FRENCH F1 GRANDSTANDS AND
GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT MAP
FRENCH F1 GRANDSTAND VIEWING IN GENERAL
Magny-Cours is, to a certain extend, another modern and slightly featureless circuit. It does however offer its own unique characteristics. This 4,41km French F1 circuit was redesigned during 2003 and features some excellent team and spectator facilities, as well as high safety standards.
Detailed seating information on all the grandstands is set out in the French grand prix circuit maps below. The seating on all the French F1 grandstands for the 2008 French F1 Grand Prix are uncovered – it is therefore highly recommended to prepare yourself for all weather conditions e.g. sunscreen, umbrellas, hats, etc. All of the French grand prix grandstands around the circuit offer bigscreen viewing. Usually tickets for the more popular covered sections like the Main C and L grandstands tend to sell out first for the French F1 Grand Prix.
FRENCH GRAND PRIX GRANDSTAND TICKETS
Before considering the most appropriate package that best suits your 2008 French Grand Prix needs, it is important to consider the location and benefits of the available grandstand and general admission tickets. We suggest that you refer to the attached French grand prix circuit map, to further assist you in making the best possible choice.
Magny Cours currently has a total capacity for 90,000 F1spectators, which are accommodated in 14 grandstands and 2 unnumbered general admission stands. All grandstand seats are numbered but uncovered. Grandstands TS and R are usually reserved for corporate clients and are not available to the general public. Good disabled facilities including wheelchair access are provided for on 2 Enceinte M Stands located on the eastern end of the Gardins Est VIP Stand (best option) and the western end of the Enceinte Golf Stand.
There are sufficient toilets and catering facilities all around the grand prix circuit. There is ample opportunity to buy merchandise at the numerous stalls inside the circuit.
MAIN GRANDSTAND C (uncovered)
The Magny Cours’s Main Grandstand C is located on the Pits Straight directly opposite the start/finish line and pitboxes. It presents you with an excellent view of the first 70% of the Pits Straight, including the build-up to and the start of the race, the chequered flag at the finish of the race, as well as a view of the racing teams and their pit activities. The southern side of the grandstand is situated opposite the podium, offering you great views of the podium celebrations after the race. The start line is located towards the northern end of the grandstand. The F1 Village is also located behind this grandstand and is easily accessible from this grandstand.
A bigscreen TV is located directly towards the northern side of this great grandstand, enabling you to follow the entire race and not loose track of the procedures
GRANDSTANDS D, E & F (uncovered)
These 3 grandstands are located towards the end of the Pits Straight, just before the Grand Courbe Corner. The cars reach about 275kph on the short Pits Straight and just dab the brakes for this very impressive corner, which is basically taken flat out. The southern section of Grandstand D gives you good views of the start and some of the pitboxes - E & F as well to a certain degree - but rather limited and distant. Grandstand C & D do however offer you better views of the Grande Courbe Corner, the 1800 Hairpin and a section of the Estoril Corner. All 3 stands give you good views of the pitlane exit and the F1 Village is accessible from these grandstands.
A bigscreen TV is located opposite grandstands E and F and is visible from all 3 stands although rather distant from Grandstand D (Grandstand D generally does not offer you good bigscreen viewing).
GRANDSTAND L (uncovered)
The uncovered Grandstand L is one of the best if not the best grandstand on the circuit and offers you excellent panoramic views of the eastern section of the circuit, which include the Adelaide Hairpin, the fast Imola Chicane and the Chateau D’Eau Corner. This is one of the bigger stands and depending on your seating you can sit either opposite the Adelaide Hairpin, the Chateau D’ Eau Corner or somewhere in between the two. Both corners are however visible from everywhere on the grandstand. The Adelaide Hairpin is a tight 80kph first gear right-hander, which offers the best passing opportunities of the circuit, while the Chateau D’Eau Corner is a 95kph second gear right-hander. Please note that the main F1 Village is not accessible from this grandstand, although some smaller team merchandise stores are located in the vicinity of the stand.
The Grandstand L also features a bigscreen, which for obvious reasons makes the Grand Prix event so much more enjoyable.
GRANDSTAND G (uncovered)
The Grandstand G is located just after the left – right sweep following the second 1800 Hairpin. The grandstand offers you good views of a first section of the Golf Straight, the fast Nürburgring Chicane and the 90 kph second gear 1800 Hairpin. The stand also offers you easy access to the F1 Village, which is located directly behind the grandstand.
A bigscreen TV is located opposite the grandstand, which enables you to follow the entire race and not loose track of the procedures.
GRANDSTANDS H, I, J & K (uncovered)
These four grandstands are located just before and around the fast and spectacular Imola Chicane, a challenging fourth gear chicane, which is taken at around 220kph. All four stands also offer a distant view last section of the Golf Straight, as well as the Adelaide Hairpin and its following short straight. In addition the 1800 hairpin is visible (rather distant) from the H grandstand and the Chateau D’Eau Corner from stands I, J & K (rather distant). All four stands are popular, offer good value for money viewing and provide easy access to the F1 Village.
The grandstand features a bigscreen TV, which for obvious reasons makes your entire Grand Prix so much more enjoyable.
