Why is Magny-Cours so hated?

[FIA]

Why is Magny-Cours so hated?

I love this circuit, when you start you have to automatically get ready for Estoril which is a challenging corner. You next go on to a decent size straight into the Adelaide Hairpin which is probaly one of the best tight hairpins in the world, straight on from here you come to the Nurburgring Chicane a real fast right to left chicane, which goes staright into a tight wide left hander. Another decent straight and you come to the Imola Chicane which is another right to left chicane a bit slower than Nurburgring, but quick. A slow right hander and then you head to towards another slow right hander and then a chicane when you collect a bit curve, and that's you lap.

Please, someone tell me, why don't you like it?

[CCFanatic]

Why is Magny-Cours so hated?

I love this circuit, when you start you have to automatically get ready for Estoril which is a challenging corner. You next go on to a decent size straight into the Adelaide Hairpin which is probaly one of the best tight hairpins in the world, straight on from here you come to the Nurburgring Chicane a real fast right to left chicane, which goes staright into a tight wide left hander. Another decent straight and you come to the Imola Chicane which is another right to left chicane a bit slower than Nurburgring, but quick. A slow right hander and then you head to towards another slow right hander and then a chicane when you collect a bit curve, and that's you lap.

Please, someone tell me, why don't you like it?

Being the hypocrite I am, I do not like it because of the lack of much elevation changes in the lap. Saying that, I love the CC venue at Cleveland because of that. That last corner chicane is not fun. Change the course and make a big giant loop onto the front stretch.

[ShiftingGears]

It's a logistics nightmare for the teams. Also, the racing tends to be boring, but I think thats due to the cars, not the circuit. Some good corners and chicanes, however. Probably a pity when it's off the calendar, because I can't imagine any long corners like Estoril in a street circuit.

[jso1985]

The track itself is fun to drive on at least on videogames.

But the fact that it gives boring races makes everyone dislike it.

[raikk]

also seems in many parts the track isn't wide enough hense not very much overtaking..

[ArrowsFA1]

Please, someone tell me, why don't you like it?
It has always seemed to me to be a souless kind of place in the middle of nowhere. Its' creation had more to do with politics than motor racing, and the design itself just lifted corners from other circuits and put them together like a jigsaw to make a track. It has no character of its' own.

[janneppi]

I must confess I though they had stopped racing there few years ago, much to my surprise as a looked it up on the internet, Kimi had won the 2007 race. :p :

[wedge]

As theugsquirrel pointed out, the cars are partly to blame because the track is littered with high speed corners and chicanes and therefore you need good aero.

Magny Cours was a track I looked forward to in the 1990s, but the since the late 1990s you can hardly pick up a good tow coming out of Estoril. You used to get terrific scraps going into the Adelaide hairpin. I remember DC gave Schumi the middle finger in 2000, 2007 was an excellent race compared to recent races.

[Garry Walker]

It has no character of its' own.

Which circuits have character? How does a circuit get character?

[keysersoze]

Which circuits have character? How does a circuit get character?

Uh, have you ever heard of Monaco?

Spa also has a great deal of character, especially when you factor in the weather.

JMO, but I loved the old Silverstone.

Others high on my list of great tracks--some of which are now ex-F1 tracks

Hermanos Rodriguez
Long Beach
Suzuka
Adelaide
Monza
Imola
Rio

[keysersoze]

To answer the second question, there's something ineffable about circuits with character, but I'd suggest it has something to do with a combination of:

combination of corners (Mexico's esses followed by the straight, or its Peraltada followed by the front straight)

elevation change (Spa, Monaco,)

circuits with great passing opportunities

circuits which have a long history, or have transcended eras

circuits which have been the site of great races, or important moments (Suzuka)

circuits with quirks (Monaco's tunnel)

circuits with famous corners (130R and Eau Rouge, for example)

I should probably add the Austria's Osterreich (I know I butchered the spelling there)

[SGWilko]

I remember DC gave Schumi the middle finger in 2000, 2007 was an excellent race compared to recent races.

Didn't he also shake a fistful of coffee beans at him, or was he just trying to suggest that MS was a 'Sherman' ;)

[markabilly]

To answer the second question, there's something ineffable about circuits with character, but I'd suggest it has something to do with a combination of:

combination of corners (Mexico's esses followed by the straight, or its Peraltada followed by the front straight)

elevation change (Spa, Monaco,)

circuits with great passing opportunities

circuits which have a long history, or have transcended eras

circuits which have been the site of great races, or important moments (Suzuka)

circuits with quirks (Monaco's tunnel)

circuits with famous corners (130R and Eau Rouge, for example)

I should probably add the Austria's Osterreich (I know I butchered the spelling there)
or the corkscrew at Seca, with the older decreasing radius turns at the bottom that used to lure many an unsuspecting driver in going just a bit too fast about a half way down from the top, as having survived the entry into the series, by relaxing and speeding up only to arrive at the final twist or the one before it and find themselves going too fast :eek:

[ShiftingGears]

Personally I'm not a fan of Monza. I know its for driver safety but the chicanes are utterly boring, and prevent good racing.

[wedge]

To answer the second question, there's something ineffable about circuits with character, but I'd suggest it has something to do with a combination of:

combination of corners (Mexico's esses followed by the straight, or its Peraltada followed by the front straight)

elevation change (Spa, Monaco,)

circuits with great passing opportunities

circuits which have a long history, or have transcended eras

circuits which have been the site of great races, or important moments (Suzuka)

circuits with quirks (Monaco's tunnel)

circuits with famous corners (130R and Eau Rouge, for example)

I should probably add the Austria's Osterreich (I know I butchered the spelling there)

By that definition Magny-Cours certainly has somecharacter.

