Formula 1 News: French government eyes French GP revival (6th Update)
(GMM) It would “make sense” if Formula 1 could return to France; the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali admits a return of the French GP is possible.
Despite its deep motor racing history, and being the origin of the term ‘grand prix’ and the home of the FIA, the country fell off the race calendar amid financial problems for the Paul Ricard race organizers after 2022.
However, moves are afoot to organize a new French GP, either at Paul Ricard again or even on the streets of Nice.
L’Equipe correspondent Frederic Ferret interviewed Domenicali ahead of the Austrian GP this weekend and said the F1 CEO “absolutely does not want to close the doors to any proposals”.
However, Ferret admits the chances for now are “very slim”, even if one possibility could be an annual race alternation between Nice and nearby Monaco.
“If, at some point, the president of the Republic and Prince Albert of Monaco say: ‘There can be an agreement’, then why not?” Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice and former French GP promoter at Paul Ricard, said recently.
And during Ferret’s interview with the F1 CEO, Domenicali admitted: “F1 and France make sense together.”
May 22, 2024
(GMM) France’s hopes of returning to the Formula 1 calendar appear to rest with Paul Ricard – the venue that last hosted the country’s French GP in 2022.
Christian Estrosi is the mayor of Nice, but he was also involved in the promotion of the Paul Ricard event that ultimately fell off the F1 schedule for economic reasons.
Estrosi was subsequently charged by the federal government with the task of preparing a feasibility report into returning Formula 1 to France.
“Is it possible? Yes,” he told the sports daily L’Equipe.
“We have the facilities, the resources and the know-how. It’s all a question of will.
“We have seen in previous years that significant resources are required, the support of local authorities, as well as an essential and consistent commitment from the state.”
F1 appeared to be interested in two ideas, Estrosi said. A race in Ile-de-France, which is the region including the capital Paris, and a street event in Nice.
“At the end of 2023, a project for a non-permanent circuit was mentioned but these communities did not wish to continue,” he said. “Nice had all the assets that were required, especially as we have experience of major international events.”
However, Estrosi said the main problem was that Nice is geographically far too close to Monaco. In his feasibility report, he therefore told the federal government that the best chance of a future French GP is Paul Ricard.
April 6, 2024
(GMM) Stefano Domenicali has played down France’s hopes of the French GP returning to the Formula 1 calendar – unless the government gets involved.
As the sport’s schedule become steadily more congested, Paul Ricard – having last held a grand prix in 2022 – became a victim as it was priced out of the market.
The new president at the Paul Ricard circuit is F1 legend Jean Alesi, and at Suzuka for the Japanese GP, he asked the sport’s CEO what France needs to do to revive its historic race.
“In a marriage,” Domenicali replied to Alesi on Canal Plus, “you must have at least two people who agree.
“So what we need is interest from France – for the country to understand that, when today you want to organize a Formula 1 grand prix, you need a significant investment.”
The Italian suggested that without the support of the government, the revival of the French GP is basically impossible.
“I think it can be organized at a central level with the government,” said Domenicali.
“For example, when we come here to Japan, there is the Prime Minister, and then all of the other people who are in the F1 project. Because F1 is a possibility for the country to be represented throughout the world.”
July 12, 2023
(GMM) French president Emmanuel Macron has given a green light to the revival of the country’s French GP Formula 1 race.
After the race at Paul Ricard fell off the calendar after last year’s race, new circuit boss Jean Alesi said the event lacked the support of the French president.
“The presidents of other countries are honored to have the event on their territory,” said the former Ferrari driver.
“I think he (Macron) has other priorities,” Alesi added.
At the same time, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said he was open to talks at the highest level.
“If president Macron wants to talk, I will be there,” he told L’Equipe.
Now, Nice-Matin newspaper is reporting that Macron has indeed opened the door to the revival of a grand prix.
He has reportedly done that by empowering the leading figure behind the defunct event at Paul Ricard, Christian Estrosi, who doubles as the major of Nice.
It is believed a street race on the Cote d’Azur is now on the cards for 2025, after Estrosi wrote Macron a letter and the French president agreed that F1 is “an issue of attractiveness for our country”.
“Be certain that I fully share your ambition,” Macron reportedly wrote in reply.
