The Dijon roller coaster

  Since the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours tragedy, motor racing has been banned in Switzerland with the exception of road racing.

Since then, safety has evolved on the circuits, particularly since the 1980s, But paradoxically, the ban has remained in place in the Swiss community with a special derogation for road competitions such as rallies and hillclimbs despite the fact that the latter remain more dangerous than racing on permanent tracks.

However, this did not prevent Switzerland from organising two Formula 1 Grand Prix in the post-1955 period, but in a neighbouring country, France.

The first one took place in 1975, and was won by a... Swiss driver, Clay Regazzoni, who was then 2nd driver at Ferrari, and teammate of Niki Lauda world champion. However, that Grand Prix didn't count for the world championship.

The 2nd swiss Grand Prix was organized much later, in 1982, still in France, won by Keke Rosberg who would become World Champion the same year. That was actually the only GP he won that season!

Both swiss Grand Prix took place on the Dijon-Prenois circuit, a short but fast rollercoaster. Dijon also served as the setting for the french Grand Prix on 5 other occasions, in 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981 and 1984, more or less alternating with the Paul Ricard

 The 1st time the French Grand Prix was held at Dijon, was in 1974, on the shortest layout. The images are showing the pre-race classic Grand Prix cars laps before the GP start.

Lost in the middle of nowhere, unlike the Castellet circuit which had the advantage in addition to benefiting not only from its proximity to the beaches of the French Riviera (the GP of France was most often held during summer), but also an airstrip along the circuit and modern facilities for its time. The Dijon-Prenois circuit had none of these advantages, and attending could be as painful for the spectators as for the journalists, not to mention the participants.

These differences led the F1 to abandon this track, which actually was a shame due to the fact that Dijon circuit was -and still- a spectacular and exciting track for both spectators and drivers. Much more than Paul Ricard and even more if compared to Magny-Cours.

 

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Contrary to most of the other classic F1 european circuits, Dijon-Prenois fortunately still exists, unchanged and still in activity, particularly frequented by historic races. It is an unmissable place for the national championships and trackdays.

It will be remembered forever as the setting of the hottest duel of all Formula 1 history, the unforgettable fight between the French René Arnoux and the spectacular canadian Gilles Villeneuve, in a race that had also made a double entry in the annals for hosting the first turbo engine win in F1 and Renault’s first victory in the Formula one world championship.

On Dijon circuit tarmac, René Arnoux talking to Gilles Villeneuve's son, Jacques, the 1997 F1 wotld champion, about his epic duel with Gilles back in 1979. 

Dijon-Prenois will also remain in History as the place where Alain Prost took his 1st win in Grand Prix racing, which is quite fortunate knowing only a few F1 drivers have won their 1st GP at home. That was one of the rare F1 races that have been run in two rounds due to changing weather conditions.