The Formula 1 Grand Prix de France, whose current contract expires at the end of the year, is in favor of alternating with another race every other year, its president Christian Estrosi announced on Friday.
"I'm quite won over to the idea that doing an edition every two years really makes sense to move up in rank, to move up in level compared to other Grands Prix on the planet", defended Mr. Estrosi.
Following his meeting with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali on the sidelines of the Monaco GP, Mr. Estrosi declared "to confirm that at the end of the 2022 edition on July 24, Mr. Domenicali has said yes in principle to that we have a next edition”.
“He said that in the F1 calendar, France is there on a model which must evolve since they themselves are discussing with several other appointments in the calendar - on the fact that everyone would not necessarily have a Grand Prix every year, ”continued the man who is also mayor of Nice.
An alternation with Monaco?
Like the GP of Belgium or the GP of Monaco, the French round is not yet guaranteed to be on the calendar next year, threatened to disappear in favor of new races.
Competing with newcomers from America, Asia and the Middle East - who are paying a high price for their arrival ($55 million a year for Saudi Arabia against only $15 for Monaco, according to the specialized press) - these circuits see emerge the idea of a work-study program, every other year, so as not to disappear completely.
F1 returned to France in 2018 on the Paul-Ricard circuit in Castellet (Var), after ten years of absence on French land.
Christian Estrosi is counting on September for an official response concerning the future of the race, which also benefits from the support of the French government.
