Formula One is gearing up for another European double header with the first stop the French Grand Prix this weekend.
France has had a long association with motorsport, with the latest venue, Circuit Paul Ricard, one of seven to have hosted a race in the F1 era.
The track, located just outside of Le Castellet, replaced Mangy Cours as the host of the French Grand Prix back in 2008.
But one persistent question that has remained about the circuit is the significance of the red-blue strips along the outside of the racing lines.
Here, talkSPORT.com has you covered on what it means and what purpose it serves…
Why are there Red and Blue lines at the French GP?
The colourful strips obviously represent the red and blue of the France flag but their presence is not just for show!
As explained by F1, the lines are designed to help slow down cars that go off track to avoid drivers smashing into walls at high speeds.
The blue strips are abrasive but the red ones are so rough that running over them on softs or mediums may require a new set of tyres!
This is in contrast to other circuits that rely on more conventional asphalt run offs and gravel traps (the latter is filled with sand, rocks, and pebbles).
The combination of the red and blue lines in the French GP also outline alternative track layouts, but the 167 stripes has been confusing for fans.
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France Grand Prix: What has been said?
Nicholas Latifi: “I’m super excited to get to France because it’s the first race where I’m going to have the upgrade package.
“We’ve seen some positive signs from it on Alex’s car so far, so I’m looking forward to getting my first taste. Hopefully, it can bring us that extra bit of relative pace that we’ve missed and put us more in the fight.
“France has a unique track layout with lots of run-off areas, so track limits might be a bit of an issue as it was in Austria.
“More than anything I’m looking forward to continuing the development of the car and hopefully we can get some good data going forward.”
France Grand Prix: Date and UK start time
The race weekend at the Circuit Paul Ricard is scheduled for Friday, July 22 to Sunday, July 24.
There will be two practices on Friday with the first starting from 1pm UK time with the third session an hour before on the Saturday.
Qualifying will take place at 3pm while the race itself will get underway at 2pm UK time on the Sunday.
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