Estrosi entrusted by President of the Republic, Macron, to bring back Formula 1 to France

The President of the Republic responded positively to a letter sent by Christian Estrosi in order to involve the government in the return of Formula 1 to France.

Christian Estrosi, when he was a deputy in Alpes-Maritimes, had long been promoting motorsport and had encouraged the state to commit to hosting the French Grand Prix again after the contract between F1 and Magny-Cours ended. These efforts had paid off as F1 had returned to Le Castellet for several seasons. As the Mayor of Nice since 2020, Estrosi has asked the government to get involved in proposing F1 in France again and to showcase the country in the pinnacle of motorsport. The President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, has responded positively to his request: “« Be certain that I fully share your ambition. As you underline, our country must be able, like other major international sporting events that it hosts every year, to reconnect with Formula 1, for the pleasure of all. It is a challenge of attractiveness for our country, of showcasing our automotive industry and of innovation to accompany the decarbonization of this sector. “»

The mission letter, whose contents were reported by Var-Matin, asks the FFSA to participate: « I wish to respond favorably to your proposal to entrust you with a mission, jointly with Mr. Nicolas Deschaux, President of the French Federation of Motor Sport. »

A return of F1 to France could be done somewhere other than Le Castellet, notably on an urban circuit. The mayor of Nice had already proposed the idea of hosting F1 in his city, and urban circuits are popular with Formula One management as they provide more accommodation options for teams and reduce travel times during a weekend.

« As such, you will be able to study the various possible localization options within the national territory, identifying for each their economic model, their compatibility with our ecological commitments, and their potential contribution to territorial and national development. In this context, you will engage in discussions with the Formula 1 rights holders. »

This mission entrusted to Christian Estrosi must come to an end in « September, so that the government and the relevant local authorities can make informed decisions about supporting such a project » explains the President in his letter.