French GP

The Ferrari will be in pole position for tomorrow's French Grand Prix.

For reasons unknown the 1966 French Grand Prix at Reims was not used in the film, which instead used the Circuit de Charade, also known as Circuit Clermont-Ferrand.

Pete Aron is forced to work as a TV interviewer at this race, having been sacked by his Jordan BRM team for causing a crash with his team mate in Monaco.

That team mate, Scott Stoddard is still recovering from serious injuries sustained in the crash.

Clermont Ferrand

The track was originally built after the Second World War, when the President of the Sports Association of the Automobile Club of Auvergne, Jean Auchatraire, and accomplished racer Louis Rosier designed a course by adapting existing roads around the Puy de Dôme, an extinct volcano. Construction began in May 1957 and the first race was held in July 1958.

Circuit de Charade

Ref.	Name	Used
C8204	R3	20
C8205	S	40
C8202	R1	29
C8200	1/4S	4
C8235	R4	23
C8206	R2	17
C8278	1/2 R1	3
C8207	1/2S	10

Scalextric Sport

Size 11.08 x 4.92m, 36.35 x 16.15ft

The Circuit

Length: 5.005 Miles, 8.055 km
Direction: Clockwise

Originally, the 5 mile long circuit was described as an even twistier and faster version of the Nürburgring. With a relentless number of sharp curves and elevation changes and with almost no discernible straights, the circuit was both feared and respected by competitors.

But while the circuit's natural setting created a sinuous, challenging race course, it also created safety concerns due to the dark, volcanic rocks which fell from the mountain onto both sides of the track.

Clermont Ferrand hosted the French GP four times, but inevitably, like so many other circuits, safety concerns surfaced, and from 1973 to 1990, Circuit Paul Ricard became the regular venue for the race. Charade never hosted an F1 GP again.