Circuit Paul Armagnac Explained

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.^[1]

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.

The race circuit opened on 3 October 1960 as the first purpose-built race circuit in France.^{[2] [3] [4]} The first race held at the new circuit was the Nogaro Grand Prix for Formula Junior cars, won by Bruno Basini.^[2] Initially 1.752km (01.089miles) long, it was expanded in 1973 and 1989 to its current 3.636km (02.259miles) length. In 2007 the circuit was modernized including a new control tower, a new pitlane and widening the track to 12m (39feet).

The venue hosted Formula Two championship races from 1975 to 1978. It also hosted the French motorcycle Grand Prix in 1978 and 1982. The Nogaro circuit also hosted the European Touring Car Championship from 1985 to 1988.

Track description

The track is relatively flat, with 6m (20feet) difference in elevation between its highest and lowest points. It is raced clockwise and consists of two long straights, the 0.95km (00.59miles) 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 , Alpine Elf Europa Cup, French F4 Championship, Renault Clio Cup France, Renault Clio Cup Spain
• June:, Grand Prix Camions de Nogaro
• September: Fun Cup France, Historic Tour Nogaro

Former

• Blancpain Sprint Series (2013–2015)
• BPR Global GT Series (1995–1996)
• British Formula One Championship (1979)
• European Eco-Marathon Competition (2000–2009)^[5]
• 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
  • 2003 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

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.^[6] As of June 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuit Paul Armagnac are listed as:

Category	Time	Driver	Vehicle	Event
Grand Prix Circuit (1989–present): 3.636 km
	1:20.160^[7]			1991 Nogaro F3000 round
	1:22.226^[8]			2007 Nogaro F3 Euro Series round
	1:23.906^[9]			2003 Nogaro FIA Sportscar Championship round
	1:24.218^[10]	Nelson Panciatici^[11]		2016 Nogaro FFSA GTP round
	1:24.437^[12]			2009 Nogaro Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup round
	1:25.326^[13]			2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours
	1:25.929^[14]			2024 Nogaro French F4 round
	1:26.357^[15]			2024 Nogaro French Superbike round
	1:26.982^[16]			2015 Nogaro Blancpain GT Sprint Series round
	1:27.807^[17]			2024 Nogaro Porsche Sprint Challenge France round
	1:28.030			2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours
	1:28.039			2003 Nogaro FIA Sportscar Championship round
	1:28.189^[18]			2024 Nogaro French Supersport round
	1:28.218^[19]			1996 4 Hours of Nogaro
	1:29.379			2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours
	1:30.368^[20]			2014 Nogaro French F4 round
	1:30.736^[21]			2024 Nogaro French GT4 Cup round
	1:31.581^[22]			1999 Nogaro FFSA GT round
	1:31.979^[23]			2002 Nogaro French Supertouring round
	1:32.199^[24]			2024 Nogaro TC France round
	1:32.355^[25]			2024 Nogaro Alpine Elf Europa Cup round
	1:34.838^[26]			2013 Nogaro NASCAR Whelen Euro Series round
	1:38.005^[27]			2024 Nogaro French Supersport 300 round
	1:40.582^[28]			2018 Nogaro Renault Clio Cup France round
Grand Prix Circuit (1973–1988): 3.120 km
	1:11.860^[29]			1979 Nogaro British F1 round
	1:12.120^[30]			1987 1st Nogaro French F3 round
	1:12.390^[31]			1978 Nogaro F2 round
	1:21.220^[32]			1981 1st Nogaro French Formula Renault round
	1:21.240^[33]			1988 Nogaro ETCC round
	1:22.800			1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix
	1:24.500			1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix
	1:25.000			1982 French motorcycle Grand Prix
	1:29.600			1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix
	1:30.060			1982 French motorcycle Grand Prix
Original Circuit (1960–1973): 1.752 km
	0:51.700^[34]			1973 1st Nogaro French F3 round
	0:59.300^[35]			1968 1st Nogaro French Formula Renault round
	1:03.000^[36]			1963 Nogaro French Formula Junior round

