May29 (GMM) Momentum builds as France looks set to return to the Formula 1 calendar.
Paul Ricard has lost his spot on the schedule amid mounting losses at the disbanded promoter – but behind the scenes of Monaco last weekend there were many signs of life.
RMC reports that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali met not only with the head of the French motorsport federation, Nicolas Deschaux, but also with new president Paul Ricard and F1 legend Jean Alesi.
Eric Boullier, the former F1 team principal who was responsible for the disbanded French GP public interest group, was also present at the meetings.
“I have a pretty strong friendship with Stefano Domenicali,” said former F1 driver Alesi.
“I asked him if we could talk about doing the French GP again or not and he said ‘of course’. No problem for him,” said the 58-year-old former Ferrari driver.
Alesi said it was now up to French political institutions to create the necessary “national will” for the next Formula 1 race.
“Stefano’s desire is to talk to the most important French institutions, that is, the President of the Republic,” he revealed.
Monaco podium finisher and Frenchman Esteban Ocon hope the meetings will result in France’s return to the calendar.
“It’s not normal that we don’t have a French GP at the moment,” said the Alpine driver.
“I hope we can find a solution together to get him back on the calendar. Discussions are ongoing and we’ll see where they take us.
“But the greater the weight behind it, the more successful we will be in bringing the grand prix back.
“Stefano talks a lot about it in the press, and I talk to him about it from time to time,” added Ocon. “It’s already in the papers.”
“We have to find a way to do that.”
