This weekend’s French Grand Prix marks the fourth to be held at Paul Ricard because Formulation one returned to the Le Castellet observe in 2018.

Even so, it could verify to be the past F1 race held in the wonderful motorsport country as the circuit’s agreement to host the race is owing to expire at the finish of this year.

Heading into what could be the fourth and closing race at Paul Ricard, listed here at the 6 chatting details for the French Grand Prix weekend.

The closing French Grand Prix… for now?

Very last calendar year Paul Ricard observed by significantly its most intriguing race because it returned to the timetable, with Max Verstappen chasing down and passing Lewis Hamilton for victory in the closing laps.

Even so the observe, which F1 1st frequented in 1971, has usually struggled to create a lot in the way of enjoyment in excess of its 3 races because returning to the Formulation one calendar. Regrettably the possibility of bypassing the uncomfortable Mistral chicane, which could properly have enhanced the spectacle, was by no means taken up.

With the circuit’s agreement to host the French Grand Prix owing to expire at the finish of this year and competitors in excess of which venues will generate the suitable to host Formulation one occasions greater than it probably at any time has been, Paul Ricard appears to be to be toward the major of the listing of circuits most probable to make way for other tracks on the calendar.

That could signify that this weekend could properly verify to be the closing French Grand Prix for the foreseeable potential. But when quite a few could not pass up the observe if it does certainly fall off the timetable, the reduction of a race in one particular of Europe’s most vital motorsport nations will be keenly felt. Specifically when there are two race-successful French motorists on the grid for the 1st time in many years, and Francophone championship contender Charles Leclerc hails from Monaco, considerably less the two hundred kilometres up the highway.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali just lately mentioned the plan of most likely going the French Grand Prix to a new avenue circuit in Great, but there is small to recommend this quantities to additional than a tactic to use stress to the Monaco race promoter. If Formulation one is to get rid of its race in France, ideally it will not be extensive right until a new and additional intriguing host location can be observed. But the country’s only other F1-quality observe, Magny-Cours in rural Nevers, barely matches Liberty Medias’s focus on for races in ‘destination cities’.

Ferrari’s dependability woes

Sainz missing an nearly particular 2nd in AustriaRed Bull were being greatly regarded as quick-but-fragile next the opening rounds of the year. Neither Verstappen nor Sergio Perez completed the 1st race in Bahrain, ahead of Verstappen retired from the Australian Grand Prix with a gas procedure failure, leaving Ferrari as obvious leaders in the constructors’ championship.

Even so, in excess of the 2nd quarter of the calendar year, the narrative has flipped fully. With 4 mechanical-connected retirements similarly shared involving Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr because the Spanish Grand Prix, it is now Ferrari who surface to be at the major danger of breaking down throughout races – some thing the group are not able to find the money for as the group proceeds to contend for wins in opposition to Purple Bull.

Leclerc could even be deemed fortuitous to have gained past time out in Austria, immediately after driving with a partly trapped throttle to maintain in advance of Verstappen in excess of the past ten laps. Sainz, nevertheless, was denied a probable 2nd location immediately after his electrical power device expired so radically in pursuit of Verstappen. It is small shock Ferrari are anxious about their dependability in excess of the relaxation of the year.

“It’s surely a worry,” admitted group principal Mattia Binotto immediately after the race in Austria. “But the men and women back again at Maranello are doing work pretty difficult attempting to take care of them.

“We’ll have new aspects and I know how potent they are doing work, how superior they are, and that I can rely on them that it will be dealt with pretty quickly, ideally as quickly as attainable.”

But they and their rivals will experience an further problem from the ailments this weekend.

Beating the warmth

There will be small escape from the warmth this weekendReaching the top of summer season in the northern hemisphere, it is only purely natural that this weekend’s French Grand Prix would be a heat one particular. But with the existing heatwave throughout Europe, the effect of the significant temperatures has now been felt throughout the sporting earth.

Very last Sunday skilled cycling’s governing physique, the Union Cycliste Internationale, activated its severe weather conditions protocols for the fifteenth phase of the Tour de France, held in the south of the state not significantly from the Le Castellet circuit. Early forecasts forecast temperatures all around the small thirties Celsius – by no usually means severe by F1 specifications – but with the prospective to pose an further pressure to human and device in excess of 3 times of observe motion.

If all those forecasts do change out to be correct, that will make this weekend conveniently the most popular French Grand Prix because Formulation one returned to the circuit in 2018. What that could signify for tyre temperatures in excess of a observe area that could breach 60C is not insignificant both, with some cars and trucks additional vulnerable to overheating their tyres and some others possessing additional troubles with finding their rubber up to exceptional temperatures.

Mercedes’s very best observe of the year?

Mercedes are steadily attaining floor on the leadersMercedes’ dependability has been one particular of the team’s number of vivid places this calendar year, and this weekend’s race claims to be one particular of the strongest nevertheless for the resurgent earth champions. They are presently experiencing their very best 3-race extend of the year, even with George Russell’s 1st-lap retirement at the British Grand Prix.

The important updates launched to the W13 at the Spanish Grand Prix back again in late Could were being centered on improving upon the car’s functionality in the medium-to-significant-velocity corners and appeared to operate properly. But when two back again-to-back again races at avenue circuits appeared to verify hard for Mercedes, Russell nonetheless managed to protected a podium in 3rd. Considering the fact that then, Hamilton has obtained a podium in all 3 races.

Heading to the tremendous-clean tests facility of Paul Ricard – that Formulation one made the decision many years back must participate in host to a grand prix – Mercedes know this will be a circuit wherever the effect of their car’s weaknesses will be minimised. They have experienced issues finding warmth into their tyres this calendar year, but the punishing ailments must aid with that.

As one particular of the quickest circuits of the year by typical lap velocity, and with only a compact variety of actually gradual corners, Mercedes can be expecting to make the most of the Paul Ricard circuit and ideally get even nearer to Purple Bull than they did in Austria, wherever each Hamilton and Russell appeared to be between their rivals in qualifying ahead of individual errors observed each crash out.

But when one-lap rate has seemed markedly enhanced at Mercedes in latest rounds, race rate is one more make any difference. There is nonetheless operate to do if Mercedes are heading to capture up more than enough to start preventing for race wins after yet again.

Can Haas maintain the streak heading?

Two double details finishes in a row for HaasWith seventh on the grid for Kevin Magnussen turning into a fifth location complete, the year-opening Bahrain Grand Prix was as superior a start off to Haas’ 2022 marketing campaign that the group could have realistically hoped for. But immediately after a handful of details in excess of the following 3 rounds, Haas endured by a discouraging 5 race pointless operate, dropping to ninth in the constructors’ championship, one particular stage driving Aston Martin.

Then arrived Silverstone and the British Grand Prix. A important breakthrough for Mick Schumacher observed the team’s 2nd-calendar year driver eventually declare his 1st profession details in Formulation one with eighth location, just driving Verstappen next some specifically strong defending from the earth winner. Magnussen also took tenth to protected the team’s 1st double details complete because the 2019 German Grand Prix.

Then the next weekend in Austria, the group fared even much better. A potent qualifying session on Friday observed Magnussen and Schumacher protected sixth and seventh on the dash race grid, which grew to become seventh and ninth, respectively, for Sunday’s grand prix. In the race, Schumacher drove quite possibly his very best race of his profession so significantly to just take his very best-at any time complete in sixth, when Magnussen held on to eighth even with struggling a misfire from the early levels.

Immediately after two double details finishes in succession, morale at Haas is greater than it has been all year. And with a substantial update offer owing to get there following 7 days at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the group will be searching to maintain their operate of details finishes heading ahead of each Magnussen and Schumacher get the advantage of a ideally enhanced vehicle for the following race.

Observe restrict problems

Paul Ricard has lots of tarmac operate offThe new zero-tolerance technique to observe restrictions in Formulation one launched at the start off of the 2022 year with the arrival of two new race administrators experienced its major effect nevertheless throughout the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. A full of ninety observe restrictions infringements in excess of the 3 aggressive periods of the weekend observed 4 motorists handed time penalties for breaching the confines of the class one particular as well quite a few moments in the race.

The generosity of the observe restrictions at the Purple Bull Ring has been a issue because the location was reworked by Hermann Tilke twenty five many years back. Paul Ricard is one more observe to practical experience a makeover the upshot of which was to make being inside of the circuit’s confines mainly optional. There is hardly a one blade of grass, nor a spit of gravel to be observed all around its five.eight kilometres.

With very little but asphalt sitting down at the perimeter of the circuit, the temptation to operate as near to the white strains as attainable to maximise exit velocity is as significant as it is wherever on the calendar. Also, owing to the exclusive character of Paul Ricard, motorists are compelled to abide by pretty immediate guidance about how they must rejoin the circuit must they pass up change two, change 4 or the chicane on the extensive Mistral Straight.

The procedures in excess of observe restrictions will not only impact whether or not motorists have moments deleted, but will also probable occur into participate in throughout near racing predicaments. With Alexander Albon getting a penalty in the Austrian dash race for forcing Lando Norris off the circuit, sparking debates in excess of whether or not other motorists must have gained very similar penalties in latest rounds, it is probable that there could be additional penalties handed down this weekend and nearly surely additional debates.

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