GRANDSTAND A (uncovered))
Grandstand A is a small grandstand, located just after the Lycee Corner and just before the tight chicane leading onto the Pits Straight. The grandstand offers you good views of the straight leading into the Lycee Corner, a second gear 85kph right-hander and the tight right-left chicane leading onto the Pits Straight. The grandstand will provide you with some exciting and close-up views of the cars jumping the curbs through the chicane. The pitlane entrance is also located directly in front of the grandstand. Unfortunately the pits buildings block any views down the pits straight from this stand and the F1 Village is not accessible from this stand.
The action and excitement of the whole race can however be followed on the bigscreen positioned directly opposite this grandstand.
GRANDSTAND B (uncovered))
Grandstand B will offer you a similar view as described for Grandstand A above. In addition you will be able to see the Podium celebrations (the podium is located directly opposite the stand) and if you are lucky enough to secure a seat right on the western edge of the stand, you will be able to see some of the team pitboxes and look down the Pits Straight. The stand offers easy access to the F1 Village but your seating position is very important – if you end up on the eastern side of the stand the quality of your viewing deteriorates dramatically.
A bigscreen TV is visible from this stand, enabling you to follow the entire race and not loose track of the procedures.
UNNUMBERED GENERAL ADMISSION STANDS – (Enceinte Golf and Gradins Est VIP)
Both the general admission stands (low concrete stands), provide for acceptable viewing and offer good value for money admission at Magny Cours. You can choose between the Enceinte Golf and Gradins Est VIP, of which the last mentioned is without a doubt the better option. The Enceinte Golf is a massive stand located just after the Estoril Corner along the first half of the Golf Straight, providing good views of the Estoril exit, the Nürburgring Chicane and 1800 Hairpin.
The Gradins Est VIP stand is located along the second section of the Golf Straight, up to the Adelaide Hairpin. It offers you good views of the Golf Straight, the Adelaide Hairpin and the short straight following the hairpin.
There are no numbered seats and you must be there early to get a good spot, which you stand to loose should you have to visit a toilet or leave to buy food. Both the general admission areas, do not provide access to the main F1 Village, however a smaller version, offering team merchandise etc, is located behind these stands.
PITWALKS AND DISCOVER F1 TICKETS
All 3 day ticket holders are entitled to a free pitwalk from 16h00 to 19h00 on the Thursday of the 2008 French Grand Prix weekend. For 320 you can also purchase an additional pitwalk ticket for the rest of the weekend. This price does not include admission to the circuit or any grandstand, but will entitle ticket holders to extra 3 pitwalks, one each on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the race weekend.
The Discover F1 tickets are valid for the Friday only and can be purchased for an additional 55. Ticket holders will have access to all the grandstands (with the exception grandstands L, R and TS) for the Friday, offering them an unique opportunity to walk around the whole circuit and watch the days activities from various different grandstands.
PHOTOGRAPHY
In terms of good photographic opportunities, the best French F1 grandstand is probably Grandstand A. This grandstand is very close to the circuit and provided excellent photographic opportunities of the cars slowly entering the pit lane and jumping the curbs in the tight chicane leading onto the pit straight. For obvious reasons the Main Grandstand C will provide you with numerous good pits and start line scenes, but cars roaring down the Pits Straight at nearly 250 kph, makes good photographic shots more problematic. The southern side of the main grandstand can also provide good shots of the cars jumping the last chicane and of the podium celebrations. The Discover F1 tickets as described above, would be an excellent option for a dedicated photographer to consider.
OTHER FRENCH CIRCUIT FACILITIES
The F1 Village is located behind the Main Grandstand C area and fan merchandise are on sale within this area, as well as some interesting displays from the tire manufacturers and other F1 related suppliers. It features pleasant lawns, with a variety of mobile food and drink units. The main F1 Village is not accessible from Grandstands L, A and the two General Admission Stands. Smaller versions of the F1 Village are however located in the Grandstand L and the General Admission Stands areas.
Food and beverage from the numerous mobile catering units positioned around the circuit, a vast range of food and drink is on offer to the race-goers. Prices range from 3 for a Panini or sandwich, 8 for a pizza, 4 for a cold beer and 2.50 for bottled water.
Circuit radio spectators can listen to live race commentary for the duration of the 2008 French Grand Prix on Radio Circuit in French and some English (107.2 FM), which can be very helpful to follow the race. Once the pit stop phase commences it sometimes becomes rather difficult to determine track positions of the various cars on different pit stop strategies. So make sure you take a small potable FM radio and earphones along in order to use this nice to have service.
The Ligier Museum Guy Ligier has played a prominent part in the history of F1. During 1969, he designed and constructed his own racing car, the JS1 (named after his friend Jo Schessler, who died on the Essarts circuit in Rouen). It was his JS5, which in 1976 marked the entry of the Ligier team into F1 racing. The Ligier Museum is the only museum in Europe, which exhibits a complete collection of a single Formula One constructor. 16 Models from the historic Nivernais team are on show, representing 20 years of high-level competition racing. Please refer to the map below for the location of the museum.
RACE PROGRAMS
For more detailed information on all the racing
programs and for the 2008 French F1 Grand Prix events please click
here.
