Pau

The Grand Prix de Pau is an auto race held annually in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, southwestern France. The race was first held in 1901 and started running regularly in 1933, with a race being held more-or-less every year since, excluding the duration of World War II. The race was the first ever to be called a Grand Prix. In the 1950s the race was run sporadically as a non-championship Formula One race, with periods as a Formula Two race. From 1964 the race was part of the French, and later the European, Formula Two championships. Formula 3000 replaced Formula Two in Europe from 1985 and the race continued as part of the European championship until 1999, when the race around the streets of Pau was changed to a Formula Three event.