# Circuit Paul Armagnac

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.

## 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. The first race held at the new circuit was the Nogaro Grand Prix for Formula Junior cars, won by Bruno Basini. Initially 1.752 km (1.089 mi) long, it was expanded in 1973 and 1989 to its current 3.636 km (2.259 mi) length. In 2007 the circuit was modernized including a new control tower, a new pitlane and widening the track to 12 m (39 ft).
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 6 m (20 ft) difference in elevation between its highest and lowest points. It is raced clockwise and consists of two long straights, the 0.950 km (0.590 mi) 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 Coupes de Pâques de Nogaro [fr], Alpine Elf Cup Series, French F4 Championship, Renault Clio Cup Europe
* May: French Superbike Championship [fr]
* June: Grand Prix Camions de Nogaro
* September: Fun Cup France

### Former

* Blancpain Sprint Series (2013–2015)
* BPR Global GT Series (1995–1996)
* British Formula One Championship (1979)
* European Eco-Marathon Competition (2000–2009)
* 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. 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 |||||
| Formula 3000 | 1:20.160 | Alessandro Zanardi | Reynard 91D | 1991 Nogaro F3000 round |
| Formula Three | 1:22.226 | Romain Grosjean | Dallara F305 | 2007 Nogaro F3 Euro Series round |
| LMP900 | 1:23.906 | Beppe Gabbiani | Dome S101 | 2003 Nogaro FIA Sportscar Championship round |
| LMP3 | 1:24.218 | Nelson Panciatici | Ligier JS P3 | 2016 Nogaro FFSA GTP round |
| Formula Renault 2.0 | 1:24.437 | Arthur Pic | Tatuus FR2000 | 2009 Nogaro Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup round |
| GT1 (GTS) | 1:25.326 | Gregory Franchi | Saleen S7-R | 2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours |
| Formula 4 | 1:25.929 | Yani Stevenheydens | Mygale M21-F4 | 2024 Nogaro French F4 round |
| Superbike | 1:26.357 | Kenny Foray | BMW M1000RR | 2024 Nogaro French Superbike round |
| GT3 | 1:26.982 | Stéphane Ortelli | Audi R8 LMS ultra | 2015 Nogaro Blancpain GT Sprint Series round |
| Porsche Carrera Cup | 1:27.807 | Louis Perrot | Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup | 2024 Nogaro Porsche Sprint Challenge France round |
| GT2 | 1:28.030 | Andrew Kirkaldy | Ferrari F430 GT2 | 2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours |
| LMP675 | 1:28.039 | Mirko Savoldi | Lucchini SR2002 | 2003 Nogaro FIA Sportscar Championship round |
| Supersport | 1:28.189 | Corentin Perolari [de] | Honda CBR600RR | 2024 Nogaro French Supersport round |
| GT1 | 1:28.218 | Jean-Marc Gounon | Ferrari F40 GTE | 1996 BPR 4 Hours of Nogaro |
| FIA-Group 2 | 1:29.379 | Tomáš Enge | Aston Martin Vantage GT2 | 2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours |
| Formula Renault 1.6 | 1:30.368 | Lasse Sørensen | Signatech FR 1.6 | 2014 Nogaro French F4 round |
| GT4 | 1:30.736 | Loris Cabirou | Ginetta G56 GT4 Evo | 2024 Nogaro French GT4 Cup round |
| GT2 (GTS) | 1:31.581 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Porsche 911 GT2 | 1999 Nogaro FFSA GT round |
| Silhouette racing car | 1:31.979 | Soheil Ayari | Peugeot 406 Coupé Silhouette | 2002 Nogaro French Supertouring round |
| TCR Touring Car | 1:32.199 | Julien Paget | Cupra León Compéticion TCR | 2024 Nogaro TC France round |
| Alpine Elf Europa Cup | 1:32.355 | Charles Roussanne | Alpine A110 Cup | 2024 Nogaro Alpine Elf Europa Cup round |
| Stock car racing | 1:34.838 | Ander Vilariño | Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR | 2013 Nogaro NASCAR Whelen Euro Series round |
| Supersport 300 | 1:38.005 | Livio Mirabel | Kawasaki Ninja 400 | 2024 Nogaro French Supersport 300 round |
| Renault Clio Cup | 1:40.582 | Nicolas Milan | Renault Clio R.S. IV | 2018 Nogaro Renault Clio Cup France round |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1973–1988): 3.120 km |||||
| Formula One | 1:11.860 | Ricardo Zunino | Arrows A1 | 1979 Nogaro British F1 round |
| Formula Three | 1:12.120 | Éric Bernard | Ralt RT31 | 1987 1st Nogaro French F3 round |
| Formula Two | 1:12.390 | Bruno Giacomelli | March 782 | 1978 Nogaro F2 round |
| Formula Renault 2.0 | 1:21.220 | Patrick Gonin | Martini MK33 | 1981 1st Nogaro French Formula Renault round |
| Group A | 1:21.240 | Klaus Ludwig | Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth | 1988 Nogaro ETCC round |
| 500cc | 1:22.800 | Kenny Roberts | Yamaha YZR500 | 1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix |
| 350cc | 1:24.500 | Gregg Hansford | Kawasaki KR350 | 1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix |
| 250cc | 1:25.000 | Jean-François Baldé | Kawasaki KR250 | 1982 French motorcycle Grand Prix |
| Sidecar (B2A) | 1:29.600 | Rolf Biland | Beo-Yamaha | 1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix |
| 125cc | 1:30.060 | Jean-Claude Selini [fr] | Morbidelli 125 GP | 1982 French motorcycle Grand Prix |
| Original Circuit (1960–1973): 1.752 km |||||
| Formula Three | 0:51.700 | Christian Ethuin [pl] | Martini MK12 | 1973 1st Nogaro French F3 round |
| Formula Renault 2.0 | 0:59.300 | Max Jean | Martini MK33 | 1968 1st Nogaro French Formula Renault round |
| Formula Junior | 1:03.000 | Jean Vinatier | Lotus 27 | 1963 Nogaro French Formula Junior round |