Preview – Formula 1 – French Grand Prix – Friday 22nd June – Sunday 24th June – Race 8 – CIRCUIT PAUL RICARD

Formula 1 returns to the Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend for the first French Grand Prix at the venue since 1990. It has been difficult to predict the race winners this year with Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes all having taken multiple victories so far. To further complicate things we’ve now got a ‘new’ venue, the Circuit Paul Ricard, in the mix as well. That’s ‘new’ in inverted commas because, of course, Formula 1 cars have raced at Paul Ricard before, with Alain Prost winning the last Grand Prix there in 1990 in his shrieking V12-engined Ferrari 641 (from video footage). That may be a good omen for the new championship leader Sebastian Vettel, with the Ferrari driver having risen to the top of the standings after his victory last time out in Canada, becoming the first man this year to claim three wins (Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton have two each). What might also help Vettel in France is the fact that chief rival Hamilton has made no secret of his dislike for the Paul Ricard track. Hamilton does have a brand-new, upgraded Mercedes engine in his locker, though, which could bring him and Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas back on par with Ferrari at this power-dependent circuit. That said, Canada was a power-dependent track and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen topped all three practice sessions there before going on to finish third in the race. So it really is all to play for as Formula 1 heads into its first ever triple header of races, with France, Austria and Great Britain coming up in quick succession