French mayor pushes for French Grand Prix to make F1 return

After a significant period of absence, the French Grand Prix made its return to Circuit Paul Ricard in 2018. However, after the 2022 edition, the contract was not renewed, and the event didn't appear on the calendar in 2023. Now there are plans to host the French GP in Nice. It will be a street race.

Christian Etrosie, mayor of Nice, wrote a letter to Macron, president of France, according to the Nice-Matin newspaper. In it, he asked for support and stressed the interests of a French GP. Macron agreed and gave Estrosi and FFSA president Nicolas Deschaux the responsibility to approach F1/Liberty Media. They should work together to see how feasible it is to return F1 to France.

Return of French GP important for the country

Macron believes a return of the French GP is important. He believes that France, among other major international sporting events, should also host F1 once again. “It is an issue of attractiveness for our country, the influence of our automotive industry and innovation to support the decarbonisation of this sector," says the Frenchman.

Macron: “As such, you will be able to study the different possible location options [in France], identifying for each their economic model, their compatibility with our ecological commitments and their possible contribution to regional and national development."

Macron's support is important for the possible return, as current Paul Ricard boss Jean Alesi believes the disappearance of the French GP is mainly due to lack of political support: “The problem with F1 in France is not with the circuit, it’s with the politics,” says Alesi.

Lack of political support

Apart from a race at Magny-Cours, there has never been a president present at a French GP. This was because that race took place there due to a political desire. "Since then, it [president's visit] has never happened. The problem is not with the circuit; the problem is the wish of the country." Says Alesi.

Besides this lack, there is also a discussion about repayments of debts incurred by the events at Paul-Richard. Indeed, authorities from Nice Cote d'Azur agreed to pay 5 million to help the Public Interest Group of the French GP organisation pay off 27 million in debts.

This agreement did not go unnoticed as payments are already expected by the end of this month. EELV MP Frabrice Decoupigny is therefore very unhappy with this choice, he told Nice-Martin: "There is no question of paying an advance of 5 million when there are potential irregularities,” EELV [ecology] MP Fabrice Decoupigny told Nice-Matin. You don't vote without knowing. They put the knife to our throat, while at the same time, Christian Estrosi increases the tram ticket by 70% and stops subsidies for electromobility."

The local mayor also disagrees, given that fellow citizens' taxes have already been raised substantially this year. He thinks a 5 million advance is "huge" against the efforts of residents.

All in all, these discussions do not help in getting public money to go along with organising the street race in Nice. So it is also not yet certain whether this Grand Prix will take place soon.