France's shorter, faster version of the Nurburgring

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Nestled in the beautiful Auvergne mountains, Clermont Ferrand's twisty and hilly layout was often seen as a reduced version of the Nurburgring.

The 8 km-plus circuit was faster however and just as daunting, requiring the perfect blend of bravery and skill to be mastered.

Clermont played host to four French GP, the last of which was in 1972. Chris Amon and Denny Hulme are seen here sitting on a very tight front row.

The Kiwi, onboard his Matra MS120D was in command for half of the race until he picked up a puncture, a misfortune that sent him back to the pits and tumbling in the standings.

Amon went for it thereafter however, lapping almost as quickly as his pole time, and ultimately finishing third behind Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi.

Unfortunately, the 1972 race was also one that put paid to Helmut Marko racing's career, when the future Red Bull motorsport boss, driving for BRM at the time, lost an eye as the result of a stone thrown up by another car and piercing his helmet visor

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.