a big difference so it will be interesting to see who will have that advantage. In practice we were competitive on used tyres and I hope we can maintain a good pace in tomorrow's high temperatures over the long runs so that we can stay in front."
• Ross Brawn:
• "That was a very exciting qualifying session and it served as an indication of the progress Bridgestone have made on the tyre front. We saw in Indianapolis that we were in a very strong situation which was down to the tyres and that trend has continued here, which is very encouraging. The key tomorrow will be the consistency of the tyres as it will be very hot during the race and it will be vital for the tyres to perform well over the full length of a stint."
• "As for the fire on Michael's car this morning, we think there was a bit of excess fuel in the exhausts and it caught fire. Then we had a problem with the fire extinguisher which meant we did not put out the fire quite as quickly as we should have done. But everything is fine with the car. At the moment, it is hard to judge what strategies our rivals are on in terms of length of stint. Now we will do our calculations based on what we saw in qualifying so that we can try and predict what they might do."

RENAULT QUALIFYING REPORT

• The Renault F1 Team emerged from a busy and challenging qualifying session this afternoon at Magny-Cours with third and seventh positions for Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella on tomorrow's grid for the French Grand Prix.
• In sweltering conditions that once again saw track temperatures peaking at over 50°C, the R26 package proved competitive over a single lap -- although not the class of the field over these short runs. The third qualifying session was spiced up by an intriguing on-track battle between Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher, that the Spaniard will be looking to resume tomorrow afternoon.
• As always, the team's primary consideration has been race strategy -- not qualifying position -- and the consistent performance of the Michelin tyres means both drivers go into the Grand Prix optimistic about their chances of making up positions during the 70-lap race.
• Fernando Alonso, 3rd position:
• "I am pleased with third position, because after Indianapolis I think it is important for me to be among the top cars in qualifying. We knew that Ferrari would be very competitive on a single lap, but I did my maximum today and I am feeling confident for the race."
• "The conditions out there were very hot, and we expect similar temperatures for tomorrow, so we will need to see how the tyre performance evolves -- but so far, the Michelins have looked consistent on the longer runs.
• "Qualifying was quite enjoyable today -- I had a little battle with Michael in the third part because we both wanted to have a clear track for the fuel burning laps, and it was fun to pass each other. The real business comes tomorrow though. The grip levels will be improving all the way through the race so we need to wait and see how things develop.
• Giancarlo Fisichella, 7th position:
• "We have been working with the race in mind all weekend, and I am confident that I have a good race set-up on the car. I had some understeer all around the lap in qualifying that we couldn't get rid of, and that definitely cost me time. But ultimately, the race performance is what counts and I think we are in a strong position with the consistency of our Michelin tyres."
• "I am confident that even from seventh, we can use a good strategy to make up positions and score lots of points. It will be nice to make up some places at the start if I can, but I think things may well unfold in our favour tomorrow."
• Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering:
• "The team's target for this afternoon was to get both cars on the front two rows, and we only partially achieved it. However, as is usual with our team, we have not compromised our optimum race strategy for grid position."
• "So far this weekend, the Michelin tyres have withstood the demands of extremely hot track temperatures very well, offering good performance on a single lap and excellent consistency. We are certainly confident that Fernando can have a strong race against Ferrari, and that we can call on some strategic options that will help Giancarlo turn the race to his advantage.
• Denis Chevrier, Head of Trackside Engine Operations:
• "As always, the qualifying order brings with it several uncertainties in terms of strategy and tyre performance in race conditions. However, a first look at the times suggests that we will be starting the race as challengers rather than clear favourites. Fernando's third position means he is ideally placed to race the two Ferraris, while Giancarlo has more work to do to from seventh position."
• "However, we have prepared thoroughly for the race without any unexpected incidents. The C spec engine is performing well, as our strong position in the speed charts suggests. We now need to wait for the first round of pit-stops to begin tomorrow afternoon in order to understand our true level of competitiveness.

BMW FRI REPORT  (TOP OF PAGE)

• In the burning heat of Magny Cours Robert Kubica once again set the best time of the day for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve also had a problem free first day of practice for the French Grand Prix in the aerodynamically modified BMW Sauber F1.06.
• Robert Kubica: "It was not so bad. We have done a lot of tyre testing because the track is very green and there is no grip, so the tyres are suffering a lot. We did long runs, it was quite hot, and now we have to see how our tyre choice will work tomorrow. Anyway everything is under control and the new aero features on the car seem to work well."
• Nick Heidfeld: "I love to drive here in Magny Cours. The track is a lot of fun. I especially like the fast chicanes, although the car is not perfectly balanced yet, but we will continue to improve the set up. It is the first time I have driven the car with the new nose wings, and I agree with my team-mates that they do not interfere with my line of vision."
• Jacques Villeneuve: "The track is very green, so it is a little bit hard on the tyres. I didn’t do a lot of running so am not really sure yet where we stand. The car seems to be quite stable to drive and now we just need to go faster. The car was okay on new tyres, but a little bit slow on old ones and we just need to find out what the other people were doing on old tyres."
• Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director):
• "The first practice day was without any problems. Robert completed 64 laps and, as usual, did the biggest part of the work for set up and tyre choice. Now we will evaluate all the data we have collected from this."
• Willy Rampf (Technical Director):
• "We tested these vertical nose wings at our Jerez test. The combination of these and the new side wings on the engine cover have improved the air stream to the rear of the car and, therefore, increased downforce. As well as this they improve stability in the corners and under braking. Robert’s results are very helpful in terms of the tyre decision, which will be a key factor for our race strategy."

RENAULT FRI REPORT  (TOP OF PAGE)

• The Renault F1 Team began the French Grand Prix weekend in optimistic mood and diligent fashion today at Magny-Cours.
• As usual, both drivers completed a tightly focused programme of tyre evaluation aimed at assessing the relative performances of the two types of Michelin tyres selected for this weekend. Track temperatures at the rose to over 50°C this afternoon, comparable to the conditions predicted for Sunday's Grand Prix, and on a circuit that is demanding both in terms of traction and also high speed handling in turn three, tyre performance will be a critical factor in the race.
• Both Fernando and Giancarlo are running the new C-spec RS26 V8 engine this weekend, an evolution whose full potential was successfully approved during testing last week in Jerez. It completed two incident-free sessions today as the engineers conducted their usual fine-tuning of the mapping.
• Fernando Alonso: "It was a normal Friday for me here today, working on the tyre programme and making a few small set-up changes. I think we have a good picture of the directions we need to take tomorrow, both in terms of the Michelin tyres and the car set-up. The new C-spec engine feels like a good step and has performed without any problems so far, which is encouraging."
• "Magny-Cours is a circuit I always enjoy, because the two high-speed chicanes that give it something unique for the drivers, and even today we could see plenty of our fans and colleagues from Renault in the grandstands. There will be even more tomorrow and Sunday, and I hope our performance will live up to their expectations. So far, so good!
• Giancarlo Fisichella: "This was another good start to the race weekend for me, which is encouraging after my strong performance in Indianapolis. I started out the session with a bit too much oversteer so we had to make some changes to the car, but we calmed it down and it began to feel easy to drive and consistent. We still have some room for improvement tomorrow, but I am happy with the situation so far and I think we have got some good ideas for what we need to do in the race. This was a promising start for me.
• Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering:
• "From the engineers' point of view, this was a normal day of Friday practice spent evaluating tyre compounds and tuning the handling of the cars. After some work during the second session, the R26 now seems to have a reasonably consistent balance for both drivers, and the times certainly seem competitive. We ran both types of Michelin tyre today, and the first impressions are that we are back on track after the anomaly of our performance in Indianapolis."
• Denis Chevrier, Head of Trackside Engine Operations:
• "With weather conditions similar to those predicted for Sunday's race, this afternoon's practice session proved an ideal opportunity to begin tuning engine mapping, adjusting cooling levels and conducting our usual test work. We completed both programmes without incident, and have collected plenty of data for analysis this evening."
• "The C-spec engine evolution is performing as predicted, making this a positive day from the technical perspective. A quick analysis of the timesheets also suggests we are in a strong position from a competitive point of view, so we can say it has been a good start to our home Grand Prix.

HONDA FRI REPORT  (TOP OF PAGE)

• The Honda Racing F1 Team had a mixed start to its French Grand Prix weekend during Free Practice at Magny Cours today.
• As usual, third driver Anthony Davidson conducted most of the Friday running, ending the first session 2nd fastest. Jenson took to the track for a short run at the end of the first session, finishing 3rd on the timesheets, with Rubens observing from the garage for the morning.
• In the afternoon session Rubens clipped the kerb with the right rear tyre on entry to turn four which spun him into the wall, bringing his running to a premature conclusion. Anthony and Jenson had a more productive afternoon, completing 37 laps and 18 laps respectively to complete the majority of the tyre and set-up work in preparation for the rest of the weekend.
• Anthony Davidson: "A good day's work today. It was a typical Friday schedule really, making the decision on the tyres for the weekend. I felt the choice was fairly straightforward today and we will have a good balance for the race if it is in similar conditions. I'm confident that the tyres will hold up and produce good lap times during the long runs."
• "The second session was hotter this afternoon and track conditions were a little bit worse, with the wind getting up also, so everyone struggled for lap times compared to this morning."
• Rubens Barrichello: "This afternoon I was going quite well with the tyres on my first run but I seemed to have some oversteer. Going into turn four, I got a little bit of the right kerb, the car touched the ground and I spun into the wall, which ended my afternoon."
• "Even in the short time that I was on track, the car was nice to drive and it feels competitive, so we will look at the data from Anthony and Jenson this evening and work to find the right set-up for the weekend based on that."
• Jenson Button: "It was a difficult day for a lot of people today due to the amount of graining on the front tyres. We spent most of the second session trying to balance the graining so I couldn't collect as much data as we would have hoped."
• "However we're really lucky that we have Anthony out there on Fridays as he was able to run both tyres and provide us with some very useful information. That will really help us this weekend with the tyre choice and set-up. We've got a lot of work to do tonight and in the morning so let's wait and see how the car is looking in practice tomorrow."
• Gil de Ferran, Sporting Director:
• "Despite the fact that we didn't get all the running we had planned today due to Rubens' incident, we did get enough data to be able to make informed decisions as far as the tyres and the car set-up are concerned. A good start to the weekend for us although we need to continue to improve the car balance to remain competitive during the rest of the weekend."

