And if France returned to the Formula 1 calendar? The President of the Republic seems to be keeping the door open to this possibility. The Mayor of Nice, who revived the race at the French Circuit Paul Ricard from 2018 to 2022, has requested a mission that has been accepted by the Élysée.
Will France once again host a Formula 1 Grand Prix? It’s possible. In any case, Emmanuel Macron is not burying this idea. Far from it.
In response to a letter from Christian Estrosi, the Mayor of Nice (Horizons) who revived the national event at Paul Ricard from 2018 to 2022, the President of the Republic replied: “Rest assured that I fully share your ambition. Indeed, as you have emphasized, our country must be able, like other major international sporting events it hosts every year, to reconnect with Formula 1, for the pleasure of all. It is a matter of attractiveness for our country, the influence of our automotive industry, and innovation to support the decarbonization of this sector.”
More than just a principle position, Emmanuel Macron also agrees to Christian Estrosi’s wish to lead a mission to examine the conditions that would allow the return of Formula 1 to France.
“I would like to respond favorably to your proposal to entrust you with a mission, jointly with Mr. Nicolas Deschaux, President of the French Federation of Motor Sport,” writes the tenant of the Élysée.
Guided by him, “You will be able, in this capacity, to study the various possible location options within the national territory, identifying for each their economic model, their compatibility with our environmental commitments, and their potential contribution to territorial and national development. In this context, you will engage in discussions with the rights holders of Formula 1.”
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In their task, Christian Estrosi and Nicolas Deschaux can rely on the support and assistance of Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy, Finance, Industrial Sovereignty, and Digital, and Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, assured the President.
Why not in Nice?
According to recent reports, if the future Grand Prix comes to fruition, it would not return to the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, Var, but rather in an urban setting.
For some time now, this option has clearly become the preference of Formula 1 promoters, who, for example, have chosen Las Vegas for the penultimate race of the 2023 season.
Which city would be willing to host the big spectacle of the premier discipline of motorsport? The scenario of a race in Nice, mentioned by F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali in June 2022 and then denied by Christian Estrosi at the French Grand Prix a month later, could resurface.
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