The PACA region wants a French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard
On the occasion of the General Assembly of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the new President of the PACA region, Christian Estrosi, announced his desire to support a French Grand Prix project at the Paul Ricard circuit.
At the beginning of the week, Formula 1 made its grand return to the Paul Ricard circuit, as part of two test days organized by Pirelli to test under real conditions the new rubber components developed by the Italian manufacturer.
This event was an opportunity to bring back to the table the question of the French Grand Prix and its viability on the track in Var. During the General Assembly of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Christian Estrosi, newly elected President of the PACA region, expressed his desire to support a Grand Prix project on the Castellet track: « After the return of the Bol d’Or, the most prestigious motorcycle race in our country, it would only be fair and at the same time prestigious for our region to see the return of the Formula 1 Grand Prix. As a former member of François Fillon’s government when he fought to make several things happen, I was even among those who at the time, as mayor of Nice and on behalf of our metropolis, had signed a commitment to contribute to the funding of bringing Formula 1 back here. »
Former professional motorcycle racer, Christian Estrosi speaks with true passion about a track he knows well: “I am surely the only one among you who has spent the longest part of his life on this circuit, having competed in about thirty Moto Grand Prix for nearly eleven years. After opening the Bol d’Or last September, during its grand return to Castellet, I am very pleased to see it revived in this way, to see this resurgence. The circuit is located not far from the Plateau de Signes, making it a true center of excellence that must feed all our future hopes for growth.”
If the project, which has been on track for a few years, is currently at a standstill, such a statement could well restart the engine. In this case, the PACA region would be a partner of choice in this revival: « If there is a chance of achieving it, the PACA region will be by your side with all its strength so that we can reclaim what is somewhat part of our heritage. I am an admirer of the Monaco Grand Prix, but I sincerely wish that we, too, in our region, have the right to see this French Grand Prix regain its historic place among us. » concluded Christian Estrosi.