2006 RACE PREVIEW (RENAULT  BMW  McLAREN  HONDA  WILLIAMS  SHELL  TOYOTA)

RENAULT PREVIEW  (TOP OF PAGE)

• Renault celebrates 100 years of Grand Prix racing at Magny-Cours
• Renault and the Renault F1 Team will celebrate Grand Prix racing's centenary this weekend at the French Grand Prix. 100 years on from the first Renault-Michelin victory at the Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France in Le Mans, the entire team will be hoping to mark a centenary of success in 2006.
• Much has changed since Ferenc Szisz crossed the finish line at Le Mans after more than 12 hours of racing to take the chequered flag , and the title of first Grand Prix winner. More significant than the changes, thought, are the similarities , as man and machine push themselves to the limits to demonstrate sporting and technical excellence on circuits across the globe.
• Every Renault victory is drawn from, and enriches, a motorsport DNA that runs right back to its source: the ingenuity and competitive drive of brothers Louis and Marcel Renault, from a small workshop in Billancourt just south-west of Paris. The desire to prove their abilities drove them to demonstrate a voiturette up the steep incline of Rue Lepic in Paris' Montmartre in 1898; to take victory in the Paris-Vienna race of 1902 with a 'light car' design against bigger, faster machines; and also to enter the Grand Prix in 1906, an official return to racing for Louis Renault after the death of brother Marcel in 1903, to once again demonstrate the excellence and ingenuity of his company's designs.
• Since those pioneer days, Renault has won the Formula 1 World Constructors' Championship seven times (six times as an engine manufacturer, once as a works team), twice taken victory in the Monaco Grand Prix with its own team (2004/06), and conquered the Le Mans 24 Hour race with the Alpine-Renault that triumphed in 1978 at the hands of Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi. At its home race, it has taken pole position seven times (1979/81/82/83/84/2004/05), won the race five times (1979/81/82/83/2005) and as an engine manufacturer in 1996, took a famous 1/2/3/4 finish with the Williams and Benetton teams.
• Furthermore, it is a tradition that has been built alongside loyal partners. Fernando Alonso's Canadian Grand Prix victory was the 100th for Michelin in Formula 1 , 100 years after Szisz's Michelin-shod Renault triumphed at Le Mans. Alonso's Barcelona success marked 100 wins for the partnership between Renault and Elf, begun back in 1977 , and Elf also passed the 150 F1 wins milestone at the 2006 British Grand Prix.
• Yet as milestones are passed, and records fall, one truth remains. That each success,small and great, is only possible with the dedication and passion of the women and men who pursue ever greater challenges. In 2006, motorsport may not directly develop the cars of tomorrow, but it does express a company's passion, its soul and its expertise. This weekend's centenary is also a commemoration of those values that continue to drive the Renault F1 Team forward today.
• Q: Fernando, you arrive in Magny-Cours with a championship lead of 19 points. You have won six out of ten races, finished every one and only once not been on the podium. Can you believe how well the start of the year has gone?
• Fernando Alonso: It has been better than we expected at the beginning of the year! With all the new rules for 2006, we were a little bit worried about starting the season with a brand new car, and a brand new V8 engine. The team did a fantastic job over the winter though, and when we got to the race we were 100% ready. That's what allowed us to have such a good start to the year.
• Q: Looking to the French Grand Prix, you are the defending race winner. What are your memories from last year?
• F Alonso: It was a fantastic race last year, one of the best for me. McLaren were really strong during that part of the season and we won the French Grand Prix because we deserved it. It was a perfect race, with a fantastic atmosphere. The crowd was excited, and I was too. I was very proud to win that race.
• Q: Yourself and the Renault F1 Team have three home races in effect , in Spain, Great Britain and France. You have won the other two this season... are you looking for a hat trick?
• F Alonso: For sure. I think that from my point of view, in the paddock, with the fans, this is actually quite a normal race. But for the French guys in the team, they are extra motivated and excited for their home Grand Prix. So that's my focus , to do better than ever for them, and concentrate on winning in France for our team, for Renault, and for Michelin and Elf as well.
• Q: What about the circuit? Will it be a good one for yourself and the Renault package?
• F Alonso: I think so. There are a few high speed corners there, and you need good traction. Both of those things are characteristics of the R26, so it will be a good circuit for us and for Michelin too I think. There are two quick chicanes at Magny-Cours that I really enjoy, taken in 5th or 6th gear, and they are the only ones of their type on any circuit. So it has some unique challenges as well.
• Q: Finally, Ferrari dominated the Indianapolis race weekend. Do you expect to bounce back strongly in France?
• F Alonso: Yes. I won four races in a row before Indy, but I always said that the championship was not over, and it sounded really pessimistic. But a gap of 25 points before Indy didn't mean that we would be champions automatically, and now that the gap is 19 points, we cannot be pessimistic and think the advantage will disappear quickly. You have to look at the big picture for the championship. I was first or second at nine of the ten races , and in the next eight races, I think we will be able to keep on winning and increase the lead even more.
• Q: Giancarlo, you are third in the world championship as you come to Magny-Cours, as a Renault driver for the second. What's your feeling for this race?
• Giancarlo Fisichella: It's a special special. I am very happy to be working with Renault , and to know that I am staying with the team for the future. Fernando and I both go to Magny-Cours with the possibility of winning, and it will be an important race for Renault on a lot of levels. We have a lot of fans there, all the race team members from Viry-Chatillon are very motivated, and the stands are full of people from Viry and other Renault factories. They will all be pushing with us on Sunday, and we will be doing our maximum to win the race.
