French GP: The final countdown

GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE / LATEST NEWS
It's the final countdown! Here is the latest news from The French Motor Sports Federation (FFSA) with only 4 days to go.

Non-stop ticket sales

The French Grand Prix ticket office will be open 24 hours non-stop at the main entrance to the circuit from tomorrow onwards. So you've still got time to come to Magny-Cours to see the race. From Friday to Sunday 9 sales outlets will be open around the circuit to welcome you whether you're arriving from Paris, Lyon or Marseille. You can still reserve on-line on www.gpfrancef1.com or by phone on 0 892 70 47 47 (0.34Euros per minute) up to 30th June as well as in all the usual sales outlets.

Magny-Cours spreads its wings

On Sunday 1st July between 13:00 and 13:10 spectators can see parachute jumps by the soldiers from the army's 11th parachute brigade organised by the SIRPA TERRE and the French Grand Prix. Over 20 parachutists including commandos and highly-trained specialist jumpers will perform precision landings. Their aim is to land on points marked on the grid, in the Estoril curve and the Adelaide hairpin.

Schumacher-Zidane: summit meeting

The meeting between Michael Schumacher and Zinedine Zidane, two of the giants in the world of sport, is not to be missed. Both men will come to the Nièvre to to support two associations, the ICM and the ELA. On Saturday midday, the seven-times F1 world champion will give France's favourite footballer his track baptism.

The paddock; open house for everybody

Come and see the stars of tomorrow and the cars up close! The F3 Euroseries and the GP2 Series and the Superkart paddocks will be open to the public from 18:30 to 20:30. A guy called Lewis Hamilton cut his teeth in the first 2 formulas.

And the old favourites

On Thursday 28th June from 15:30 onwards spectators who have purchased 3-day grand prix tickets can visit the pit lane. On Saturday, the evening's party, called the Grand Prix Festival, will be held in a friendly musical ambience. There will be four concerts with Eddy Mitchell topping the bill, and a "Village de Saveurs" for the gourmands. On Sunday, once the F1 cars have covered the 70 laps, the FFSA will open access to the track for the first time. Enthusiasts can pick up pieces of carbon or rubber, and above all go to the foot of the rostrum to cheer the performance of their favourite driver.

-credit: ffsa