We have been hearing about the construction of a circuit in Couvron in the north-east of France under the direction of Jonathan Palmer for several years now. The pandemic slowed down the project which, however, was not buried. MotorSport Vision (MSV) has unveiled new proposals with a view to creating the world's first self-sufficient ecological circuit.
Updated circuit plans emphasize renewable energy. The UK's first circuit owner purchased 520 hectares near Couvron-et-Amencourt in 2015. All permits for the circuit and associated infrastructure approvals were obtained in early 2019, but Covid-19 forced a review the plans, without forgetting the desire of car manufacturers to quickly turn to electric.
Having taken into account rising costs and the shift by major manufacturers from petrol and diesel cars to hybrid and electric technology, MSV wanted to be at the forefront of motorsport and the industry's push. automotive towards a greener future.
Among the main changes envisaged, there is a revision of the design of the circuit itself which will go from 8 km over 220 hectares to 3,5 km over 40 hectares. The previously proposed circuit would have been one of the fastest and longest in Europe. The new route will be just as difficult to drive, but the shorter route will be much better suited to battery electric vehicles.
The use of the circuit will be essentially the same as previously announced, with six races per year in addition to other automotive activities. These will include vehicle testing and development, promotional events and vehicle launches.
The energy required to operate the electric vehicles will come from a large on-site photovoltaic park, which will produce renewable energy from solar energy. Around 300 hectares of land will be allocated for the production of photovoltaic energy. Initially, thermal cars will be able to use the circuit. The new vision for the site also provides for a reduction in noise emissions compared to the circuit's previous activity plan. A small runway will be retained, mainly for private use, including the operation of electric aircraft. The proposed track will measure 1200 meters long and 23 meters wide.
MotorSport Vision Managing Director Jonathan Palmer said: “MSV has the opportunity in Couvron to be the first to allow people to enjoy carbon-free motorsport using battery electric vehicles charged with green electricity from a vast solar farm on place, which is really exciting. We are fully committed to embracing a low-carbon future world where we can. We recognize, however, that motorsport, which represents a tiny fraction of conventional fuel use compared to road transport, will only be able to move significantly away from fossil fuels when affordable technologies enable it to do so viably. . »
