Magny-cours To Keep F1 Status
Magny-Cours, the current home of the French Grand Prix, will remain on the F1 calendar after the sport’s supremo Bernie Ecclestone gave the venue the green light.
It had previously been expected that the track was hosting its last event this season, before a move to a venue closer to Paris, probably for 2010.
However Ecclestone stated: ‘We’ve got a contract here for another couple of years. When that contract stops, we’ll have to see what we can do. Although the FFSA (French federation), who are the promoters, agreed two years ago that 2008 would be the last race, now they are saying 2009 will be the last race but I’m sure it’s not.’
He added that he was still hoping for an eventual move to the capital with Disneyland Paris the favoured location as F1 searches for a venue with plenty of hotel rooms and easy rail access from Paris and the rest of Europe.
All of the potential locations would require the construction of a brand new track.
Magny-Cours, in a predominantly rural area in the middle of France, has always struggled to provide the facilities expected of a modern F1 venue although it is scheduled for an upgrade next year.
The FFSA has a contract for a Grand Prix until 2011 and is due to meet next week to decide what to do next year, depending on continued local government funding for Magny-Cours and the financial outcome of the 2008 event.
