French Grand Prix
This article is about the French motor sport event for automobiles. For the French Grand Prix for motorcycles, see French Grand Prix (motorcycle).
The French Grand Prix (Grand Prix de France, until 1967 also Grand Prix de l'A.C.F. ) is a French motorsport event held since 1906. Until 1967, the races for "the" French Grand Prix were always officially called Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France (in short: "Grand Prix de l'A.C.F."). Even before that, however, races had also been run occasionally under the title Grand Prix de France, but they did not approach the status of the Grand Prix de l'ACF as a Grande Épreuve.
The first Formula One World Championship race, still known as the Grand Prix de l'A.C.F.. , was held on July 1, 1950, at the Circuit de Reims-Gueux in Reims in the Marne department in northeastern France. In 1952, this French Automobile Club Grand Prix was held at the Rouen-les-Essarts circuit. Until 1968, Rouen was the venue for this Grand Prix and the French Grand Prix five times, alternating irregularly with the Circuit de Reims-Gueux. The 1967 season was the only time the Formula One Grand Prix was held at Le Mans.
From 1969 to 1973, the races were held alternately at the Circuit de Charade near Clermont-Ferrand and at the Circuit Paul Ricard near Bandol near Toulon in the Var département. From 1974 to 1984, the Circuit de Dijon-Prenois near Dijon in the Côte-d'Or département and the Circuit Paul Ricard alternated. From 1985 to 1990, racing took place exclusively at the Circuit Paul Ricard.
From 1991, the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, about 15 kilometers south of Nevers in the Nièvre department of Burgundy, was a regular venue. On July 24, 2007, Formula One promoter Bernie Ecclestone announced after a meeting with French Prime Minister François Fillon that the circuit would also be included in the calendar in 2008 and - if no alternative was found - also in 2009. In May 2008, Ecclestone stated in an interview with the French sports newspaper L'Équipe that Magny-Cours would be the last venue for a Formula One World Championship race on June 22, 2008, which was then also the last French Grand Prix for the time being.
In 2018, the Grand Prix returned to the calendar. The race was held at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, where a French Grand Prix was last held in 1990. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers announced in April 2020 that the 2020 race would be cancelled.
· 
Circuit de la Sarthe
· 
Rouen-les-Essarts
· 
Circuit de Reims-Gueux
· 
Circuit Bugatti in Le Mans
· 
Circuit de Charade
· 
Circuit de Dijon-Prenois
· 
Circuit Magny-Cours
· 
Circuit Paul Ricard
| Events with the official title "Grand Prix de l'A.C.F." | ||||||||
| Circulation | Year | Route | Class | Winner | Second | Third | Pole position | Fastest lap |
| (1) | 1895 | Paris-Bordeaux-Paris | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | German Empire | Interval start | Distance race |
| (2) | 1896 | Paris-Marseille-Paris | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Interval start | Distance race |
| 1897 | no French Grand Prix | |||||||
| (3) | 1898 | Paris-Amsterdam-Paris | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Interval start | Distance race |
| (4) | 1899 | Tour de France Automobile | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Interval start | Distance race |
| (5) | 1900 | Paris-Toulouse-Paris | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Interval start | Distance race |
| (6) | 1901 | Paris-Berlin | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Interval start | Distance race |
| (7) | 1902 | Paris-Vienna | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Interval start | Distance race |
| (8) | 1903 | Paris-Madrid | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Interval start | Distance race |
| 1904 till 1905 | no French Grand Prix | |||||||
| (9) | 1906 | Le Mans | GP | Hungary 1867 | Italy 1861 | Third French Republic | set | Third French Republic |
| (10) | 1907 | Dieppe | GP | Italy 1861 | Hungary 1867 | Third French Republic | Italy 1861 | Belgium |
| (11) | 1908 | Dieppe | GP | German Empire | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | set | German Empire |
| 1909 till 1911 | no French Grand Prix | |||||||
