Magny-Cours wants GP back

Eurosport - Sun, 04 Jul 15:52:00 2010

The new boss of Magny-Cours, Serge Saulnier, has confirmed that the Nevers circuit is taking 'discreet' steps to get the French Grand Prix re-instated on the annual F1 calender.

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However, he also stressed that any negotiations must revolve around a 'reasonable price'.

France hosted the very first grand prix motor race all the way back in 1906 but has been absent from the top flight schedule since 2008.

Since then, Bernie Ecclestone's plans to see a circuit built either through the streets of Paris or in Disneyland have come to nothing.

Magny-Cours hosted races from 1991 to 2008 but its rural location and financial considerations saw it scrapped.

However, Saulnier is confident that it could return.

"If France is re-instated on the calendar in the near future, it could only be at Magny Cours," the ex-Peugeot Sport chief told French magazine Auto Hebdo.

"The key to F1's return to France is the promotion - it is necessary to re-negotiate the price to a reasonable level.

"We know that the state or the local authorities are not going to put in five or six million Euros for the loss. If there is a chance of having the grand prix back, the negotiation - as it was for the Canadian Grand Prix - must be done on a reasonable basis. We are going to work on it discreetly, and without haste.”

Magny-Cours has also been mooted as a potential stand-in venue should the inaugural Korean Grand Prix, due to take place later this season in October, prove unable to go ahead

Crash.net / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 18 of 18

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  1. Rhiems still has the pits intact............they could­ use that!

    From justblowinoffsteam., on Wed 7 Jul 11:36

  2. zzzzz boring circuit in the middle of NOWHERE!?!
    Paul­ Ricard now THAT'S A CIRCUIT!
    Tres, tres, tres jolie­ :)

    From Tomislav Ivani, on Wed 7 Jul 5:55

  3. Great circuit bring it back and scrap Valencia!

    From nevodave, on Tue 6 Jul 12:52

  4. Bernie owns Paul Ricard Circuit (Le Castellet). It­ would be a conflict of interest, plus he wouldn't­ make as much money off the race as he can only bill­ himself for use of the facilities. What a waste of an­ awesome track. Magny Cours had potential, but the­ chicanes ruined it.

    From yyce16, on Tue 6 Jul 8:58

  5. i know im no big expert but y not use the le mans­ circuit

    From OLIVER, on Tue 6 Jul 2:05

  6. Watched great GT race at Paul Ricard. Why not bring it­ back. Maybe a week either side of Monaco so flyaway­ fans, sponsers etc could take in both races and beef up­ the crowds.

    From Jez, on Mon 5 Jul 20:59

  7. France must have a GP.
    It is incredible there isn't­ one!

    From C3p0, on Mon 5 Jul 20:48

  8. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....After Hungary, Valencia and Monaco,­ this is the worse track.

    From CHAZ P, on Mon 5 Jul 19:44

  9. If the French really want a G.P. then why not return­ & re-invent Paul Ricard the best French G.P.­ circuit F1 has competed on in France,

    From BRIAN, on Mon 5 Jul 14:25

  10. You people are all crazy. Magny-Cours is a dogsxxt­ track in the middle of nowhere. The track had one good­ corner, the first one, and then just a bunch of long,­ boring straights leading to hairpins. Those chicanes to­ break up the straights were Mickey Mouse and that final­ corner right before the finish line was a joke. The­ track had good races only because the pit lane was so­ short that you had different fuel strategies. But the­ track itself is not even close to being on par with­ Spa, Silverstone, Nurburgring, Istanbul or Monza.

    From Lance, on Mon 5 Jul 13:54

  11. Great circuit. Don't know about the venues but­ the racing has usually been good to great there. ­ Bring it back.

    From Lance, on Mon 5 Jul 13:25

  12. thought this track was now a pay n go go kart­ circuit....french dont deserve a gp after all the­ medling from its goverment and yes we want it no we­ dont over the past 5/6 years...leave the la mans as the­ great french motor race..

    From captca0s, on Mon 5 Jul 13:16

  13. 'Track is good but facilities are second rate and­ its a­ nightmare to get to and stay near unless you­ are­ camping I truly hope it does not get F1­ back.'

    Really? i went in 2002 and had no problems,­ stopped in Vichy which is only an hour south. Think­ your problem is that you were stopping north on the way­ to Paris, what a mistake! Had a great time, and Vichy,­ although not terribly exciting, was good and I got on­ great with the locals. You really need to do your­ homework before venturing a broard to watch F1

    From paulhancock1123, on Mon 5 Jul 12:36

  14. Track is good but facilities are second rate and its a­ nightmare to get to and stay near unless you are­ camping I truly hope it does not get F1 back.

    France­ has other world class circuits in LeMans ( Bugatti­ short curcuit rather than LaSarthe as used in 24h race­ ) and the Ecclestone owned Paul Ricard where F1 was­ before moving to Magny Cours. If the race returns to­ France please let it be at one of those

    From wolfy, on Mon 5 Jul 9:28

  15. I would love to see the Frence Grand Prix back on the­ calander Magny Cours was a great venue. Please bring it­ back.

    From MJ, on Mon 5 Jul 8:42

  16. Hardly a "Lego Circuit" old chap with famous­ corners like: Complex de Ltcee, Grande Courbe. Estoril.­ Nurburgring. Adelaide. and Homer Simsons country house­ 'Chateaux D' oh!'
    Much better than­ Disneyland EH!

    From Walking quiet, on Mon 5 Jul 8:27

  17. With all the fabulous roads in France how on earth did­ the French GP end up on a Lego Circuit in a field in­ the middle of nowhere ?

    From Felice Tedechi, on Mon 5 Jul 7:58

  18. Get it back, love the track.

    From Matthew McInerney, on Mon 5 Jul 6:05
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