Circuit Paul Armagnac


Circuit Paul Armagnac, also known as Circuit de Nogaro, is a motorsport race track located in the commune of Nogaro in the Gers department in southwestern France. The track is named in honor of Nogaro-born racing driver Paul Armagnac, who died in an accident during practice for the 1962 [World Sportscar Championship season|1962 1000 km de Paris] at the Montlhéry circuit.

History

Motorsports racing events in Nogaro were first organized when racing driver Paul Armagnac and Robert Castagnon created the Association Sportive Automobile de l'Armagnac. In 1953, the Rallye de l'Armagnac was held on a street circuit using public roads around Nogaro. Public safety concerns after the 1955 Le Mans disaster caused the number of road racing events on public roads in Europe to decrease. Plans were made to create a permanent race circuit and construction began in 1959 at a site near the Nogaro airport.
The race circuit opened on 3 October 1960 as the first purpose-built race circuit in France. The first race held at the new circuit was the Nogaro Grand Prix for Formula Junior cars, won by Bruno Basini. Initially long, it was expanded in 1973 and 1989 to its current length. In 2007 the circuit was modernized including a new control tower, a new pitlane and widening the track to.
The venue hosted Formula Two championship races from 1975 [European Formula Two Championship|1975] to 1978 European [Formula Two Championship|1978]. It also hosted the French motorcycle Grand Prix in 1978 [Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1978] and 1982 [Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1982]; the 1982 race saw a boycott from major teams and riders over safety concerns, resulting in the now-MotoGP leaving the track permanently at the end of the season. The Nogaro circuit also hosted the European Touring Car Championship from 1985 to 1988.

Track description

The track is relatively flat, with difference in elevation between its highest and lowest points. It is raced clockwise and consists of two long straights, the long start-finish straight named after Nogaro-born motorcycle constructor Claude Fior and the almost parallel aerodrome straight, linked by sections of several slow corners. The aerodrome straight passes alongside the neighbouring Nogaro Aerodrome.

Events

Current
; Former

Lap records

The official lap record for the current Grand Prix circuit layout is 1:20.160, set by Alessandro Zanardi during the 1991 [International Formula 3000 Championship|1991 Nogaro F3000 round], while the unofficial all-time track record is 1:17.342, set by Franck Lagorce in the qualifying of 1993 Nogaro F3000 round. As of April 2025, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuit Paul Armagnac are listed as: