Return of French GP 'makes sense' – Domenicali

Jun.29 (GMM) It would “make sense” if Formula 1 could return to France, the sport’s CEO Stefano Domenicali admits.

Despite its deep motor racing history, and being the origin of the term ‘grand prix’ and the home of the FIA, the country fell off the race calendar amid financial problems for the Paul Ricard race organisers after 2022.

However, moves are afoot to organise a new French GP, either at Paul Ricard again or even on the streets of Nice.

L’Equipe correspondent Frederic Ferret interviewed Domenicali ahead of the Austrian GP this weekend and said the F1 CEO “absolutely does not want to close the doors to any proposals”.

However, Ferret admits the chances for now are “very slim”, even if one possibility could be an annual race alternation between Nice and nearby Monaco.

“If, at some point, the president of the Republic and Prince Albert of Monaco say: ‘There can be an agreement’, then why not?” Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice and former French GP promoter at Paul Ricard, said recently.

And during Ferret’s interview with the F1 CEO, Domenicali admitted: “F1 and France make sense together.”