French GP: Douillet-Ecclestone Meeting Today
David Douillet and other officials of the project to bring F1 back to France are scheduled to meet today in London with Bernie Ecclestone to finalize the return of the French Grand Prix as early as 2013.
David Douillet, the Minister of Sports, is set to meet Bernie Ecclestone today to finalize the project of bringing the French Grand Prix back to the calendar according to Le Journal du Dimanche. Douillet is expected to be accompanied by the President of the FFSA, Nicolas Deschaux, and Gilles Dufeigneux, the interministerial delegate for major sporting events.
If Formula 1 returns to France, it will be on the Castellet circuit in Var. A Public Interest Group (GIP) will be set up to manage the Grand Prix. An agreement with Excelis, the company managing the Paul Ricard circuit, must also be reached to finalize matters.
The recent attempt by Magny-Cours to attract F1 back did not work, and if today’s meeting is successful, France could see the return of a Formula 1 Grand Prix for the first time since 2008, when Magny-Cours hosted its last F1 GP. The French race is expected to alternate with the Belgian Grand Prix every other year, with a first edition at Le Castellet as early as 2013.