| (12) | 1912 | Dieppe | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | set | United States |
| (13) | 1913 | Amiens | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | set | Third French Republic |
| (14) | 1914 | Lyon | GP | German Empire | Third French Republic | German Empire | set | German Empire |
| 1915 till 1920 | no French Grand Prix | |||||||
| (15) | 1921 | Le Mans | GP | United States | United States | Third French Republic | United States | United States |
| (16) | 1922 | Strasbourg | GP | Italy 1861 | Spain 1875 | Third French Republic | Italy 1861 | Italy 1861 |
| (17) | 1923 | Tours | GP | United Kingdom | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Italy 1861 |
| (18) | 1924 | Lyon | GP | Italy 1861 | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | set | United Kingdom |
| (19) | 1925 | Linas-Montlhéry | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Italy 1861 | United Kingdom | Third French Republic |
| (20) | 1926 | Miramas | GP | Third French Republic | Italy 1861 | - — | Third French Republic | Third French Republic |
| (21) | 1927 | Linas-Montlhéry | GP | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | United Kingdom | Third French Republic |
| (22) | 1928 | Saint-Gaudens | SW | United Kingdom | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | unknown | United Kingdom |
| (23) | 1929 | Le Mans | GP | United Kingdom | Third French Republic | Italy 1861 | Third French Republic | United Kingdom |
| (24) | 1930 | Pau | FL | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Chile | France | United Kingdom |
| (25) | 1931 | Linas-Montlhéry | GP | Monaco | Italy 1861 | Italy 1861 | United Kingdom | Italy 1861 |
| (26) | 1932 | Reims-Gueux | GP | Italy 1861 | Italy 1861 | German Empire | Third French Republic | Italy 1861 |
| (27) | 1933 | Linas-Montlhéry | GP | Italy 1861 | Third French Republic | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Italy 1861 |
| (28) | 1934 | Linas-Montlhéry | GP | Monaco | Italy 1861 | Italy 1861 | NS State | Monaco |
| (29) | 1935 | Linas-Montlhéry | GP | German Empire NS | German Reich NS | Italy 1861 | Italy 1861 | Italy 1861 |
| (30) | 1936 | Linas-Montlhéry | SW | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Italy 1861 | unknown | Third French Republic |
| (31) | 1937 | Linas-Montlhéry | SW | Monaco | Italy 1861 | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Monaco |
| (32) | 1938 | Reims-Gueux | GP | German Reich NS | German Empire NS | German Reich NS | German Reich NS | German Reich NS |
| (33) | 1939 | Reims-Gueux | GP | German Reich NS | German Reich NS | Third French Republic | German Reich NS | German Reich NS |
| 1940 till 1946 | no French Grand Prix | |||||||
| (34) | 1947 | Lyon-Parilly | GP | Monaco | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Italy |
| (35) | 1948 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | Third French Republic | Italy | Italy | Third French Republic | Third French Republic |
| (36) | 1949 | Saint-Gaudens | SW | Third French Republic | United Kingdom | Third French Republic | Third French Republic | Monaco |
| 37 | 1950 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | Argentina | Italy | United Kingdom | Argentina | Argentina |
| 38 | 1951 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | Argentina | Argentina | Italy | Argentina | Argentina |
| 39 | 1952 | Rouen-les-Essarts | F2 | Italy | Italy | Italy | Italy | Italy |
| 40 | 1953 | Reims-Gueux | F2 | United Kingdom | Argentina | Argentina | Italy | Italy |
| 41 | 1954 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | Argentina | Germany | France | Argentina | Germany |
| 1955 | no French Grand Prix | |||||||
| 42 | 1956 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | United Kingdom | Italy | France | Argentina | Argentina |
| 43 | 1957 | Rouen-les-Essarts | F1 | Argentina | Italy | United Kingdom | Argentina | Italy |
| 44 | 1958 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Germany | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 45 | 1959 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Australia | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 46 | 1960 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | Australia | Belgium | New Zealand | Australia | Australia |
