Facts and Figures about the Circuit Paul Ricard

• The circuit was opened on 19 April 1970 with finance form pastis magnate Paul Ricard.
• The circuit hosted the Formula One Grand Prix from 1971 to 1990.
• The highlight of the circuit was the 1.8km Mistral Straight followed by the high-speed right hander at Signes.
• In 1999 the circuit was sold to Excelis, a company owned by Bernie Ecclestone, and the track was rebuilt into an advanced test track, known at the Paul Ricard HTTT (High Tech Test Track).
• The current circuit is 5.791km.
• The circuit is known for its distinctive coloured runoff areas.  The surface of the ‘blue zone’ is a mixture of asphalt and tungsten and the ‘red zone’ has a more abrasive surface to maximise tyre grip and minimise braking distances.  This approach meant the use of gravel traps was not needed.
• This year it will be the second visit of the Michelin Le Mans Cup to the Paul Ricard track. SMP Racing won last year's race with its n°72 Ferrari F488 driven by Aleksey Basov and Victor Shaitar. 

The Le Castellet round is the fourth of the 2017 Michelin Le Mans Cup and will be held on Saturday 26th of August and 20 entries will take part to the race.