• Q: You were in Goodwood last weekend for the Festival of Speed to help celebrate Renault's Grand Prix centenary. What did you think?
• GF: It was a really impressive place, just totally different to what we are used to at the Grand Prix weekend! You could really feel the passion of the fans, a lot of warmth coming from them, and see their enthusiasm for the cars too. It was great to be part of Renault's celebrations of 100 years in Grand Prix racing , I knew that there was a lot of history at Renault from the 1970s and 1980s, but I didn't know that it went back a hundred years. It would be really nice to win the centenary race this weekend.
• Q: Is this a difficult circuit for the car and engine?
• GF: Most of all, I think it is quite a hard circuit for the tyres. We have one very high speed corner at turn 3, but I don't think that is the most important one on the circuit. There are a lot of slow-speed corners everywhere and they are where you gain or lost a lot of time. We have to find a good mechanical set-up to have good levels of grip in the corners, and traction on the exits of the slow speed turns. The traction makes it quite hard for the tyres too, and we have to be careful of rear tyre wear in the race , especially if it's very hot.
• Q: You had a strong podium result in Indianapolis last time out. More of the same in Magny-Cours?
• GF: I had a really strong weekend in Indianapolis. I had a good feeling with the car straight away but even so, I left with mixed feelings. I felt that I did the maximum possible in finishing third, but we were still a long way off Ferrari. So for Magny-Cours, my goal is to maintain my personal level of performance , but from a position where we can beat both Ferraris. The team has been working hard to develop the car all season, and we have another engine step this weekend in France which will give us a boost. I am optimistic that Michelin will have a perfect tyre, so we want a weekend without problems to be able to give our fans they victory they want to see.
• Halfway and beyond...
• The Renault F1 Team reached the halfway stage of the season during the North American campaign with strong leads in both the drivers' and constructors' championships. A tough weekend in Indianapolis saw main rival Ferrari re-gain ground on the French team, but also enabled Giancarlo Fisichella to surge into third place in the drivers' championship. So what's the prognosis for the final eight races of 2006? We asked some key players in the world champion team for their thoughts:
• Alain Dassas, President, Renault F1 Team
• Q: Renault announced renewed long-term commitment to Formula 1 last April. What has been the impact of the announcement?
• Alain Dassas: The impact of the announcement is wide-ranging. Firstly, it reassures the team. Within Renault, there is strong support for the F1 programme but, for the shareholders, there were some questions. We now know what the future looks like, and I can see new energy. In the coming months, the programmes aimed at exploiting our F1 success will grow. We have just established a Motorsport Management Committee aimed at making better capital from our F1 success on a commercial and product level. In terms of our sponsors, we will also try and leverage further involvement from suppliers to the Renault Group.
• Flavio Briatore, Managing Director, Renault F1 Team
• Q: Can Renault take double championship victory again in 2006?
• Flavio Briatore: Yes, I believe so. We have the performance, the reliability and the people. They are doing the job, and doing it well. If we carry on, if we take nothing for granted and continue to push ourselves, then we can do it. It will be a tough fight, but that is the challenge and the thrill of F1 , to work with the team, with its people, to achieve your goals together. That is what really motivates me , and I know we have the ability to take the championships this year.
• Bob Bell, Chassis Technical Director
• Q: Has the mood of the Renault F1 Team changed compared to 2005?
• Bob Bell: I think it is even more determined. The pressure to deliver doesn't just come from the outside: it comes from every member of the team. There is a self-imposed desire to take things to the next level, to move on and to do an even better job than last year. It is a paradoxical situation we find ourselves in. Last year, we had nothing to lose but could afford to take a slightly conservative approach to our racing. This year, we have everything to lose but we need to really push like hell to stay ahead.
• Rob White, Engine Technical Director
• Q: What are the team's plans for development of the RS26 engine to the end of the season?
• Rob White: We are absolutely committed to the performance development of the RS26 engine to the end of the season. The engine is a critical performance parameter in the car's performance, and we will aim to develop it as well as we did last year, and hopefully better. It is clear that we need to pursue our development aggressively in order to maintain our advantage over the competition and although we may not have the biggest 'war chest' in terms of resources, we are well-equipped for what we need to do, we believe we have established competitive targets to do it, and will be disappointed if our season is not rewarded with more world championship titles.
• Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering
• Q: What are your expectations for the second half of the championship?
• Pat Symonds: In the last few races, we have seen that McLaren are coming back in to the mix and they will play a major role. At the start of the year, I was expecting a four-way fight between Renault, Ferrari, McLaren and Honda. Ferrari have lived up to expectations, and Honda seem to be further behind than we thought. But after struggling in the opening races, McLaren are right back at the front. We are no longer fighting just one team but two. It will be a thrilling finish to the year , and one where we intend to come out on top!
• Denis Chevrier, Head of Trackside Engine Operations
• Q: What is the main strength of the Renault F1 Team at the moment?
• Denis Chevrier: I think the greatest strength is the absence of weaknesses. Not in terms of our drivers, nor the engine, chassis, tyres or strategy. I think we have the best of what's available up and down the pit-lane in every area. From this point on, we have to ensure this system stays strong and continues to perform exceptionally: any lowering of standards could cost us very dearly.

McLAREN PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• The 2006 Formula 1 Championship returns to Europe this week following the two North American fly-away races. France is the location for the 11th Grand Prix of the season.
• Pedro de la Rosa will join Kimi Raikkonen in the race driver line-up for the French Grand Prix, as Team McLaren Mercedes and Juan Pablo Montoya have mutually agreed for him to step down in the forthcoming races of this year's Formula 1 World Championship. Pedro will make his second race appearance for the team following a thrilling points scoring debut in the 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix.
• 100 years ago, France was the location for the first automobile race to be called a Grand Prix. On 26th June 1906 32 cars set-off at 90 second intervals on the circuit, which was formed of public roads. The race lasted for two days over a distance of 1,238 km. The race, which was staged near Le Mans, was won two years later by Christian Lautenschlager, clinching the first Mercedes victory in the event. The four-cylinder engine of his car had a displacement of 12.8 litres and an output of 135 bhp.
• The French Grand Prix has also been a permanent fixture on the calendar since the start of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1950, with the exception of 1955. The race was initially run at Reims where Mercedes-Benz took a one-two victory with Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling on their return to Grand Prix racing in 1954. The French Grand Prix then alternated between Rouen, Reims, Clermont Ferrand, Paul Ricard, Dijon-Prenois and Le Mans before moving in 1991 to its current home at Magny Cours.
• Kimi Raikkonen: "The team has been testing really hard last week, and we will be bringing new parts to the car for the French Grand Prix. The car felt good at Indy and with our strategy we would have secured a couple of solid points finishes. Magny Cours can be quite a challenging track to set-up for, because its characteristics change a lot, probably more so than at most other circuits. However I quite like driving here, it seems to suit my style and I hope we can have another good race this year."
• "It is a slow track, with low speed corners, hairpins and no major straights, it is a total contrast to the previous three circuits we have raced at. Magny Cours has a smooth surface, with no bumps and less kerbs, as a result we can run with more front wing and a lower ride height, as the car is less upset by kerbs and bumps. You tend to generate high tyre temperatures here, so blistering can be a problem, this is because the track gets very hot during the day due to the blackness of the asphalt. The track also has reasonable grip levels.
• Pedro de la Rosa: "I'm of course extremely thrilled to have this opportunity to race the MP4-21 , a car in which I'm really comfortable. People don't always link it to Magny Cours, but you can overtake here, you just need to make sure your set-up allows you to do so. The only real place to do it is by getting good speed along Golf, the stretch between Estoril and Adelaide."
• "You need to take Estoril really well behind the car ahead, and this needs to be considered when you are working on set-up. If you get the right set-up you can then push the limits through the sweeping Estoril and have the speed you need in order to pass. Most things about Magny Cours are fairly medium in nature from the downforce, brake severity to tyre wear. Another characteristic of the track is the number of corners, and this means it can be quite physical if it is hot."
• Martin Whitmarsh, CEO Formula One, Team McLaren Mercedes: "As always winning is our aim and, with all the hard work the team have done, we are pushing very hard towards achieving that result. The MP4-21 has made a step forward, and we hope that at France, which is of course Michelin's home race, we are able to demonstrate this. Everyone within the team welcomes Pedro to the race car this weekend, who has completed more than 9,500 test kilometres in the MP4-21 to date."
• "We completed a comprehensive test programme last week at Jerez and now have one more session remaining before the August break. The work completed will allow us to bring online developments to the cooling package. The test team have an intensive work load and are pushing the development programme forward as we seek to find the performance enhancement we need from the MP4-21."
• Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: "It was bitter to lose both cars already at the second corner after the start of the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis. The three races before the team had shown an upward trend. We had a chance of winning in two races and finally claimed three podium positions. A podium would have been possible also in the USA, not least because of our tyre choice and our one-stop strategy."
• "At Magny Cours our aim is to continue that trend and we all welcome Pedro at his first race since Bahrain last year. Our last test at Jerez was positive and we now have to improve in order to win races. A focused and concentrated process will help to achieve our targets."

