Like the Britons Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton who finished on the podium at the Silverstone GP last Sunday, will the Tricolores Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon have the chance to take part, too, in their national grand prix as between 2018 and 2022? Questioned by mail by Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice (Horizons) who had relaunched the national event at Le Castellet from 2018 to 2022, the President of the Republic opened the door to a return to the GP of France.
“Rest assured that I fully share your ambition. Indeed, you underline it, 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, wrote Emmanuel Macron. 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. »
According to the information Nice-morning, the Head of State has authorized Christian Estrosi to carry out a mission to examine the conditions which would allow the return of F1 to France. “I wish to respond favorably to your proposal to entrust you with a mission, jointly with Mr. Nicolas Deschaux, president of the French Motorsport Federation,” added the tenant of the Élysée.
Not before 2025
The President of the Republic then assured Christian Estrosi and Nicolas Deschaux that they could count on the support of Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy, Finance, Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, and Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This year, the Formula 1 World Championship has 22 races on the program and not 24 as it had been decided (the Chinese and Emilia-Romagna GPs have been canceled) If the French Grand Prix returns to the program, this wouldn’t be before 2025. Formula 1 has already unveiled its calendar for the 2024 season, and the French Grand Prix is not on it.
