Francois Fillon yet to make announcement about French GP return – Formula 1 news
French Prime Minister, Francois Fillon has not made any announcement regarding the return of F1 Grand Prix in the country in 2013, until now.
It was reported in Le Parisien newspaper that Fillon had visited Paul Ricard circuit on Friday to confirm the revival of French GP after some very long negotiations.
Moreover, the negotiations were meant for Paul Ricard to swap a race date with renowned Spa Francorchamps circuit of Belgium, annually.
“The prime minister will travel to the [Paul Ricard] circuit,” an official close to Fillon is quoted as saying by AFP news agency, but Fillon said he “will not announce the return of the grand prix to the calendar in 2013.”
However, the French-language Radio Monte Carlo (RMC) insisted that Belgium, at present, is not prepared for alternating the race date.
“If France has received a contract to organise a grand prix every other year, this is not the case for the Belgian promoters, who are still waiting for the document to send to the government of Wallonia,” the report read.
Besides, RMC reported that the delay could have happened due to the reason that Spa is facing issues in making the payments of authorizing fee for the race in September this year.
Furthermore, Sport Auto, a French magazine persisted that Fillon “will not announce the return of the Grand Prix in France on Friday.”
Nevertheless, an official expressed that Bernie Ecclestone, F1 chief executive, has approved hypothetically, the presence of French GP on the F1 calendar setting off in 2013.
However, it is not compulsory that the alteration will only happen with Belgium.
“It (the alternation) will not necessarily be with Belgium,” the report added.
Nonetheless, Fillon expressed in an interview conducted by Nice-Matin newspaper that a grand prix is extremely significant for France.
In addition, he said that they have been sent a draft from Ecclestone as a result of the valuable negotiations started few months ago over the matter of French GP return. He also said that now they have a substantial foundation for further discussions with
the authorities.
If France is successful in reviving the GP in 2013 it will surely prove out to be a great step forward by the Government.
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