BMW PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• The BMW Sauber F1 Team is getting up to speed. Recent grands prix have clearly shown it to be on the ascendant, despite the fact neither BMW Sauber F1.06 made it to the finish in Indianapolis. At the French Grand Prix the team is determined to get into the top ten qualifying once again and pick up some more championship points on the Circuit de Nevers in Magny-Cours on 16th July.
• After its return from the USA, the team spent three days testing at Jerez in Spain. Busy on the track next to test and reserve driver, Robert Kubica, were Jacques Villeneuve and Sebastian Vettel, who has just turned 19. After his car’s barrel rolls in Indianapolis, Nick Heidfeld was giving his neck muscles a chance to recover.
• Nick Heidfeld: “I always enjoy racing in Magny-Cours. A lot of people aren’t so keen on the circuit, particularly as it’s way out in the French provinces. It’s a beautiful area, but unfortunately there’s no time to enjoy the scenery. There are lots of little chateaux with rooms to rent. I always stay at one of them, in a very idyllic location and surrounded by a proper moat. It has a very special charm of its own."
• "On the sporting side too, I have fond memories of Magny-Cours, where I have won Formula 3 and Formula 3000 races. It’s quite a challenging circuit, especially the two chicanes. They’re obscured from view and very narrow at the apex. Basically the track offers everything: a high-speed section, but slow turns as well.”
• Jacques Villeneuve: “Last year’s French Grand Prix was one of our best races and the car is running very strongly at the moment, so I am looking forward to it as we should have a good weekend. It is a fun track to drive and there is usually some good racing on.”
• Robert Kubica:
• “I know Magny-Cours pretty well. It is a nice track. Last time I was there was in 2004 with Formula 3 but I have not tested there with F1. The first and second corners are really long. Later on there’s a quick chicane, which I am looking forward to taking in a Formula One car."
• "It is quite a tricky track, but I think it could work well for me as I really enjoyed it in Formula 3. We will be back in Europe and, as usual, I am looking forward to doing my job there for the team on Friday to get some god data for Jacques and Nick."
• Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: “Coming away from Indianapolis without any points was gutting. But despite that we are encouraged by the fact that in qualifying we made it into the third row of the grid for the first time, and also had the pace in the race itself. We want to build on that in Magny-Cours. The goal once again is to get both cars into the top ten qualifying and to collect points in the race."
• "As Jacques will be getting a new engine after the engine failure at Indianapolis, and Nick is scheduled to get a new BMW P86 anyhow, both cars are now in the same cycle. At the Circuit de Nevers, the full-throttle ratio, top speed and length of the straights are all in the medium range. We have experienced quite a few hot races there. High thermal loads naturally make huge demands on the reliability of the engines."
• "From a commercial point of view, Magny-Cours is at the opposite end of the scale to Monte Carlo. This is a rural idyll that isn’t easy to get to and ranks low in the glamour stakes. It’s a place where you focus on the sport and the challenges of the race track. It was here in 2001 that we secured our first pole position after our return to Formula One.”
• Willy Rampf, Technical Director Chassis: “Magny-Cours serves up an interesting mix of slow and fast turns. The Adelaide hairpin sees the drivers drop down from 300 km/h to 60 km/h, and the right-left combination before the start/finish line is also slow. These corners place great demands on the traction, in contrast to the fast esses in the middle section of the circuit."
• "The slow sections in particular take their toll on the rear tyres, making tyre wear a pivotal issue when it comes to choosing the best pit stop strategy. It’s a real toss-up between two- and three-stoppers. Magny-Cours has the smoothest surface of any F1 track, and that has to be taken into account when dealing with the cars’ set-up."
• "On the other hand, the circuit is very sensitive to fluctuating temperatures, which means that a set-up that seems right in the morning will be far from ideal in the afternoon. It’s a real challenge for the engineers.”

SHELL PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

HONDA PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• The French Grand Prix, Round eleven of the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship, gets underway at the Circuit de Nevers in Magny Cours next weekend. The first of an intensive three races in four weeks sees the F1 teams return to Europe following the two races in North America.
• Before heading to France, the Honda Racing F1 Team will be at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend for one of the most popular events on the UK motorsport calendar. Jenson Button and Anthony Davidson will be in attendance over the weekend, driving the RA106 race car, and along with Sporting Director Gil de Ferran, will also have the chance to try out the historic RA301, originally raced by John Surtees in 1968.
• Rubens Barrichello: "The circuit at Magny Cours is a very good track for the drivers as it's a lot of fun to drive and also very fast. The high speed changes of direction between turns four and five, and also turns seven and eight, are quite challenging. The race is usually an exciting one and if the weather follows the usual pattern, it will probably be very hot."
• "We had an intensive test at Jerez this week in very hot conditions looking at the tyres and aero for this race so we should be well prepared. We collected a lot of data in Jerez and now we have to work hard and see how we can make that work for us at Magny Cours."
• Jenson Button: "I really enjoy racing at Magny Cours. It's a smooth circuit and very flowing, which is the type of track I prefer as it is more suited to my driving style. I've had decent finishes there in the last two years so hopefully we can repeat that form next weekend with a strong points finish. It was disappointing to retire from the race at Indianapolis so early last weekend but looking on the positive side, the car worked much better all weekend than in Montreal."
• Gil de Ferran, Sporting Director:
• "We return to Europe encouraged by our performance in the United States Grand Prix and optimistic that we can carry that through into the French Grand Prix next weekend. Magny Cours represents quite a different challenge to the last two circuits since it is very smooth and contains a mixture of high and slow speed turns, however it is similarly hard on rear tyres."
• "Weather-wise, in the past we have seen very hot conditions and we expect to encounter more of the same next weekend, which our car and set-up seem to cope quite well with. We are hopeful that the developments tested in Jerez this week will bring us some improvement and we can again be in a position to score some good points, this time with both drivers."