Notes and References

1. Web site: Foubert. Claude. Le circuit de Nogaro fête ses 50 ans…. Endurance-Info.com. Laurent Mercier. 5 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208053121/http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/actualite-endurance-5186/. 8 December 2015. dead.
2. Web site: Nogaro - Racing Circuits . RacingCircuits.info . 5 June 2015.
3. Web site: Nogaro - Circuit en Chiffres . 8 January 2023.
4. Web site: Circuit Automobile Paul Armagnac. Nogaro en Armagnac. Mairie de Nogaro en Armagnac. 5 June 2015.
5. Web site: Shell Eco Marathon 2015. Michelin. 5 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150615012932/http://www.michelin.com/eng/media-room/events/Shell-Eco-Marathon-2015. 15 June 2015. dead.
6. Web site: Nogaro - Motor Sport Magazine . . 13 January 2022.
7. Web site: 1991 Nogaro Grand Prix . . 6 October 1991 . 8 January 2023.
8. Web site: 2007 Nogaro European F3 . . 30 September 2007 . 8 January 2023.
9. Web site: FIA Sportscar Championship Nogaro 2003 . 21 September 2003 . 3 April 2021.
10. Web site: FFSA GTP Championship Nogaro 2016 . 28 March 2016 . 8 January 2023.
11. Web site: Championnat de France Prototypes 2016 standings . 8 January 2023.
12. Web site: 2009 WEC Formula Renault Nogaro (Race 2) . 13 April 2009 . 5 November 2023.
13. Web site: FIA GT Championship Nogaro 2008 . 5 October 2008 . 3 April 2021.
14. Web site: Championnat de France FFSA des Circuits - Coupes de Pâques - 28 March 2024 - 01 April 2024 - Championnat de France F4 Race 1 Final Classification . 1 April 2024 . 2 April 2024.
15. Web site: Championnat de France Superbike - 01&02 Juin 2024 - Nogaro - Superbike - Course 1 . 2 June 2024 . 17 June 2024.
16. Web site: Blancpain Sprint Series Nogaro 2015 . 6 April 2015 . 3 April 2021.
17. Web site: Championnat de France FFSA des Circuits - Coupes de Pâques - 28 March 2024 - 01 April 2024 - Porsche Sprint Challenge France Race 2 Final Classification . 1 April 2024 . 2 April 2024.
18. Web site: Championnat de France Superbike - 01&02 Juin 2024 - Nogaro - Supersport 600 - Course 1 . 2 June 2024 . 17 June 2024.
19. Web site: Nogaro 4 Hours 1996 . 6 October 1996 . 16 June 2022.
20. Web site: 2014 French Formula 4 Nogaro (Race 1) . 27 September 2014 . 25 May 2024.
21. Web site: Championnat de France FFSA des Circuits - Coupes de Pâques - 28 March 2024 - 01 April 2024 - Championnat de France FFSA GT Race 2 Final Classification . 1 April 2024 . 2 April 2024.
22. Web site: 1999 French GT Championship Nogaro 24-25 July Race 1: 37 laps . 24 July 1999 . 13 January 2023.
23. Web site: 2002 French Super Touring Championship Round 4: Dijon-Prenois, 30th June Race 1 . 30 June 2002 . 13 January 2023.
24. Web site: Championnat de France FFSA des Circuits - Coupes de Pâques - 28 March 2024 - 01 April 2024 - Championnat de France FFSA TC Race 1 Final Classification . 31 March 2024 . 2 April 2024.
25. Web site: 2024 Nogaro Alpine Elf Europa Cup Race 2 Statistics . 1 April 2024 . 2 April 2024.
26. Web site: 2013 Nogaro 200 Race 1 . 31 March 2013 . 30 April 2022.
27. Web site: Championnat de France Superbike - 01&02 Juin 2024 - Nogaro - Supersport 300 - Course 1 . 2 June 2024 . 17 June 2024.
28. Web site: Championnat de France des Circuits - Coupes de Pâques 29 March 2018 - 2 April 2018 Clio Cup Series Race 1 Final Ranking . 2 April 2018 . 31 July 2023.
29. Web site: 1979 Nogaro Grand Prix . . 8 July 1979 . 8 January 2023.
30. Web site: 1987 Coupe de Pâques . 20 April 1987 . 15 July 2022.
31. Web site: 1978 Nogaro Grand Prix . . 9 July 1978 . 30 April 2022.
32. Web site: 1981 Championnat de France Formule Renault Nogaro . 20 April 1981 . 25 May 2024.
33. Web site: 1988 Nogaro Grand Prix . . 11 September 1988 . 30 April 2022.
34. Web site: 1973 French Formula 3 Coupe des Paques . 23 April 1973 . 15 July 2022.
35. Web site: 1968 Critérium de Formule France Nogaro . 15 April 1968 . 25 May 2024.
36. Web site: IV Grand Prix de Nogaro Formula Junior . 18 August 1963 . 15 July 2022.