Jenson Button's lap of Magny-Cours.

B.A.R-Honda driver Jenson Button describes a lap of the Magny-Cours - site of this weekend's French Grand Prix:

''Qualifying is very important at Magny-Cours as it's very difficult to overtake here. We start with the cars' set-up low as there are no bumps on the track but you need to have a good amount of grip for the tight corners and good traction for exiting the hairpins.

''After the start/finish straight we go into the Grand Courbe which is a very fast left-hander taken in top gear with your right foot flat to the floor. The G-loads are pretty high through this part so you really have to hang on tight.

''Exiting the Grand Courbe we go around Estoril, a sweeping right-hander. This is taken in fourth gear and it's essential to get a good line through there as you need to gather speed for the long back straight. During the race, the end of this straight is the place to overtake. If you can get close enough to the guy in front, you can try to outbrake him into the hairpin. The Adelaide Hairpin is tricky as you are braking down from over 300kmh but still need to carry just enough speed through the corner itself to get a good exit.

''Coming out of Adelaide in first gear we go back up through the gears to the first high-speed chicane. We go through here in fifth gear at 240kmh before braking and turning into the next hairpin. This is taken in second gear at 80kmh before going flat out to the Imola chicane. This is another quick one - fifth gear and almost 290kmh on entry - and quite interesting as it's up then downhill.

''After Imola we get on the brakes again for the Chateaux D'eau which we take quite slowly (95kmh) in second gear. Again you need a good exit from here to get a good run down to the last section of the track.

''This is a new section for this year, with a flat left-hand sweep followed by a tight right-hand bend. Then a short burst to another tight right-left chicane that feeds onto the pit straight. This new section is going to put a slightly higher emphasis on low speed balance and traction compared to the old layout.''