We’re getting into the good stuff now as we visit Paul Ricard. I’m old enough to have driven it in its original form in a 700PS (515kW) GT1 Dodge Viper, and while I preferred its somewhat more ‘no prisoners’ former topography to the super safe environment provided today, it’s still an awesome technical challenge and Signes, the right hander at the end of the endless straight, remains one of the world’s great corners in any car without monster downforce.
Now we go to Clermont-Ferrand and if you do too and work your way around the roads that make up the old circuit, you’ll barely believe they raced F1 cars there. The problem is that it is utterly relentless, quite quick but with corner after corner after corner. There’s barely a straight worthy of the mention. It’s the one place I’ve heard of where drivers were regularly and physically sick during the race. I’d need more time and closed facilities to really get my head around it, but even a few hours there was an education.
Which leaves Rouen and Dijon. And I think the run from the pits down the hill at Rouen to the now no longer cobbled Nouveau Monde hairpin is the scariest section of track I have ever seen. More frightening than anything at the ‘Ring or original Spa. Just the thought of racing down it terrifies me. It is incredible and while there is little or no infrastructure left, just to visit and goggle at what they did is worth the detour to the little hamlet of Les Essarts. Formula 1 stopped after Jo Schlesser lost control of his Honda and crashed to his death there in 1968 and, on balance, it was clearly for the best.