Estoril is highly regarded and so is the Imola chicane. James Allen orgasms whenever there's an onboard view through that section

[SGWilko]

James Allen orgasms whenever there's an onboard view through that section

".....and it was over, before it began....." :laugh:

[ArrowsFA1]

By that definition Magny-Cours certainly has some character.

Estoril is highly regarded and so is the Imola chicane.
Those are two of the corners I was referring to as being lifted from elsewhere when the circuit was designed :p

[Tazio]

Mike's 2004 improvised four stop victory was an exelent representation of his greatness.
He smoked that course between stop 3, and 4 to slot into the lead over Fred.
I believe that was the race that RB passed JT on the last corner of the last lap for a podium.
For that race alone I love that course, and always will!

[Roamy]

I have never been there but I understand it is out in the middle of nowhere in a mustard patch. and Frogs don't like mustard dust on their citroens.

Move it to Ricard or serve complete hosted wine bar for the 3 day event.

[call_me_andrew]

I'll admit that I kinda like Magny-Cours. I think race tracks belong in the middle of nowhere.

I did start a thread here a few months ago to ask about the difference between a good race track and a bad race track. I'm still stumped.

[tinchote]

I like the circuit. And I'm not that sure that it produces more boring races than others.

[Roamy]

I'll admit that I kinda like Magny-Cours. I think race tracks belong in the middle of nowhere.

I did start a thread here a few months ago to ask about the difference between a good race track and a bad race track. I'm still stumped.
well a funny way to ask the question - but now I will give my answer.

A good track in a combination of speed range corners couples with degree of difficulty created normally by terrain variations. add a quaint community, village or sexy city and you have all the ingredients.

Now you know why Indy is just a Blaaaaaaaah

Perhaps Laguna Seca could make it but I would pre sell the race before I put it on. also the Glen would work and back to Long Beach if the redid the circuit.

[BobbyC]

The Glen is still a great layout, and they could just do new pits and change the barriers. They are building a new media centre for 2008 after adding a new control tower in 2006 (which resulted in a new finish line location).

[AJP]

Has anyone travelled from Paris to Magny-Cours?
If so, how did you get there and how long did it take?
I will be in Paris when the Grand Prix is on, and would like to go down for the qualifying day or race day..
any help would be greatly apreciated..
thanks

[Osella]

Has anyone travelled from Paris to Magny-Cours?


While you probably just meant to ask forum members that question, it's a large part of the track's problem! It was intended that the track would regenerate the area, and give people a reason to relocate to the middle of nowhere. The area is not a popular location in France, and with no French drivers in F1 there is a noticable lack of support for the race within France.

But in answer to the question, I think a large part of it is the impression we are given of the track. There have been French GP's at the track since 1991, and in that time there have been some great/memorable races; 1992,1993,1999,2000,2005. And there aren't really many tracks which can say they have had more in that time..

However, in terms of perception, what do we know about Magny-Cours? Most of us have said that it produces some good races, but our impressions of the track come from Journalists and TV coverage.
Journalists don't like the place because the area is quiet, there is nothing to do, hotels and restaurants are expensive (as they can charge what they like at GP time because there are only just enough hotel rooms for the teams and associated sponsors/media!) And the Journos and reporters have to travel a long way, in the middle of a season, to a boring place which costs them a lot of money. that is, I believe why Magny-Cours is so 'hated'. As far as I am aware, no drivers have been hugely critical of the track itself...

Imagine if the French GP was the first race of each season; the event would be a favourite, full of interest and intrigue on how things would pan out.
The Albert Park track at Melbourne however, has few redeeming features, and the most memorable race moments have been crashes, not action or overtaking! So a lot is calendar placement, and perception of the place.

[ioan]

I lived 5 months in Nevers and even went to the GP once.
I've also visited the ex-Prost F1 aero facilities and had the chance to assist to testing they were doing in the wind tunnel!
2 years ago I visited a racing team's factory (Automobiles Martini if I remember it correctly) and it was really fun. They were developing a GT car at that moment and also building the Ferrari F1 models that are taken to various expositions.

So I would say that the track is OK as well as all the motorsport related activities that take place around it, but the location sukcs big time.

[Tazio]

Why is Magny-Cours so hated?

I love this circuit, when you start you have to automatically get ready for Estoril which is a challenging corner. You next go on to a decent size straight into the Adelaide Hairpin which is probaly one of the best tight hairpins in the world, straight on from here you come to the Nurburgring Chicane a real fast right to left chicane, which goes staright into a tight wide left hander. Another decent straight and you come to the Imola Chicane which is another right to left chicane a bit slower than Nurburgring, but quick. A slow right hander and then you head to towards another slow right hander and then a chicane when you collect a bit curve, and that's you lap.

Please, someone tell me, why don't you like it?
Pedjudice is one underlying reason.
Allot of Amercans who have never even met a Frenchman,
believe they are all arrogant b@$+@rd$, and believe they are beholding to us.
Americans that believe that Western Civilaztion began in 1917
They ignore the fact that the American Revolution would have never succeeded at that time
if it wasn't for the French! Regardless of their motovation!