French Grand Prix

The French Grand Prix (1906-1967: Grand Prix de l'ACF, 1968-2022: Grand Prix de France) was a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA) annual Formula One (F1) automobile racing championships.

Grand Prix motor racing started in France. The French Grand Prix was open to international competition. It is the oldest Grand Prix race. It was first run on 26 June 1906,  under the Automobile Club de France in Sarthe. The first race had a starting field of 32 automobiles.

 History 
The first World Championships were organized in 1925. It included the French Grand Prix, the Italian Grand Prix, the Belgian Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500. The French Grand Prix was part of the Formula One championships from their start in 1950. The last F1 Grand Prix was held in 2008. It was called the European Grand Prix four times between 1924 and 1966. During this time, the title was an honorary name. It was given to one grand prix race held in Europe each year

The race has been held at several racetracks in France, such as the Autodrome de Montlhéry.  Since 1991 its permanent home was the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours (often called just Magny-Cours). The move to Magny-Cours was an attempt to stimulate the economy of the area, but many within Formula One complained about the remote nature of the circuit.

On 29 March 2007 it was announced by the FFSA, the race promoter, that the 2008 French Grand Prix was put on an indefinite "pause". This suspension was due to the financial problems of the circuit. Many in F1 did not like the circuit because of the remote location. On 31 May, Bernie Ecclestone confirmed that the 2007 French Grand Prix would be the last to be held at Magny-Cours.

After negotiations, the future of the race improved. Ecclestone himself stating "We're going to maybe resurrect it for a year, or something like that". On 24 July, Ecclestone and the Prime Minister of France met. They agreed to try to keep the race at Magny-Cours for 2008 and 2009. On 27 July, when the FIA published the  calendar with a French Grand Prix scheduled at Magny-Cours. The 2009 race, however, was again cancelled on 15 October 2008, with the official website citing "economic reasons". 

 The future 
A major remodeling project of Magny-Cours ("2.0") was planned, but canceled in the end. FFSA, the race's promoter, started looking for an another host circuit. There were five different proposals for a new circuit. One in Rouen with 3 possible layouts: a street circuit, in the dock area, or a permanent circuit near the airport. A street circuit located near Disneyland Resort Paris. A location in Versailles. And one in Sarcelles (Val de France). They were all were canceled. A final location in Flins-Les Mureaux, near the Flins Renault Factory was considered, that was canceled as well on 1 December 2009. In 2010 and 2011, there was no French Grand Prix on the Formula 1 calendar, although the Paul Ricard Circuit has proposed itself for 2012. The French Grand Prix was not included in the released 2012 schedule.

 Sponsors 
Rhône-Poulenc Grand Prix de France 1988-1993
Mobil 1 Grand Prix de France 1998-2004
Allianz Grand Prix de France 2005-2007
RBS Grand Prix de France 2008
Pirelli Grand Prix de France 2018-2019, 2021
Lenovo Grand Prix de France 2022
Qatar Airways Grand Prix de France 2025

 Winners of the French Grand Prix 
 Repeat winners (drivers) 
 Number of wins Driver Years 8  Michael Schumacher 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006 6  Alain Prost 1981, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993 4  Louis Chiron 1931, 1934, 1937, 1947  Juan Manuel Fangio 1950, 1951, 1954, 1957  Nigel Mansell 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992 3  Jack Brabham 1960, 1966, 1967  Jackie Stewart 1969, 1971, 1972 2  Christian Lautenschlager 1908, 1914  Felice Nazzaro 1907, 1922  Georges Boillot 1912, 1913  Giuseppe Campari 1924, 1933  Robert Benoist 1925, 1927  William Grover-Williams 1928, 1929  Jean-Pierre Wimille 1936, 1948  Dan Gurney 1962, 1964  Jim Clark 1963, 1965  Ronnie Peterson 1973, 1974  Mario Andretti 1977, 1978  Niki Lauda 1975, 1984
Active drivers are in bold.
Event that were not part of the Formula One World Championship have a pink background.
Event that were part of the pre-war European Championship have a cream background.

 Louis Chiron won the 1931 race, but shared the win in the Bugatti with Achille Varzi.
 Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1951 race, but shared the win in the Alfa Romeo 159-car with Luigi Fagioli.