| 47 | 1961 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | Italy | United States | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 48 | 1962 | Rouen-les-Essarts | F1 | United States | Sud Africa 1961 | United States | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 49 | 1963 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | United Kingdom | Sud Africa 1961 | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 50 | 1964 | Rouen-les-Essarts | F1 | United States | United Kingdom | Australia | United Kingdom | Australia |
| 51 | 1965 | Charade | F1 | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 52 | 1966 | Reims-Gueux | F1 | Australia | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Italy | Italy |
| 53 | 1967 | Le Mans | F1 | Australia | New Zealand | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Events with the official title "Grand Prix de France | ||||||||
| 54 | 1968 | Rouen-les-Essarts | F1 | Belgium | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Austria | Mexico |
| 55 | 1969 | Charade | F1 | United Kingdom | France | Belgium | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 56 | 1970 | Charade | F1 | Austria | New Zealand | Australia | Belgium | Australia |
| 57 | 1971 | Paul Ricard | F1 | United Kingdom | France | Brazil | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 58 | 1972 | Charade | F1 | United Kingdom | Brazil | New Zealand | New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 59 | 1973 | Paul Ricard | F1 | Sweden | France | Argentina | United Kingdom | New Zealand |
| 60 | 1974 | Dijon-Prenois | F1 | Sweden | Austria | Switzerland | Austria | Sud Africa 1961 |
| 61 | 1975 | Paul Ricard | F1 | Austria | United Kingdom | Germany | Austria | Germany |
| 62 | 1976 | Paul Ricard | F1 | United Kingdom | France | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Austria |
| 63 | 1977 | Dijon-Prenois | F1 | United States | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United States | United States |
| 64 | 1978 | Paul Ricard | F1 | United States | Sweden | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Argentina |
| 65 | 1979 | Dijon-Prenois | F1 | France | Canada | France | France | France |
| 66 | 1980 | Paul Ricard | F1 | Australia | France | France | France | Australia |
| 67 | 1981 | Dijon-Prenois | F1 | France | United Kingdom | Brazil | France | France |
| 68 | 1982 | Paul Ricard | F1 | France | France | France | France | Italy |
| 69 | 1983 | Paul Ricard | F1 | France | Brazil | United States | France | France |
| 70 | 1984 | Dijon-Prenois | F1 | Austria | France | United Kingdom | France | France |
| 71 | 1985 | Paul Ricard | F1 | Brazil | Finland | France | Finland | Finland |
| 72 | 1986 | Paul Ricard | F1 | United Kingdom | France | Brazil | Brazil | United Kingdom |
| 73 | 1987 | Paul Ricard | F1 | United Kingdom | Brazil | France | United Kingdom | Brazil |
| 74 | 1988 | Paul Ricard | F1 | France | Brazil | Italy | France | France |
| 75 | 1989 | Paul Ricard | F1 | France | United Kingdom | Italy | France | Brazil |
| 76 | 1990 | Paul Ricard | F1 | France | Italy | Brazil | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 77 | 1991 | Magny-Cours | F1 | United Kingdom | France | Brazil | Italy | United Kingdom |
| 78 | 1992 | Magny-Cours | F1 | United Kingdom | Italy | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 79 | 1993 | Magny-Cours | F1 | France | United Kingdom | Germany | United Kingdom | Germany |
| 80 | 1994 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | United Kingdom | Austria | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 81 | 1995 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Germany |
| 82 | 1996 | Magny-Cours | F1 | United Kingdom | Canada | France | Germany | Canada |
| 83 | 1997 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | Germany | United Kingdom | Germany | Germany |
| 84 | 1998 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | United Kingdom | Finland | Finland | United Kingdom |
| 85 | 1999 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | Finland | Brazil | Brazil | United Kingdom |
| 86 | 2000 | Magny-Cours | F1 | United Kingdom | Finland | Brazil | Germany | United Kingdom |
| 87 | 2001 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | Germany | Brazil | Germany | United Kingdom |
