Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours

Set deep in the rural Nièvre region of central France, Magny-Cours began as a modest local circuit before a major redevelopment in 1991 transformed it into a modern, billiard-smooth Grand Prix venue. With Paul Ricard and Dijon-Prenois having faded from the calendar, the French authorities backed Magny-Cours as a regional economic project, and it hosted the French Grand Prix from 1991 until 2008.

The circuit quickly earned a reputation for its immaculate, almost too-perfect tarmac and its clinical, technical layout. It was never the most loved venue on the calendar — its remote location, far from any major city, drew complaints from teams and fans alike — but it produced fine racing and became closely associated with the dominance of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, who won repeatedly there around the turn of the millennium.

The 2008 race proved to be Magny-Cours' last in Formula 1, fittingly won by Ferrari's Felipe Massa during his title-challenging campaign. The French Grand Prix then disappeared from the calendar for a decade before returning at Paul Ricard, leaving Magny-Cours remembered as the stage for an era of Ferrari supremacy.