Pau-Arnos

The Pau-Arnos circuit is set in the heart of a green valley at the foot of the Pyrenees with some amazing scenery and a very different circuit layout. The circuit has plenty of gradiant change with a difference in height of 55 meter between its highest and lowest points.

A lap of Pau has you crossing the start line with the pit complex on your left hand side. The first corner is a roller coaster of a ride as the road drops away through a very fast chicane and the car almost takes off over the kerb. This leads into the seemingly never ending right hand double apex turn 2, a trail brakers dream. Turn 3 is a downhill left hander with room to hoon. A short straight leads into the fast uphill Turn 4 which requires a lot of committment if a fast lap time is your aim. Turn 5 is a double apex right hander that crests over the top of a hill. As the corner is mostly blind, bravery and trust is the key to getting around this fast section.

The exit of turn 5 has you accelerating hard down a steep hill into the high commitment Turn 6. Again, this requires bravery, precision and committment if a fast laptime is to be achieved. The uphill hairpin of Turn 7 is another hoon-fest and this behaviour was actively encouraged by Jean-Paul. The downhill chicane of Turn 8 was another place that hooning was allowed and the tricky direction change will keep you amused for many a trackday. Turn 9 is the final corner of the lap and leads onto the main straight. A good exit from here will give a good overtaking opportunity in front of the crowd in the pit lane.

Words kindly provided by Neil McKean.