Rouen-les-Essarts Circuit all layouts with Abandoned Sections - Onboard POV
In this Circuits of the past video, we show you all layouts of the lost Rouen-les-Essarts street circuit in France. During the ride Simon Smith tells you about the history of the track We also stop at some abandoned sections, like the remains of a grandstand and the permanent section.
In 1950 the Automobile Club of Normandy opened the new ‘Circuit Rouen-les-Essarts’, southwest of the French city Rouen and near the village of Les-Essarts. The triangular street circuit was formed by 5.1 km long traject on public roads. With its permanent pits and grandstand facilities, it was one of the most modern circuits of it’s time.
In 1952 Circuit Rouen-les-Essarts host its first Formula One French Grand Prix, won by Alberto Ascari in his Ferrari. The next Grand Prix at Rouen was in 1957, followed by Grand Prix in 1962, 1964 and 1968.
Most feared part was the downhill section after Start/Finish. This section was named Six Freres which is French for Six Brothers. It contained a series of fast kinks.
The biggest swanks, who claimed they could take the whole series flat out, gave it the nickname Chickens Lift. Drivers who lift the throttle where chickens in their eyes. If they really took this section flat out is unknown, there was no telemetry those days…
During the 1968 French Grand Prix, Jo Schlesser - the uncle of Jean Louis Schlesser - was killed by an accident in the feared downhill section after Start/Finish. After that accident, the fast street circuit was found to dangerous and Formula One never came back to Rouen-les-Essarts.
After it lost the French Grand Prix, the Rouen-les-Essarts Circuit was used for Formula Two races until 1978. Since 1978 the major event was the annual round for the French Formula 3 Championship.
To improve safety in this dangerous descent, a temporary chicane was built in 1973. Since 1974 there was a permanent chicane a little further than the temporary chicane. And that permanent chicane is still there, but now as a parking!
However, at the end of the 1993 season, the street circuit was found to dangerous for all series and was no longer used.
There have been plans to build a new permanent race track inside the old street circuit. This new track should include the permanent section between Gresil and Paradis, which was built in 1972. We will see that section later in the video.
Unfortunately these plans have not been realized for financial reasons. Circuit Rouen-les-Essarts officially closed in 1994, forever!
After the Rouen-les-Essarts circuit offifially closed the pitbuilding and grandstands were left abandoned. But in 1999, bulldozers appeared to make space for a road extension.
After the demolition of the pits and grandstands the location was no longer recognizalbe as the former Rouen-les-Essarts street circuit. Only die hard fans like us will recognize that this road once was one of the most beautiful street circuits in the world.
See also the article on the website for more information about this circuit:
www.circuitsof... (English)
www.circuitsof... (Nederlands)
Special thanks to Simon Smith for the voiceover. Visit also his channel: / higherplaingames
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#Rouen #FrenchGP #F1
2 окт 2024
