Ecclestone agrees to keep French GP
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has agreed to keep the French Grand Prix on the calendar next year at Magny-Cours
The Magny-Cours circuit, in the heart of rural France, has suffered from weak attendances in the past, and its future looked even darker when Ecclestone assured the race would not be back in the calendar.
"There is no future for Magny-Cours, 2007 will be the last race at this circuit," Ecclestone said recently. "We should not have gone there in the first place. And we only did so because of former FISA president Jean-Marie Balestre."
The French motorsport federation, the FFSA, said last week they were still determined to fulfil their current contract with Ecclestone, running out in 2011. The FFSA said that they were looking at alternative venues for the race.
However, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon met with Ecclestone on Tuesday and the Briton agreed, in principle, to keep the race at Magny-Cours next year.
"He (Ecclestone) agreed in principle to maintain the race at Magny-Cours in 2008, and even 2009, if there were no other alternative," a spokesman for Fillon told Reuters.
Share Or Save This Story
United Formula Ford battles add European flavour to USA Snetterton 300 event
Red Bull appoints Lagrue as junior driver chief after Mercedes F1 exit
Dome-led group launches bid to build next Super Formula car
Mini masters put on another entertaining show at Thruxton
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments