F1
French driver Pierre Gasly takes us on a scaled-down video tour of the Paul Ricard Circuit in Le Castellet, one of the most iconic tracks in the world.
After a decade away, Formula One will return to France for the eighth round of the 2018 F1 World Championship.
The inaugural French Grand Prix was held in 1906 and is one of the oldest motor races in the world.
Despite its longevity, the race has moved to 16 different venues in France over the past 100 years but it is set to return to the Circuit Paul Ricard in the small village of Le Castellet.
Watch Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly explain our re-creation of the French circuit, which uses Carrera slot cars, track and accessories.
The 1906 Grand Prix, which set off from Le Mans, was a 105km road race on a closed public road circuit, which took 12 hours to complete.
Fortunately, the competition has moved on a lot since then and returns to the venue near Marseille, putting the French Grand Prix back on the motorsports map.
Gasly stands in the middle of the track as he talks us through the first, fast chicane – an exciting corner and good overtaking spot.
The re-creation draws on the work of French filmmaker, actor and screenwriter Jacques Tati and is also influenced by the French comic series Michel Vaillant, which was created in 1957 by cartoonist Jean Graton.
Vaillant is a French racing driver who competes mainly in F1 and was first featured in Tintin magazine in the 1950s.
Back on the track, Gasly describes turns three to seven, including Sainte-Beaume and L’Ecole as fairly technical, before the drivers take on the Mistral Straight reaching speeds of up to 350kph.
Towards the end of the lap is the most famous corner in Le Castellet, Le Beausset, where drivers can reach forces of up to 5G.
It’s a track with a lot of technical challenges and complex turns, but it's also extremely flat and one of the most flexible in the competition.
For more Scuderia Toro Rosso and Carrera Toys, check out their official sites.
