The rotation between Spa and the French Grand Prix at a standstill?
Since August, little news has emerged about the possibility for the French and Belgian Grand Prix to alternate their organization starting in 2013, even though this idea seemed on the verge of materializing. An update on the situation.
It was deemed imminent during the Belgian Grand Prix and everyone – especially the French side – was already rejoicing over the agreement reached, but the announcement of an alternation between the Belgian Grand Prix and a potential French Grand Prix has still not materialized. A situation that does not currently favor this solution.
At the end of August, Etienne Duvignon, president of the Spa Grand Prix company, talked about a solution that represents progress compared to no longer having [the Belgian GP]. So let’s stop whining about what we prefer and what we can’t afford. A few years ago, it was established that it would be over. Today it’s not over, and we say it’s not enough. But since then, some things have evolved, starting with a deficit that should be less significant in /f1/actualite/11407-le-circuit-paul-ricard-est-pret-.html than in 2010 (that is, less than five million euros).
But above all, the Walloon Minister of Economy, Jean-Claude Marcourt, declared yesterday before the committee questioning him that he had no knowledge of any potential interest from Gérard Lopez, head of Lotus Renault GP, to buy the Grand Prix. Lopez had, however, stated at the end of August to the Luxembourg newspaper Tageblatt: “Spa is a great circuit and we could do great things with it. We could develop it with the Walloon Region. So if they are open to discussion with private investors, why not?” Still no offer from Lopez, indeed, but the Belgian minister expressed the interest of another private investor, without giving further details. An announcement that contradicts what Pierre-Alain Thibaut, director of the Spa circuit, had declared, considering that an agreement with a private investor was not the right solution.
Pierre-Yves Jeholet, a member of the Reformist Movement in the Walloon Parliament who questioned J.C. Marcourt, expressed his own feelings about the alternation: « I am not in favor of this alternation because the Grand Prix is a fantastic international showcase for the region. It’s a bad formula because we are increasingly witnessing a surge of emerging countries. Who knows if, in a few years, we might not eliminate these alternating Grand Prix, since they are already only organized every other year? »
If all this leaves a rather pessimistic impression about the implementation of this project, Jean Claude Marcourt nevertheless specified that contacts had taken place with the French Prime Minister François Fillon’s “major events” unit regarding a possible alternation of the French and Belgian Grand Prix. Another important piece of information is that the managers of the Paul Ricard circuit believe that the Castellet track is ready to host F1 again. To be continued.
