France, which disappeared from the Formula 1 calendar after the last Grand Prix du Castellet in 2022, will it return to the race? A mission to examine “the conditions for a return of Formula 1” in the country was entrusted by Emmanuel Macron to Christian Estrosi (Horizons), who had requested it, according to a letter from the Head of State to the mayor of Nice viewed by 20 minutes. “Our country must be able […] to reconnect with Formula 1, for the pleasure of all. It is a challenge of attractiveness for our country, of the influence of our automotive industry and of innovation to support the decarbonization of the sector”, writes the President of the Republic.
As part of this mission, the mayor of Nice, a former motorcycle pilot, will be able to “study the various possible location options on national territory”, specified the President of the Republic. The conclusions of the mission should be presented “at the end of September, so that the government and the local authorities concerned can take decisions to support such a project on an informed basis”.
A deficit of 27 million euros
This announcement comes as the Public Interest Group (GIP) which managed the Grand Prix de France and was chaired by Christian Estrosi could not be dissolved due to a deficit of 27 million euros. Initially scheduled for December, the dissolution of the GIP was postponed following protests from its members in the face of this financial situation and before the closure of an audit scheduled for the end of July. A breakdown of the sums to be paid by the various contributors (including the Paca region, the Var department and the cities of Toulon and Nice) in order to absorb the deficit has certainly been established, but, on the eve of a new meeting of the GIP scheduled for Wednesday, protests have again appeared, especially from the Var department.
Éric Ciotti, president of the Republicans and deputy of the Alpes-Maritimes, denounced for his part on Monday in a joint press release with Christelle D’Intorni, the desire of Christian Estrosi, his former LR ally, to “fill the hole in the debt of the Grand Prix de France with the money of the taxpayers of Nice and metropolitan”, the metropolis normally having to allocate “more than 5 million euros to the Interest Group GP of France”.