Circuit Paul Armagnac
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Short description|Motorsport track in France}}
{{Motorsport venue
|Name = Circuit Paul Armagnac
|Location = Nogaro, Gers, France
|Coordinates = {{coord|43|46|5|N|0|2|17|W|display=it}}
|Image = 230px
|Events = Current:
{{ill|Coupes de Pâques de Nogaro|fr|Coupes de Pâques}}
(1968–present)
FFSA GT (1997–2011, 2014, 2016–present)
Alpine Elf Cup (2019–present)
Former:
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
French motorcycle Grand Prix (1978, 1982)
European Truck Racing Championship (1994–2016)
Blancpain Sprint Series (2013–2015)
NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (2009–2013)
FIA GT (2007–2008)
FIA Sportscar Championship (2003)
BPR GT (1995–1996)
F3000 (1990–1993)
ETCC (1985–1988)
Formula 750 (1976, 1979)
Sidecar World Championship (1978)
|FIA_grade = 2
|Opened = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1960|10|03}}
|Layout1 = Grand Prix Circuit (1989–present){{efn|name=Nogaro SF Line|The start-finish line was changed in 2007, however the layout configuration has not been changed since 1989.}}
|Length_km = 3.636
|Length_mi = 2.259
|Turns = 14
|Record_time = 1:20.160
|Record_driver = {{flagicon|ITA|1946}} Alessandro Zanardi
|Record_car = Reynard 91D
|Record_year = 1991
|Record_class = F3000
|Layout2 = Grand Prix Circuit (1973–1988)
|Length_km2 = 3.120
|Length_mi2 = 1.939
|Turns2 = 11
|Record_time2 = 1:11.860
|Record_driver2= {{flagicon|ARG|1868}} Ricardo Zunino
|Record_car2 = Arrows A1
|Record_year2 = 1979
|Record_class2 = F1
|Layout3 = Original Circuit (1960–1973)
|Length_km3 = 1.752
|Length_mi3 = 1.089
|Turns3 = 9
|Record_time3 = 0:51.700
|Record_driver3= {{flagicon|FRA}} {{ill|Christian Ethuin|pl}}
|Record_car3 = Martini MK12
|Record_year3 = 1973
|Record_class3 = F3
}}
Circuit Paul Armagnac, also known as Circuit de Nogaro, is a motorsport race track located in the commune of Nogaro in the Gers department in southwestern France. The track is named in honor of Nogaro-born racing driver Paul Armagnac, who died in an accident during practice for the 1962 1000 km de Paris at the Montlhéry circuit.{{cite web|last1=Foubert|first1=Claude|title=Le circuit de Nogaro fête ses 50 ans…|url=http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/actualite-endurance-5186/|website=Endurance-Info.com|publisher=Laurent Mercier|access-date=5 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208053121/http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/actualite-endurance-5186/|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}}
History
Motorsports racing events in Nogaro were first organized when racing driver Paul Armagnac and Robert Castagnon created the Association Sportive Automobile de l'Armagnac. In 1953, the Rallye de l'Armagnac was held on a street circuit using public roads around Nogaro. Public safety concerns after the 1955 Le Mans disaster caused the number of road racing events on public roads in Europe to decrease. Plans were made to create a permanent race circuit and construction began in 1959 at a site near the Nogaro airport.{{fact|date=April 2023}}
The race circuit opened on 3 October 1960 as the first purpose-built race circuit in France.{{cite web |title=Nogaro - Racing Circuits |url=http://www.racingcircuits.info/europe/france/nogaro.html |website=RacingCircuits.info |access-date=5 June 2015}}{{cite web |title=Nogaro - Circuit en Chiffres |url=https://www.circuit-nogaro.com/en/le-circuit/circuit-en-chiffres/ |access-date=8 January 2023}}{{cite web|title=Circuit Automobile Paul Armagnac|url=http://nogaro-armagnac.fr/circuit|website=Nogaro en Armagnac|publisher=Mairie de Nogaro en Armagnac|access-date=5 June 2015}} The first race held at the new circuit was the Nogaro Grand Prix for Formula Junior cars, won by Bruno Basini. Initially {{convert|1.752|km|mi|abbr=on}} long, it was expanded in 1973 and 1989 to its current {{convert|3.636|km|mi|abbr=on}} length. In 2007 the circuit was modernized including a new control tower, a new pitlane and widening the track to {{convert|12|m|abbr=on}}.{{fact|date=April 2023}}
