Memories of Magny-Cours - Denis Chevrier

The F1 circus is probably setting up at Magny-Cours for the final time, and several members of the Renault F1 Team have good memories of this grand prix held in the Nièvre for the last 16 years. Renault's Chief Trackside Engineer, Denis Chevrier, talks about his best Magny-Cours memory.

Chevrier "We’ve done a fair few grands prix at Magny-Cours and we’ve achieved a lot of good results. But, if I had to choose one, it would be Nigel Mansell’s victory in 1991, the first year that the French Grand Prix was held here.

“Riccardo Patrese in the other Williams set pole ahead of Alain Prost in his Ferrari. Nigel was fourth on the grid and by the end of lap 1 he was already second behind the Ferrari. He went into the lead on lap 56 and stayed there until the chequered flag.

“This image is engraved on my mind as his victory marked the start of a formidable adventure for Renault. We didn’t know it at that point, but we felt it. It was the start of a long period of success. A brilliant future beckoned!”