| 88 | 2002 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | Finland | United Kingdom | Colombia | United Kingdom |
| 89 | 2003 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | Colombia | Germany | Germany | Colombia |
| 90 | 2004 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | Spain | Brazil | Spain | Germany |
| 91 | 2005 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Spain | Finland | Germany | Spain | Finland |
| 92 | 2006 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Germany | Spain | Brazil | Germany | Germany |
| 93 | 2007 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Finland | Brazil | United Kingdom | Brazil | Brazil |
| 94 | 2008 | Magny-Cours | F1 | Brazil | Finland | Italy | Finland | Finland |
| 2009 until 2017 | no French Grand Prix | |||||||
| 95 | 2018 | Paul Ricard | F1 | United Kingdom | Netherlands | Finland | United Kingdom | Finland |
| 96 | 2019 | Paul Ricard | F1 | United Kingdom | Finland | Monaco | United Kingdom | Germany |
| - – | 2020 | cancelled due to COVID 19 pandemic | ||||||
| 97 | 2021 | Paul Ricard | F1 | Netherlands | United Kingdom | Mexico | Netherlands | Netherlands |
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| Legend | ||
| Abbreviation | Class | Comment |
| F1 | Formula 1 | Formula 1 World Championship from 1950 |
| F2 | Formula 2 | |
| FL | Formula libre | Vehicle class usually advertised by the organizer |
| SW | Sports car | |
| TW | Touring car | |
| GP | Grand Prix vehicles | |
| ↓ Solid gray lines indicate when a new course was taken in history. ↓ | ||
| Entries with a light red background were not rounds of the automobile or Formula 1 World Championship. | ||
| Entries with yellow background were runs to the European Championship. | ||
- ↑ a b c d e f g h The first race organized as Grand Prix de l'ACF took place in 1906. However, in the 1920s, the "great" city-to-city races of the early period between 1895 and 1903 were also retroactively given this title (see formula1results.co.za, accessed May 28, 2015), although the founding date of the ACF was even after the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race of 1895. This counting method made the 1906 event the official ninth Grand Prix de l'A.C.F. , and later thus also the ninth Grand Prix de la France. The 1950 Grand Prix officially started with the 37th edition, and edition numbers are documented from that year. This numbering was also continued after the 1968 renaming of the Grand Prix de l'ACF to the Grand Prix de France.
- The fastest cars at the finish were Émile Levassor's Panhard and Louis Rigolot's Peugeot. However, these were not scored because they were not four-seater cars as required by the invitation to compete (see teamdan.com (Memento of September 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive), retrieved on May 28, 2015).
- ↑ a b c The Automobile Club de l'Ouest held three races at Le Mans in 1911, 1912 and 1913 under the title Grand Prix de France (source: Paul Sheldon: A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing. Volume 1 1900-1925; also formula1results.co.za, formula1results.co.za, and formula1results.co.za, each accessed May 28, 2015). However, these events did not have the same status as the Grands Prix de l'ACF and are still not counted by the Automobile Club de France, whose events were titled Grand Prix de l'A.C.F. until 1967.
- ↑ The 1924 French Grand Prix also had the AIACR honorary title of European Grand Prix.
Questions and Answers
Q: What is the French Grand Prix?
A: The French Grand Prix is a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA) annual Formula One (F1) automobile racing championships.
Q: When was the first French Grand Prix held?
A: The first French Grand Prix was held on 26 June 1906.
Q: Who organized the first race?
A: The Automobile Club de France organized the first race.
Q: How many cars were in the starting field for the first race?
A: There were 32 automobiles in the starting field for the first race.
Q: Is it an international competition?
A: Yes, it is open to international competition.
Q: Is it one of oldest Grand Prix races?
A: Yes, it is the oldest Grand Prix race.
Q: What organization oversees this event annually?
A: Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA) oversees this event annually.
