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French Grand Prix Preview

Andrew Frankl
European Bureau Chief

There have been some great races on some great race tracks in France but the present one, Magny Cours is definitely not one them. A more appalling concrete jungle one would have problem imagining it really is seriously YUK. Nevers, the nearest town is very much a C- in a country where it is really difficult to find boring places or bad food and drink. I am sure there are some nice places in that part of France but I have yet to find one. A great pity.

The French Grand Prix dates back to 1906 when a Hungarian by the name of Ferenc Szisz won in a 13 litre Renault. This famous carmaker had to wait 73 years for their next victory on a pretty little track near Dijon. What a place, what food and wine, not to mention the mustard! This was the scene of an epic battle between Gilles Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux in 1979 when they banged wheels all the way round the last lap only to embrace each other on the podium.

Paul Ricard was not a great racetrack but at least it was half an hour from the Med. Reims, where Fangio and Hawthorn battled in the heart of champagne country is also history. There have been no fewer than 18 circuits between 1906 and 1997 and the current one is the worst, although probably the safest. It was in Reims that the Italian Gincarlo Baghetti slipstreamed Dan Gurney to win by 0.1 of a second. He never won another race.

Three times world champion Jack Brabham became the first driver to win a Grand Prix in a car carrying his own name also at Reims in 1966.

In Sunday' s 72 lap race there will be rather a lot of new names, new faces for a variety of reasons. The most obvious is of the case of Panis. The unfortunate Frenchman broke both legs in Canada and will be watching the race on television from his hospital bed. His replacement will be the 21 year old Italian, Jarno Trulli. His place in the Minardi will be taken by the Brazilian Tarzo Marques whilst Sauber had to go to Japan for Argentian Norberto Fontana who was racing there to earn lots of money. Whilst racing in Japan may be pretty obscure and unreported by the World's media a lot of drivers make the long haul to race there as the pay is exceptionally good.

It will not be decided until Friday morning whether Gerhard Berger or his young countryman Alex Wurz will drive the Benetton-Renault, Gerhard is still suffering from his recent sinus operation.

Villeneuve will be anxious to make up for his huge error of judgement in Canada whilst Heinz-Harald Frentzen has a clock ticking over his head. After three pathetic drives in succession he will either deliver soon or will be out of the Williams by the end of the year if not sooner.