French GP: Magny-Cours makes an offer to bring back Formula 1

French GP: Magny-Cours makes an offer to bring back Formula 1. Magny-Cours makes an offer to bring back F1.

A Grand Prix on nearly ten circuits
In 62 total editions valid for the Formula 1 World Championship, the French Grand Prix is known for hosting the Circus on several different circuits over the years: Reims, Rouen, Clermont-Ferrand, Le Mans, and Dijon, before finding stability at Le Castellet, especially in the second half of the 1980s. The latter, called ‘Paul Ricard,’ shares the record for the most editions of the French GP with another track, with 18 races in total.

The challenge between Le Castellet and Magny-Cours
In the 1990s, the venue of the French Grand Prix was moved to Magny-Cours, which remained on the calendar from 1991 to 2008, the year when France last appeared in the Formula 1 World Championship. From 2009 to 2018, the country was completely excluded from the championship until negotiations with Le Castellet led to an agreement. However, compared to the previous version of the track, the new configuration and wide asphalt run-off areas never completely convinced the spectators, with the presence of red and blue stripes that also caused some headaches.

Macron supports Nice
The return to Le Castellet thus turned into a real failure, to the point that the French Grand Prix will not be present even this year. Therefore, French President Emmanuel Macron himself has been working to support the candidacy of Nice, with the city circuit potentially joining the many other tracks that have hosted Formula 1. However, the symbolic location of the French Riviera could still face obstacles not only from a new project at Le Castellet but also from another return.

The project of the mayor of Nevers
At the end of August, according to French newspaper L’Equipe, talks will be held between the French Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, and the mayor of Nevers, Denis Thuriot, the city where the Magny-Cours track is located. The mayor clarified that his offer will not compromise France’s overall desire to return to Formula 1: “Not necessarily,” he explained, “the idea is not to start a war between circuits. I want the competition to be on the track, not between our circuits. An alternating rhythm would reduce costs for everyone.” – he pointed out.