 Repeat winners (constructors) 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! # of wins
! Constructor
! Years won
|-
! 17
|  Ferrari
| 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1968, 1975, 1990, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008
|-
! 9
|  Williams
| 1980, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2003, <span style="background-color:#ffcccc">2025
|-
! 7
|  Lotus
| 1963, 1965, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978
|-
! rowspan="3" | 6
|  Bugatti
| 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1936
|-
|  Alfa Romeo
| 1924, 1932, 1934, 1948, 1950, 1951
|-
|  Renault
| 1906, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 2005
|-
! 5
|  McLaren| 1976, 1984, 1988, 1989, 2000
|-
! 4
|  Brabham
| 1964, 1966, 1967, 1985
|-
! rowspan="9" | 2
|  Peugeot
| 1912, 1913
|-
|  Mercedes
| 1908, 1914
|-
|  Fiat
| 1907, 1922
|-
|  Delage
| 1925, 1927
|-
|  Mercedes-Benz| 1935, 1938
|-
|  Talbot-Lago
| 1947, 1949
|-
|  Maserati
| 1933, 1957
|-
|  Tyrrell
| 1971, 1972
|-
|  Benetton
| 1994, 1995
|-
|}
Active constructors are in bold'''.
Event that were not part of the Formula One World Championship have a pink background.
Event that were part of the pre-war European Championship have a cream background.

 By year 
 Year Driver Constructor Location   Alex Albon Williams-Mercedes Le Mans Full Circuit 2023-2024 Not held   Max Verstappen Red Bull-RBPT Paul Ricard Full Circuit   Max Verstappen Red Bull-Honda Paul Ricard Full Circuit 2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic   Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Paul Ricard Full Circuit   Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Paul Ricard Full Circuit 2017-2009 Not held 2008  Felipe Massa Ferrari Magny-Cours 2007  Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari Magny-Cours 2006  Michael Schumacher Ferrari Magny-Cours 2005  Fernando Alonso Renault Magny-Cours 2004  Michael Schumacher Ferrari Magny-Cours 2003  Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW Magny-Cours 2002  Michael Schumacher Ferrari Magny-Cours 2001  Michael Schumacher Ferrari Magny-Cours 2000  David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes Magny-Cours 1999  Heinz-Harald Frentzen Jordan-Mugen-Honda Magny-Cours 1998  Michael Schumacher Ferrari Magny-Cours 1997  Michael Schumacher Ferrari Magny-Cours 1996  Damon Hill Williams-Renault Magny-Cours 1995  Michael Schumacher Benetton-Renault Magny-Cours 1994  Michael Schumacher Benetton-Ford Magny-Cours 1993  Alain Prost Williams-Renault Magny-Cours 1992  Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault Magny-Cours 1991  Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault Magny-Cours 1990  Alain Prost Ferrari Paul Ricard Short Circuit 1989  Alain Prost McLaren-Honda Paul Ricard Short Circuit 1988  Alain Prost McLaren-Honda Paul Ricard Short Circuit 1987  Nigel Mansell Williams-Honda Paul Ricard Short Circuit 1986  Nigel Mansell Williams-Honda Paul Ricard Short Circuit 1985  Nelson Piquet Brabham-BMW Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1984  Niki Lauda McLaren-TAG Dijon 1983  Alain Prost Renault Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1982  René Arnoux Renault Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1981  Alain Prost Renault Dijon 1980  Alan Jones Williams-Ford Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1979  Jean-Pierre Jabouille Renault Dijon 1978  Mario Andretti Lotus-Ford Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1977  Mario Andretti Lotus-Ford Dijon 1976  James Hunt McLaren-Ford Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1975  Niki Lauda Ferrari Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1974  Ronnie Peterson Lotus-Ford Dijon 1973  Ronnie Peterson Lotus-Ford Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1972  Jackie Stewart Tyrrell-Ford Charade 1971  Jackie Stewart Tyrrell-Ford Paul Ricard Full Circuit 1970  Jochen Rindt Lotus-Ford Charade 1969  Jackie Stewart Matra-Ford Charade 1968  Jacky Ickx Ferrari Rouen-Les-Essarts 1967  Jack Brabham Brabham-Repco Le Mans-Bugatti 1966  Jack Brabham Brabham-Repco Reims 1965  Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Charade 1964  Dan Gurney Brabham-Climax Rouen-Les-Essarts 1963  Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Reims 1962  Dan Gurney Porsche Rouen-Les-Essarts 1961  Giancarlo Baghetti Ferrari Reims 1960  Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax Reims 1959  Tony Brooks Ferrari Reims 1958  Mike Hawthorn Ferrari Reims 1957  Juan Manuel Fangio Maserati Rouen-Les-Essarts 1956  Peter Collins Ferrari Reims 1955 Cancelled due to 1955 Le Mans disaster 1954  Juan Manuel Fangio Mercedes Reims 1953  Mike Hawthorn Ferrari Reims 1952  Alberto Ascari Ferrari Rouen-Les-Essarts 1951  Luigi Fagioli   Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo Reims 1950  Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo Reims 1949  Louis Chiron Talbot-Lago Reims 1948  Jean-Pierre Wimille Alfa Romeo Reims 1947  Louis Chiron Talbot-Lago Lyon-Parilly 1946-1940 Not held due to World War II 1939  Hermann Paul Müller Auto Union Reims 1938  Manfred von Brauchitsch Mercedes-Benz Reims 1937  Louis Chiron Talbot Montlhéry 1936  Jean-Pierre Wimille Raymond Sommer Bugatti Montlhéry 1935  Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz Montlhéry 1934  Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo Montlhéry 1933  Giuseppe Campari Maserati Montlhéry 1932  Tazio Nuvolari Alfa Romeo Reims 1931  Louis Chiron  Achille Varzi Bugatti Montlhéry 1930  Philippe Étancelin Bugatti Pau 1929  William Grover-Williams Bugatti Le Mans 1928  William Grover-Williams Bugatti Saint-Gaudens 1927  Robert Benoist Delage Montlhéry 1926  Jules Goux Bugatti Miramas 1925  Robert Benoist  Albert Divo Delage Montlhéry 1924  Giuseppe Campari Alfa Romeo Lyon 1923  Henry Segrave Sunbeam Tours 1922  Felice Nazzaro Fiat Strasbourg 1921  Jimmy Murphy Duesenberg Le Mans 1920-1915 Not held due to World War I 1914  Christian Lautenschlager Mercedes Lyon 1913  Georges Boillot Peugeot Amiens 1912  Georges Boillot Peugeot Dieppe 1911-1909 Not held 1908  Christian Lautenschlager Mercedes Dieppe 1907  Felice Nazzaro Fiat Dieppe 1906  Ferenc Szisz Renault Le Mans
Event that were not part of the Formula One World Championship have a pink background.
Event that were part of the pre-war European Championship have a cream background.

