Ocon reaffirms his support for the French Grand Prix
Esteban Ocon reiterated his desire to keep his national Grand Prix on the Formula 1 calendar. The Frenchman also insists on the importance of keeping certain iconic countries.
We know that the French Grand Prix is part of the list of events threatened on the Formula 1 calendar. Like Spa-Francorchamps or Monaco, Le Castellet is not guaranteed to have its place after the 2022 season, as its contract expires at the end of this year.
Discussions are therefore taking place to decide whether the pinnacle category of motor racing will continue to visit the south of France after the next edition in July. For Esteban Ocon, France is obviously one of the races that must be kept on the calendar. The Frenchman provides updates on the progress of the discussions.
« I obviously follow the conversations and see how things are going, but yes, it doesn’t look very good,” estimates the Alpine driver. « It’s very disappointing. I have already experienced it in my early career when the Grand Prix wasn’t here. Then it came back and I was very lucky to race here. We have it this year and we will make the most of it.”
Ocon simultaneously emphasizes the importance of keeping certain iconic Formula 1 races on the calendar. « I believe there are countries where we must race. France is one of them. Belgium is one of them, Monaco is one of them. We should keep these races that are special to us and see what we can make of them. »
The future of the French Grand Prix thus seems uncertain. But for Esteban Ocon, there is no doubt that Le Castellet and other iconic circuits also in waiting must remain destinations for the premier category of motorsport. Third-party solutions have already been suggested to keep the Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, such as a possible rotation in the calendar.