The venue hosted Formula Two championship races from 1975 to 1978. It also hosted the French motorcycle Grand Prix in 1978 and 1982; the 1982 race saw a boycott from major teams and riders over safety concerns, resulting in the now-MotoGP leaving the track permanently at the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SfsDAAAAMBAJ&q=1982+french+motorcycle+grand+prix+boycott&pg=PA50|title=American Motorcyclist|first=American Motorcyclist|last=Assoc|date=1 September 1982|publisher=American Motorcyclist Assoc|accessdate=5 July 2018|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|url=http://www.paddock-gp.com/oldies-grand-prix-de-france-1982-boycott-pilotes/|title=[Vidéo] Grand Prix de France 1982 : Le boycott des pilotes ! - Paddock GP|date=26 February 2017|website=Paddock-gp.com|accessdate=5 July 2018}} The Nogaro circuit also hosted the European Touring Car Championship from 1985 to 1988.{{fact|date=April 2023}}
Track description
The track is relatively flat, with {{convert|6|m|abbr=on}} difference in elevation between its highest and lowest points. It is raced clockwise and consists of two long straights, the {{convert|0.950|km|mi|abbr=on}} long start-finish straight named after Nogaro-born motorcycle constructor Claude Fior and the almost parallel aerodrome straight, linked by sections of several slow corners. The aerodrome straight passes alongside the neighbouring Nogaro Aerodrome.
Events
; Current
- April: FFSA GT Championship {{ill|Coupes de Pâques de Nogaro|fr|Coupes de Pâques}}, Alpine Elf Cup Series, French F4 Championship, Renault Clio Cup Europe
- May: {{ill|French Superbike Championship|fr|Championnat de France Superbike}}
- June: Grand Prix Camions de Nogaro
- September: Fun Cup France
; Former
- Blancpain Sprint Series (2013–2015)
- BPR Global GT Series (1995–1996)
- British Formula One Championship (1979)
- European Eco-Marathon Competition (2000–2009){{cite web|title=Shell Eco Marathon 2015|url=http://www.michelin.com/eng/media-room/events/Shell-Eco-Marathon-2015|website=Michelin|access-date=5 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615012932/http://www.michelin.com/eng/media-room/events/Shell-Eco-Marathon-2015|archive-date=15 June 2015|url-status=dead}}
- Eurocup Formula Renault (1993, 1996–1997)
- European Formula Two Championship (1975–1978)
- European Touring Car Championship (1985–1988)
- European Truck Racing Championship (2000–2016)
- F4 Spanish Championship (2017)
- FIA European Formula 3 Championship (1982–1984)
- FIA GT Championship (2007–2008)
- FIA GT1 World Championship (2012)
- FIA GT3 European Championship (2008, 2012)
- FIA Sportscar Championship
- FIA Sportscar Championship Nogaro (2003)
- Formula 3 Euro Series (2007)
- Formula 750 (1976, 1979)
- French Formula Three Championship (1964–1973, 1980–2002)
- French Formula Renault Championship (1971–2009)
- French Supertouring Championship (1976–2005)
- Grand Prix motorcycle racing
- French motorcycle Grand Prix (1978, 1982)
- GT4 European Series (2007–2008, 2015)
- International Formula 3000
- Grand Prix de Nogaro (1990–1993)
- NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (2009–2013)
- Porsche Carrera Cup France (1987–2011, 2014, 2019, 2022)
- Sidecar World Championship (1978)
- V de V Series (2011–2012)
Lap records
File:Circuit Paul Armagnac Sur.svg
The official lap record for the current Grand Prix circuit layout is 1:20.160, set by Alessandro Zanardi during the 1991 Nogaro F3000 round, while the unofficial all-time track record is 1:17.342, set by Franck Lagorce in the qualifying of 1993 Nogaro F3000 round.{{cite web |title=Nogaro - Motor Sport Magazine |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/circuits/nogaro/ |website=Motor Sport Magazine |access-date=13 January 2022}} As of April 2025, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuit Paul Armagnac are listed as:
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.circuit-nogaro.com/en/}}
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