FRA - FRANCE
ROUEN LES ESSARTS
SORRY, SOME DATA ARE NOT TRANSLATED YET
Description  
Location Les Essarts, Grand-Couronne
76 - Seine-Maritime - Haute-Normandie
Location Near Les-Essarts village, 12 km - 7.5 mi South from Rouen and 5 km - 3 mi far from Elbeuf
Latitude - Longitude + 49°20'00"     + 1°00'42"
49.333333     1.011667
UTM Coordinates X = 355545.617  -  Y = 5466413.471  -  Zone 31U
Aerial photo / Map (*) Aerial photo / Map (*) OpenStreetMap  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) Google Maps  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) Bing Maps  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) Flash Earth  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) Wikimapia  -   Aerial photo / Map (*) GéoPortail
Altitude AMSL  
Inauguration  
Closing  
Designer  
Sources and links (Translation) (**)
(1) English 8w.forix.com/rouen.html 8W: articles and photos
(2) English Dutch www.circuitsofthepast.nl Circuit of the Past
(3) English www.lugnutsracing.com/rouen.php A trip to Rouen Les Essarts: story and photos by Chris Hall (2001)
(4) English www.racingcircuits.net Motor Racing Circuits Database
(5) English Motor Racing Circuits of Europe (page 42) Author: Louis Klemantaski & Michael Frostick - Published by: Batsford Book
Description
1958
(6) Italian Autosprint 21/1969 (page 20) Mappa e dati essenziali May 26th 1969
(7) Italian Autosprint 24/1971 (page 38) Quasi certo: gara di F.2 del 27 giugno 1971 con una chicane provvisoria June 14th 1971
(8) Italian Autosprint 49/1971 (page 44) December 6th 1971
(9) Italian Autosprint 13/1972 (page 44) Cambiano i box March 27th 1972
(10) Italian Autosprint 26/1972 (page 26) Rouen Les-Essarts June 26th 1972
(11) Italian Da Monza a Indianapolis (page 206) Author: Tommaso Tommasi - Published by: Arnoldo Mondadori Editore - Published in: Italia
1973
(12) Italian Autosprint 27/1973 (page 35) Foto della chicane provvisoria July 2nd 1973
(13) Italian Conoscere la Formula 1 1 (page 259) Published by: Rizzoli Editore - Published in: Italia
1984
(14) Italian Autosprint 18/1987 (page 24) Totale rifacimento in vista April 28th 1987
(15) Italian F.1 Storia del Mondiale 1950-1957 1991 (page 53) Author: Gianni Cancellieri e Cesare De Agostini - Published by: Conti Editore - Published in: Bologna, Italia
1991

(*) NOTE: a complete and detailed view of the circuit can be found (if available) on Street View by Google Maps and/or Bird's Eye and 3D views by Bing Maps for Enterprise (former Microsoft Virtual Earth): both can be reached using their own link in Aerial photo / Map cell.

(**) For on-line not-English speaking sources, click on each small flag and you open the corresponding Google Translator page with automatic translation.

Rouen Les Essarts
Description Original track layout, opened in 1951 and used up to 1954, when track lengthened was begun.
Years 1951÷1954
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal NO
No longer operational YES
Car Circuit YES
Motorbike circuit  
Type Road course
Inauguration 1951
Closing 1954
Last update of this page March 20th 2004
Info last update  
Designer  
Distinctive points Six fréres - Virage du Nouveau Monde - Virage Samson - Virage de Beauval - Chemin de l’Étoile - Virage du Paradis
length 5100  m 16732  ft 3.169  mi   (15)

Rouen Les Essarts
Description In 1955 original track was lengthened by replacing Chemin de l’Étoile with Gresil, Scierie and Paradis corners.
Years 1955÷1970
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal NO
No longer operational YES
Car Circuit YES
Motorbike circuit  
Type Road course
Inauguration 1955
Closing 1970
Last update of this page March 20th 2004
Info last update  
Designer  
Distinctive points Six fréres - Virage du Nouveau Monde - Virage Samson - Virage de Beauval - Courbe de l’Étoile - Gresil - Scierie - Virage du Paradis
length 6542  m 21463  ft 4.065  mi   (13)

