The French Grand Prix could rejoin the calendar as early as 2013 after the country’s prime minister, Francois Fillon, confirmed that plans were afoot to resurrect the event.
Formula 1 had visited France at Magny-Cours up until 2008, before it was shelved due to financial problems. The country has very little presence in F1 now, with the sale of the Renault team to Genii Capital, which is now run under a British license and the absence of any current French drivers.
Fillon, along with a team consisting of Renault team principal Eric Boullier, ex-cabinet minister Gilles Dufeigneaux and Gerard Neveu, director of the Paul Ricard circuit, which is favourite to regain the race, are keen to reverse the decline.
“It is true that I have put in place a team [to] attempt to create a proposition that will allow the organisation of a new grand prix in France,” Fillon told Var-Martin newspaper.
With the race possibly returning to an already present facility, the grand prix could be a feature of the calendar as early as 2013, if they can agree a deal with FOM and the FIA, though with a 21-race calendar presented for 2012 already, one race more than is allowed under the current regulations, several races would need to make way for such a return, as Russia will also be joining in 2014.
Fillon suggests the race could rotate with Spa in Belgium, therefore negating the need to find an open slot on the calendar.
