Circuit Paul Armagnac, also known as Circuit de Nogaro, is a motorsport race track located in the commune of Nogaro in the Gers department in southwestern France. The track is named in honor of Nogaro-born racing driver Paul Armagnac, who died in an accident during practice for the 1962 1000 km de Paris at the Montlhéry circuit.

History

Motorsports racing events in Nogaro were first organized when racing driver Paul Armagnac and Robert Castagnon created the Association Sportive Automobile de l'Armagnac. In 1953, the Rallye de l'Armagnac was held on a street circuit using public roads around Nogaro. Public safety concerns after the 1955 Le Mans disaster caused the number of road racing events on public roads in Europe to decrease. Plans were made to create a permanent race circuit and construction began in 1959 at a site near the Nogaro airport.

The race circuit opened on 3 October 1960 as the first purpose-built race circuit in France. The first race held at the new circuit was the Nogaro Grand Prix for Formula Junior cars, won by Bruno Basini. Initially long, it was expanded in 1973 and 1989 to its current length. In 2007 the circuit was modernized including a new control tower, a new pitlane and widening the track to .

The venue hosted Formula Two championship races from 1975 to 1978. It also hosted the French motorcycle Grand Prix in 1978 and 1982; the 1982 race saw a boycott from major teams and riders over safety concerns, resulting in the now-MotoGP leaving the track permanently at the end of the season. The Nogaro circuit also hosted the European Touring Car Championship from 1985 to 1988.

Track description The track is relatively flat, with difference in elevation between its highest and lowest points. It is raced clockwise and consists of two long straights, the long start-finish straight named after Nogaro-born motorcycle constructor Claude Fior and the almost parallel aerodrome straight, linked by sections of several slow corners. The aerodrome straight passes alongside the neighbouring Nogaro Aerodrome.

Events

Current

April: FFSA GT Championship , Alpine Elf Cup Series, French F4 Championship, Renault Clio Cup Europe, TC France Series May: June: Grand Prix Camions de Nogaro September: Fun Cup France

Future

Porsche Carrera Cup France (1987–2011, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2027)

Former

Blancpain Sprint Series (2013–2015) BPR Global GT Series (1995–1996) British Formula One Championship (1979) European Eco-Marathon Competition (2000–2009) Eurocup Formula Renault (1993, 1996–1997) European Formula Two Championship (1975–1978) European Touring Car Championship (1985–1988) European Truck Racing Championship (2000–2016) F4 Spanish Championship (2017) FIA European Formula 3 Championship (1982–1984) FIA GT Championship (2007–2008) FIA GT1 World Championship (2012) FIA GT3 European Championship (2008, 2012) FIA Sportscar Championship FIA Sportscar Championship Nogaro (2003) Formula 3 Euro Series (2007) Formula 750 (1976, 1979) French Formula Three Championship (1964–1973, 1980–2002) French Formula Renault Championship (1971–2009) French Supertouring Championship (1976–2005) Grand Prix motorcycle racing French motorcycle Grand Prix (1978, 1982) GT4 European Series (2007–2008, 2015) International Formula 3000 Grand Prix de Nogaro (1990–1993) NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (2009–2013) Sidecar World Championship (1978) V de V Series (2011–2012)

