Exclusive: Paul Ricard Make Bid for French GP

Organisers of Bernie Ecclestone's high-tech Paul Ricard circuit said today that they are ready and able to save the French Grand Prix by hosting the event next year.

The French motorsport association, FSSA, will hold a press conference on Thursday to reveal their plans for the future of the race after organisers at the current Magny Cours venue revealed they could not afford to host it.

Paul Ricard, which is owned by Formula One commercial rights holder Ecclestone, is now in pole position to help get the race re-instated and organisers revealed they are now just waiting for the green light.

"If Mr. Ecclestone wants it here we will be able to do it here," said a circuit spokeswoman. "[But] as long as there is no official meeting we cannot say any more but if we must then we will run it."

The event, originally scheduled for July 11th next year, has currently been scrapped and the British Grand Prix organisers are keen to secure the date to avoid clashes with the Wimbledon tennis final.

But there remains the possibility for the event to be re-instated and Paul Ricard circuit director Philippe Gurdjian, who has organised 19 Grands Prix in the past, is ready to put plans in motion.

"If it was proposed for tomorrow we do not have the infrastructure to host the race but Mr. Gurdjian has organised Grands Prix in difficult circumstance and this would be another challenge," said the spokeswoman.

A spokesman for the FFSA confirmed that there had been discussions over the possibility of the race being held at Paul Ricard but would not reveal whether a decision had yet been made.