WILLIAMS PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• Formula One returns to Europe this weekend for the 11th round of the season, the French Grand Prix. Formula One cars have raced in France every year since 1955 making the French race the oldest in the sport's history and the traditional home of Grand Prix racing.
• Held at seven different venues since its inception, WilliamsF1 has won eight times in France, five of which have been one-two victories. Since the race moved to Magny-Cours in 1991, the team has won one in every three races entered, captured half of all available pole positions and secured five fastest laps at the Circuit de Nevers.
• Between the races
• Following the US Grand Prix, Mark spent two days in Jerez for the team's test session before returning home to the UK to drive last year's FW27C at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed on Saturday. Mark then joined pioneering British solo round-the-world yachtswoman, Dee Caffari, on Monday for a day's sailing from Portsmouth at the start of the Big V Sail race.
• Dee has just confirmed that she will be competing in Mark's Pure Tasmania Challenge in November. Meanwhile, Nico also enjoyed a trip to Goodwood at the weekend for a "car swap" with RBS Ambassador, Sir Jackie Stewart. Nico was given the opportunity to drive Sir Jackie's vintage Matra MS10 GP car, in which he won four races in 1968. Sir Jackie then completed demonstration runs in the FW27C.
• Making the car go faster
• The team headed to Spain after the North American double header for a four day test at Jerez in advance of the French Grand Prix. Mark and Alex shared driving duties, completing two days each, and carried out critical evaluations on various aero components on the FW28. The pair also ran upgraded engine parts and tyre selection checks throughout the 1,200kms covered over the four days.
• Following a successful test in Spain, the Cosworth engine will feature an upgrade for the French Grand Prix to give a performance increment at high speeds and an overall improvement in peak power. As of this weekend, both cars will race with a new version of Petrobras' Formula One fuel, the 17-PodiumF1. Developed in association with Cosworth to compliment the new Series 6.01 spec engine, the new fuel has been designed to enhance engine power and reduce fuel consumption.
• Magny-Cours from a technical perspective
• Set amid rural surroundings in France's Burgundy region, the 4.4km Circuit de Nevers is characterised by a collection of slow hairpins, medium speed corners and high speed chicanes. The French track requires a high downforce set-up, one which provides stability through the twisty sections, but one which equally does not compromise straight line speed. Magny-Cours is renowned for its smooth surface which, when combined with the area's variable temperatures, provides one of the greatest challenges for the teams over the weekend.
• The unpredictable weather, which can generate track temperatures in excess of 50°C, places high thermal loadings on the tyres, while the slower hairpins also generate longitudinal loadings, all of which can destabilise the balance of the car. With several acute braking events (the drivers will experience 4g when braking from 300km/h down to 60km/h into the Adelaide hairpin), durable brakes are also a pre-requisite. Aerodynamic efficiency and car drivability are therefore key for a successful race this weekend.
• Mark Webber: "It's good to be back in Europe on terra firma after the two recent fly-away races. Clearly it's a very difficult time for us at the moment as we're not demonstrating the kind of form we want and we need to address this by getting some pace back into the car."
• "We will have some different parts on the car to help breach the gap to our opposition but, traditionally, most of the teams use the French Grand Prix as an upgrade point in the season, so it's important we make significant gains. I hope Alex's running is straightforward on Friday in order to give us a strong base for Sunday afternoon."
• Nico Rosberg: "I like the track at Magny-Cours. I won the GP2 race there last year, my first win of the season and the start of a great year for me. I wasn't at the test last week, but I know that the team has been working really hard on improving our aero package recently."
• "We'll be using the Silverstone aero package for this forthcoming race which, I believe, will improve our pace relative to that seen in America. I enjoyed the trip to the States a lot, but it's now nice to be back in Europe, especially considering I can drive to this race from my home."
• Sam Michael, Technical Director, WilliamsF1M "We return to Europe this week for the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours. The team tested in Jerez, Spain, last week with Mark and Alex in an effort to improve the FW28 and to work on our tyres with partner, Bridgestone."
• "For Magny-Cours, we will have some aerodynamic improvements that are part of our on-going development programme to bring performance to the car, notably for the front and rear wings. We will also have minor bodywork modifications and updated brake ducts."
• "Magny-Cours consists of three high speed areas, the first section of the lap and the two chicanes, as well as some slow and medium speed corners. It is traditionally a very smooth circuit which has an interesting end to the lap because the track creates a good line into the pit lane. This means that time lost in the pit lane is low."
• "The tarmac at Magny-Cours is more dependent on temperature than normal which means lap times vary significantly during the day. Strategy will be interesting in Magny-Cours because of the pit lane time and typically high tyre degradation that we see at Magny-Cours."
• Simon Corbyn, Head of F1 Race Engineering, Cosworth:
• "Following successful dyno and track testing, Cosworth will have CA2006 Series 6 engines available for WilliamsF1 for the French Grand Prix. Thanks to everyone at Cosworth for their hard work in delivering this upgrade in time for Magny-Cours."

