Magny-Cours officially bids for the French Grand Prix
Delegated by the government to the FFSA, the process of returning the French Grand Prix to the Formula 1 World Championship calendar continues its course, with the announcement of the candidacy of the Nevers-Magny-Cours circuit. The Burgundy infrastructure, which hosted the event between 1991 and 2008, will submit its application in early September.
In discussion since 2010, the process aimed at bringing a French Grand Prix back into the Formula 1 World Championship calendar has been far from smooth. After an unsuccessful call for applications, with projects failing one after another, an alternation with the Belgian Grand Prix was considered for a time before being definitively shelved by the renewal of the Belgian race until 2015.
Nevertheless, the return of the French Grand Prix for 2013 – although the deadlines seem too tight for next season – or beyond will receive a first concrete element. The Nevers-Magny-Cours circuit, which hosted the event between 1991 and 2008, will indeed submit an application to the FFSA, which has managed the file since its transmission by the Ayrault government.
« This official submission of the candidacy will demonstrate the collective mobilization around this project which, beyond the organization of an international sports competition, serves as a lever to support the regional industrial network and as a means to enhance the image of the territories, » states the press release issued by the circuit.
This candidacy, which will be formally submitted on September 4 during a ceremony held within the circuit premises, could face competition from a bid submitted by the Paul-Ricard circuit, which for a long time was the only one associated with the return of the French Grand Prix to the calendar.