Lap records

The official lap record for the current Grand Prix circuit layout is 1:20.160, set by Alessandro Zanardi during the 1991 Nogaro F3000 round, while the unofficial all-time track record is 1:17.342, set by Franck Lagorce in the qualifying of 1993 Nogaro F3000 round. As of May 2026, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuit Paul Armagnac are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent Grand Prix Circuit (1989–present): Formula 3000 1:20.160 Alessandro Zanardi Reynard 91D 1991 Nogaro F3000 round Formula Three 1:22.226 Romain Grosjean Dallara F305 2007 Nogaro F3 Euro Series round LMP900 1:23.906 Beppe Gabbiani Dome S101 2003 Nogaro FIA Sportscar Championship round LMP3 1:24.218 Nelson Panciatici Ligier JS P3 2016 Nogaro FFSA GTP round Formula Renault 2.0 1:24.437 Arthur Pic Tatuus FR2000 2009 Nogaro Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup round GT1 (GTS) 1:25.326 Gregory Franchi Saleen S7-R 2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours Formula 4 1:25.846 Alexandre Munoz Mygale M21-F4 2025 Nogaro French F4 round Superbike 1:26.041 Kenny Foray BMW M1000RR 2026 Nogaro French Superbike round GT3 1:26.982 Stéphane Ortelli Audi R8 LMS ultra 2015 Nogaro Blancpain GT Sprint Series round Porsche Carrera Cup 1:27.807 Louis Perrot Porsche 911 (992 I) GT3 Cup 2024 Nogaro Porsche Sprint Challenge France round GT2 1:28.030 Andrew Kirkaldy Ferrari F430 GT2 2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours LMP675 1:28.039 Mirko Savoldi Lucchini SR2002 2003 Nogaro FIA Sportscar Championship round Supersport 1:28.189 Honda CBR600RR 2024 Nogaro French Supersport round GT1 1:28.218 Jean-Marc Gounon Ferrari F40 GTE 1996 BPR 4 Hours of Nogaro FIA GT Group 2 1:29.379 Tomáš Enge Aston Martin Vantage GT2 2008 FIA GT Nogaro 2 Hours Formula Renault 1.6 1:30.368 Lasse Sørensen Signatech FR 1.6 2014 Nogaro French F4 round GT4 1:30.736 Loris Cabirou Ginetta G56 GT4 Evo 2024 Nogaro French GT4 Cup round TCR Touring Car 1:31.165 Julien Briché Hyundai Elantra N TCR 2025 Nogaro TC France round GT2 (GTS) 1:31.581 Jean-Pierre Jarier Porsche 911 GT2 1999 Nogaro FFSA GT round Silhouette racing car 1:31.979 Soheil Ayari Peugeot 406 Coupé Silhouette 2002 Nogaro French Supertouring round Alpine Elf Cup 1:32.089 Léo Jousset Alpine A110 Cup 2025 Nogaro Alpine Elf Cup round Stock car racing 1:34.838 Ander Vilariño Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR 2013 Nogaro NASCAR Whelen Euro Series round Supersport 300 1:38.005 Livio Mirabel Kawasaki Ninja 400 2024 Nogaro French Supersport 300 round Renault Clio Cup 1:40.582 Nicolas Milan Renault Clio R.S. IV 2018 Nogaro Renault Clio Cup France round Grand Prix Circuit (1973–1988): Formula One 1:11.860 Ricardo Zunino Arrows A1 1979 Nogaro British F1 round Formula Three 1:12.120 Éric Bernard Ralt RT31 1987 1st Nogaro French F3 round Formula Two 1:12.390 Bruno Giacomelli March 782 1978 Nogaro F2 round Formula Renault 2.0 1:21.220 Patrick Gonin Martini MK33 1981 1st Nogaro French Formula Renault round Group A 1:21.240 Klaus Ludwig Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth 1988 Nogaro ETCC round 500cc 1:22.800 Kenny Roberts Yamaha YZR500 1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix 350cc 1:24.500 Gregg Hansford Kawasaki KR350 1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix 250cc 1:25.000 Jean-François Baldé Kawasaki KR250 1982 French motorcycle Grand Prix Sidecar (B2A) 1:29.600 Rolf Biland Beo-Yamaha 1978 French motorcycle Grand Prix 125cc 1:30.060 Morbidelli 125 GP 1982 French motorcycle Grand Prix Original Circuit (1960–1973): Formula Three 0:51.700 Martini MK12 1973 1st Nogaro French F3 round Formula Renault 2.0 0:59.300 Max Jean Martini MK33 1968 1st Nogaro French Formula Renault round Formula Junior 1:03.000 Jean Vinatier Lotus 27 1963 Nogaro French Formula Junior round

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