Located in the hills near Prenois, just outside Dijon in eastern France, the Circuit de Dijon-Prenois is one of the most distinctive venues of Formula One’s classic era.
Opened in 1972, the circuit quickly became known for its fast, flowing nature, dramatic elevation changes and sweeping bends. Unlike tighter stop-start circuits, Dijon rewarded rhythm, bravery and momentum, with drivers threading their cars through a compact but demanding lap. Its place in F1 history was secured not only by hosting multiple French Grand Prix, but also by producing one of the most famous wheel-to-wheel battles the sport has ever seen.
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Circuit Dijon-Prenois
| First Grand Prix | 1974 French Grand Prix |
| Number of Laps | 79 |
| Circuit Length | 3.801 km |
| Race Distance | 300.279 km |
| Lap Record | 1:05.257 Alain Prost (1984) |
Circuit
When was Circuit Dijon-Prenois built?
Plans for the circuit were first drawn up in 1967, with construction beginning in December 1969. The track officially opened on 26 May 1972.
Dijon-Prenois was created as part of a wider ambition to establish Dijon as a centre for the automotive industry. The project was driven by François Chambelland, with support from French racers Jean-Pierre Beltoise and François Cevert, as well as motoring journalist José Rosinski.
The original circuit measured 3.289 km and was used from 1972. However, after Formula One first visited in 1974, the short lap caused traffic between front-runners and backmarkers. As a result, an extension was added in 1976, creating the longer 3.801 km Grand Prix layout that remains in use today.
Dijon-Prenois is best known for its undulating layout and fast, sweeping corners. Rather than relying on slow hairpins and heavy braking zones, the track flows over natural elevation changes and rewards drivers who can carry speed through long bends. Even on the longer Grand Prix layout, the lap is short and intense, leaving little room for error.
Its compact nature also helped create close racing. The circuit’s most famous moment came in the closing laps of the 1979 French Grand Prix, when Gilles Villeneuve and René Arnoux produced an unforgettable side-by-side battle for second place. That same race also saw Jean-Pierre Jabouille give Renault its first Formula One victory — and the first win for a turbocharged Formula One car.
When was the first French Grand Prix at Circuit Dijon-Prenois?
The first Formula One race at Dijon-Prenois was the 1974 French Grand Prix, held on the original short circuit layout.
Formula One returned to the venue for the French Grand Prix in 1977, 1979, 1981 and 1984. In 1982, although the French Grand Prix was held elsewhere, Dijon instead hosted the Swiss Grand Prix — a World Championship race run in France because motor racing remained banned in Switzerland following the 1955 Le Mans disaster.
That 1982 race was won by Keke Rosberg, who took the first Grand Prix victory of his Formula One career there.
The final Formula One race at Dijon-Prenois was the 1984 French Grand Prix, won by Niki Lauda in a McLaren. After that, Formula One did not return, with the French Grand Prix continuing at other venues.
Circuit Dijon-Prenois lap record
The official race lap record for the current Grand Prix circuit is 1:02.985, set by Ingo Gerstl driving a Toro Rosso STR1 during the 2015 Dijon Motors Cup.
For Formula One machinery in the period, the fastest official race lap at the Grand Prix layout was 1:05.257, set by Alain Prost during the 1984 French Grand Prix.
Though it no longer appears on the Formula One calendar, Dijon-Prenois remains one of France’s most celebrated circuits, remembered for its flowing layout, turbo-era milestones and one of the greatest on-track duels in Grand Prix history.