“As you (Estrosi) underline, our country must be able, like the other major international sporting events that it organizes each year, to reconnect with Formula 1 for the pleasure of all,” the letter added.
“It is a challenge of attractiveness for our country, of the influence of our automotive industry, and of innovation to support the decarbonization of this sector.”
Macron therefore empowered Estrosi with “a mission” together with French motorsport federation boss Nicolas Deschaux, to “study the different possible location options on the national territory”.
“You will endeavor in this context to engage in discussions with the holders of the Formula 1 rights,” the French president wrote.
May 29, 2023
(GMM) Momentum is building as France aims to return to the Formula 1 calendar.
Paul Ricard lost its place on the schedule amid mounting losses at the now-disbanded promoter – but there were plenty of signs of life behind the scenes in Monaco last weekend.
RMC reports that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali met not only with French motorsport federation boss Nicolas Deschaux, but also new Paul Ricard president and F1 legend Jean Alesi.
Eric Boullier, a former F1 team boss who was in charge of the disbanded French GP public interest group, was also present for the meetings.
“I have a fairly strong friendship with Stefano Domenicali,” said former F1 driver Alesi.
“I asked him if we could talk about doing a French GP again or not, and he said ‘of course’. For him, there is no problem,” the 58-year-old former Ferrari driver said.
Alesi said it is now over to French political institutions to create the necessary “national will” for another Formula 1 race.
“Stefano’s desire is to speak to the major French institutions, that is to say the president of the Republic,” he revealed.
Monaco podium-getter and Frenchman Esteban Ocon hopes the meetings result in France being reinstated on the calendar.
“It’s not normal that we don’t have a French GP at the moment,” said the Alpine driver.
“I hope that, together, we will find a solution to bring it back to the calendar. There are discussions and we will see where they will take us.
“But the more weight there is behind it, the more we will succeed in bringing the grand prix back.
“Stefano talks about it a lot in the press and I talk to him about it from time to time,” Ocon added. “It’s in the newspapers already.
“We have to find a way to do it.”
May 23, 2023
(GMM) The French government will help revive the country’s axed annual grand prix.
France is among the most historic hosts in Formula 1 history, but the latest annual event held at the Paul Ricard circuit between 2018 and last year.
French F1 legend Jean Alesi was appointed president of Paul Ricard in the wake of the final race in 2022, and mere months ago he lamented the lack of a “national will” for a French GP.
“It would be an honor to speak with a president of the Republic about something that is close to my heart,” he said.
“But I think he has other priorities.”
However, French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera is suddenly indicating that the government may in fact be motivated to revive France’s F1 event.
“I think it’s positive that the boss of Formula 1 has recently expressed such a desire for France,” she told the Eco newspaper.
“Therefore, we will work on a roadmap,” she added, referring to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“Now we need to attract the right people – and in France there is no shortage of them, including among our distinguished elected representatives – to develop a good project and enter into a dialogue with the leadership of Formula 1,” the sports minister added.
“This is really a great opportunity so we will do whatever we can to take advantage of it.”
May 6, 2023
(GMM) F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says he is willing to talk face-to-face with the French president about potentially reviving the country’s grand prix.
Paul Ricard was this year the latest victim of Formula 1’s gradual shift away from traditional European hosts, with new circuit president Jean Alesi admitting there is no “national will” for the event.
“We never had the honor of having the president of the Republic at the event,” said the former F1 driver.
“The presidents of other countries are honored to have the event on their territory,” Alesi added.
However, while he said it would be an “honor” to sit down with president Emmanuel Macron, “I think he has other priorities”.
But behind the scenes, Domenicali has reportedly proposed that circuits like Paul Ricard may be able to return to the calendar with an alternating annual race spot shared with another European host.
“Maybe Spa or an Austrian GP or Imola will alternate with us,” Alesi said. “Everything is on the table.”
To that end, Domenicali said in Miami that he is open to talking face-to-face about the situation with president Macron.
“If president Macron wants to talk, I will be there,” he told the French sports daily L’Equipe.
The newspaper’s F1 correspondent Frederic Ferret said: “A great reader of this newspaper, Domenicali does not want to wipe our country off the F1 map, but he is asking for interlocutors that he has lost.
“If the French government was ready for discussions, it is clear that F1 would not say no to France, even if today the interest of the government or possible promoters does not seem great.”