One of the newest Formula One motor racing teams, Toyota F1, has been amongst the first to make use of the redeveloped airport at Le Castellet in the south of France.

The airport opened for business in January and is conveniently positioned alongside the Circuit Paul Ricard racing test track. Toyota took advantage of this to deliver urgent mechanical parts from Cologne as its team practised there.

Le Castellet is now aiming to attract business jet traffic to its substantially enhanced facilities.

It now has a replacement control tower, passenger terminal, business aviation centre, parking areas

and four new hangars, the largest of these able to accommodate two Global Express-sized jets.

Located between Marseille and Toulon, the airport was originally created as the largest private airfield in the region by Paul Ricard in 1962. In 1970 the racing circuit was built, and two years later the runway

was extended to its present 1,750 metres. In May 1999 Excelis SA purchased the aerodrome and

circuit and has been responsible for its redevelopment.

Next to the terminal Excelis has built a three-star crew hotel with 19 fully equipped rooms, as well as a four-star hotel with 18 rooms and five suites all with terraces and private balconies overlooking the sea. This has a fitness centre and swimming pools.

FBO services available include fuelling, cleaning, catering, weather and passenger facilities. The

crew room has Jeppesen flight planning, Minitel and a library of documentation.