Rouen Les Essarts
Description In 1971 the circuit was too dangerous and two temporary chicanes were added, one at Virage du Gresil and one at Virage du Paradis (shown on the map only by a symbol)
Years 1971
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal NO
No longer operational YES
Car Circuit YES
Motorbike circuit  
Type Road course
Inauguration 1971
Closing 1971
Last update of this page March 20th 2004
Info last update  
Designer  
Distinctive points Six fréres - Virage du Nouveau Monde - Virage Samson - Virage de Beauval - Courbe de l’Étoile - Gresil - Scierie - Virage du Paradis

Rouen Les Essarts
Description In 1972 this circuit was shortened in order to satisfy modern safety standard and - more important - because new motorway A13 would have cut old track. Even boxes were rebuilt: in 1971 pit lane was behind boxes, so it was hidden for spectators on main tribune.
In 1973, after Gerry Birrell’sfatal crash at Six Fréres during F.2 GP practice, a temporary chicane (shown on the map by a symbol) was added on race day. In 1974 it was replaced by a new layout of Six Fréres bend (not shown on the map)
Years 1972÷1973
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal NO
No longer operational YES
Car Circuit YES
Motorbike circuit  
Type Road course
Inauguration 1972
Closing 1973
Last update of this page March 20th 2004
Info last update  
Designer  
Distinctive points Six fréres - Virage du Nouveau Monde - Virage Samson - Virage de Beauval - Courbe de l’Étoile - Gresil - Virage de la Forét - Virage de l’Autoroute - Virage Cote 134 - Virage du Paradis
length 5542  m 18182  ft 3.444  mi   (4)
length 5543  m 18186  ft 3.444  mi   (11)

Rouen Les Essarts
Description After a temporary chicane was introduced in 1974, a new chicane was built at Six Fréres
Years 1974÷1994
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal Proposal  YES
Proposal not developed YES
Car Circuit  
Motorbike circuit  
Type Permanent
Inauguration  
Closing  
Last update of this page March 7th 2007
Info last update  
Designer  
Distinctive points Six fréres - Virage du Nouveau Monde - Virage Samson - Virage de Beauval - Courbe de l’Étoile - Gresil - Virage de la Forét - Virage de l’Autoroute - Virage Cote 134 - Virage du Paradis
length 5542  m 18182  ft 3.444  mi   (4)

Rouen Les Essarts
Description Abandoned proposal for a new track layout at Rouen Les-Essarts. It should have used partially the old track from virage du Gresil to the old start/finish line. Target was to host again France GP.
At first a short circuit (2.7 km approx.) shoult have been built, later to be extended up to 4.5 km.
Corners name are copied from previous track layouts
Years 1987
Direction Clockwise   Clockwise
Progetto Proposal Proposal  YES
Proposal not developed YES
Car Circuit  
Motorbike circuit  
Type Permanent
Inauguration  
Closing  
Last update of this page March 20th 2004
Info last update April 1987
Designer  
Distinctive points Chemin de l’Étoile - Gresil - Virage de la Forét - Virage de l’Autoroute - Virage Cote 134 - Virage du Paradis
length 2700  m 8858  ft 1.678  mi Short circuit (14)
length 4500  m 14764  ft 2.796  mi Later extension (14)

1951÷1954

1951÷1954


1955÷1970 and 1971

1955÷1970 and 1971

1955÷1970 and 1971


1972÷1973

1972÷1973


1987 proposal: short course

1987 proposal: short course

1987 proposal: short course



Updates
Date Track layout Years Description by Map by Thanks to Note
March 7th 2007   1974÷1994 Guido de Carli        
November 16th 2005     Guido de Carli   Barry Boor Update Description
April 28th 2004   1987 Guido de Carli     Update Description
March 20th 2004   1951÷1954 Guido de Carli Guido de Carli   New Description with map
March 20th 2004   1955÷1970 Guido de Carli Guido de Carli   New Description with map
March 20th 2004   1972÷1973 Guido de Carli Guido de Carli   New Description with map
September 17th 2003     Guido de Carli     New Description
October 2nd 2002     Guido de Carli     New Description without map
Not all eventual updates issued in last years are already visible in this list
 
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