TOYOTA PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• The F1 teams have now all arrived back from their two-week trip to North America, ready for the next leg of the European season. This weekend they will dig out their maps of deepest France to try and relocate the circuit of Magny-Cours.
• The circuit, based close to the town of Nevers, is not exactly on France's top ten of accessible spots but the surrounding area offers an oasis of calm after the downtown bustle of the last two races. The venue has played host to the French Grand Prix since 1991 so hopefully most of the F1 fraternity will use that experience to find the place in time for first practice on Friday.
• Panasonic Toyota Racing's drivers Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher will then look to make the most of the improved pace shown by the TF106B in recent races as they chase a strong finish on Sunday.
• Ralf Schumacher: "After our visits to Montreal and Indianapolis, two circuits at the lower end of the downforce range, the French Grand Prix marks a return to higher downforce levels. There is nothing particularly challenging about the Magny-Cours track from a driving perspective but it does feature extremely smooth asphalt. That leads to a less bumpy ride for the drivers but it also means that the performance of the track can vary a lot depending on the weather and track temperature."
• "I wouldn't say that it is my favourite race of the year but the facilities are good and the layout of the circuit can lead to good racing. It is also a place where I have had success down the years. I took my first pole position there five years ago and I also won the event in 2003. It is hard to know how we will perform this weekend but our car has shown it is quick in recent races so we will hope for more on Sunday."
• Jarno Trulli: "I have very good memories of Magny-Cours and I always enjoy visiting France. French is one of the languages that I speak because of all the time that I have spent working for French teams in Formula 1. That means I have a good relationship with the French fans and I expect to have lots of support in the grandstands."
• "Magny-Cours is a fun place to drive an F1 car too because it is a technical circuit with pretty much every kind of corner there is. There are fast, sweeping corners along with slow hairpins and also some quick changes of direction at the chicanes."
• "Good handling is crucial because the car has to react well to such a variety of different corners. The track surface is among the smoothest that we run on in the course of the season so we can run lower ride heights than usual. Now we must hope to build on our improved pace and come away with another good result."
• Pascal Vasselon , Senior General Manager Chassis:
• "Magny-Cours is a very balanced circuit with quite typical values for downforce and brakes. The only thing that makes set-up a bit difficult is the very high kerb at the last chicane which can sometimes launch cars off the ground. You can also see extremely high track temperatures because the tarmac tends to be quite black so it heats up as soon as you have the slightest sunshine."
• "Overtaking is quite difficult despite the long straight leading to the Adelaide hairpin because the preceding Estoril corner is a long corner where the cars and tyres are on the limit and it is difficult for drivers to follow each other closely."
• "Magny-Cours is sometimes mocked by the F1 fraternity but it is one of the places I most enjoy travelling to during the season because the surrounding area is so relaxing. On your way to the circuit you see nice countryside and cows in the fields and that contributes to a relaxed atmosphere. It also means that the event is a good one for race enthusiasts because there are no distractions!"

BRIDGESTONE RACE PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• Bridgestone upbeat ahead of French GP
• After a successful trip to North America for the Canadian and US Grands Prix, Bridgestone Motorsport will be arriving in France this week with a spring in its step. This year's championship is still very much up for grabs and Bridgestone is eager for all its teams to make the most of the remaining eight rounds.
• Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro's Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa stormed to a resounding 1-2 in Indianapolis ten days ago and they will be keen to keep up the momentum at round eleven in Magny-Cours. With the second half of the season well underway, the Panasonic Toyota Racing and WilliamsF1 teams will also be looking to take as many points as they can this coming weekend while MF1 Racing and the Super Aguri F1 Team are aiming to get on the points tables.
• Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Motorsport:
• "Last week's announcement by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) that Bridgestone has been successful in its tender to become official tyre supplier for the 2008-2010 FIA Formula One World Championships has been a real boost for us all. With this important news we can now plan ahead for the future while also fully concentrating on making the most of this year of tyre competition. Ferrari's result in Indianapolis has given them a real chance of fighting for the championship while Toyota is enjoying an upturn in their fortunes. It looks as if we will have an exciting second half of the season!"
• Tyres for France
• The 2006 tyre regulations permit each driver seven sets of dry tyres, four sets of wet weather tyres and three sets of extreme wet weather tyres. Combined with the increased number of teams running with Bridgestone in 2006, approximately 1,200 Bridgestone Potenza Formula One tyres have been sent from the Technical Centre in Kodaira City, Tokyo, to the French Magny-Cours Circuit.
• Hisao Suganuma, Bridgestone Motorsport Technical Manager:
• "Magny-Cours is a medium speed circuit with a rough but very dark track surface. For tyre manufacturers this has several implications. The track does not give a great amount of grip but because the surface texture can cause graining we have to find the right balance between a durable but medium to soft tyre compound."
• "The colour of the tarmac also means that if the sun is out, the track soaks up the heat and we can experience very high track temperatures. The track's high speed corners, tight hairpins and fast chicane also make it a combination circuit where tyres need to provide good rear traction and good change of direction performance. This will be the key to getting good lap times at Magny- Cours."

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