Brawn assured French GP traffic chaos to be avoided in 2019

Formula 1 Managing Director of Motorsports Ross Brawn says assurances have been made that French Grand Prix organisers will learn from its traffic chaos at Paul Ricard for next year’s race to avoid similar problems.

All three days of track action at the French circuit were hit by traffic congestion issues getting in and out of the circuit with multiple lanes blocked which caused outrage from fans with some unable to reach the circuit due to hours of queues.

Brawn says Paul Ricard’s “remote and beautiful location” made access to the track tricky but is confident the long queues will be solved next year by race organisers.

“Being in such a remote and beautiful location meant that access was difficult,” Brawn said. “There were issues with traffic congestion which made entering and leaving the circuit challenging at times. I am sure the knowledge gathered this weekend will be used in order to improve this.

“From our side we are always working to help the promoter, the circuit and the local authorities to achieve good traffic flow on Grand Prix weekends and let the fans focus on this great sporting spectacle.”

Brawn did commend the attendance figure, quoted as 160,000 spectators across the four days of the French round at Paul Ricard, along with the latest F1 Live event which took place in Marseille while 5,000 local schoolchildren were also welcomed into the paddock and Fanzone on Thursday.

Last weekend’s French Grand Prix marked the first time in a decade the event had appeared on the F1 calendar, while the last F1 race to be held at Paul Ricard was in 1990. Paul Ricard underwent significant updates and restorations in 2002 to be converted into a high tech test track designed by Herman Tilke.