PARIS (AP) -- A helicopter making roundtrips between the French Formula One circuit and a hotel crashed, killing three people and seriously injuring two others, the prefecture of the Nievre region said Sunday.

The cause of the crash around 10 p.m. (2100 GMT) Saturday was not immediately known. Five people were aboard the helicopter, which crashed near Charite-sur-Loire, the prefecture said.

The five were traveling from the Magny Cours race track to a hotel in the region, it said.

The Bridgestone Japanese tire team at Magny Cours would neither confirm nor deny media reports that the members of its staff were aboard.

The French Grand Prix was to be run Sunday.