Broadcasting
United Kingdom

 Year Network Lap-by-lap Colour commentator(s)  Sky Sports F1 David Croft Martin Brundle Channel 4 Ben Edwards David Coulthard  ITV James Allen Martin Brundle       F1 Digital+ Ben Edwards John Watson ITV James Allen Martin Brundle  James Allen   Murray Walker    BBC Two Jonathan Palmer Eurosport Ben Edwards John Watson  BBC Two Murray Walker Jonathan Palmer Eurosport Ben Edwards John Watson  BBC One Murray Walker Jonathan Palmer Eurosport Allard Kalff John Watson  BBC One Murray Walker Jonathan Palmer Eurosport Allard Kalff John Watson  BBC One Murray Walker James Hunt Eurosport Allard Kalff John Watson  BBC Two Murray Walker James Hunt Eurosport Richard Nicholls John Watson  BBC Two Murray Walker James Hunt Eurosport Richard Nicholls John Watson  BBC Two Murray Walker James Hunt   BBC One  BBC Two  BBC One  BBC Two  BBC Two         BBC One Raymond Baxter     BBC Television    Robin Richards

 1985, Race started on BBC One but coverage of the race moved to BBC Two because of other scheduled programming.

 References 

 Other websites 

 French Grand Prix Results, Live Timing, Quiz & Discussion 
 Site officiel du Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
 Official Website of the French Grand Prix 

Category:Formula One Grands Prix