French Grand Prix to return in 2018: Ecclestone
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[December 02, 2016]
By Alan Baldwin
LONDON (Reuters) - The French Formula
One Grand Prix is set to return in 2018 after a 10-year absence, the
sport's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Friday.
"Yes, I think it will happen," the 86-year-old Briton told Reuters
when asked about French media reports that a deal had been agreed to
host the race at the Le Castellet circuit in southern France.
Also known as the Circuit Paul Ricard after the local pastis magnate
who financed it, Le Castellet last hosted a grand prix in 1990. The
most recent Formula One race in France was at Magny-Cours in 2008.
Ecclestone indicated that France was likely to be scheduled for a
July date rather than the late August or early September slot
reported in French media.
"More or less sort of the German date, probably," he said, referring
to a race under threat that has traditionally occupied a late July
slot.
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Germany has been axed from the 2017 calendar due to financial
reasons, despite the country having world champions in Mercedes and
Nico Rosberg, but Hockenheim still has a contract to host the
loss-making race in 2018.
Le Castellet, which features the long Mistral straight, has been
fully renovated and is now owned by Ecclestone's family trust, which
will not be involved in hosting the race.
"It's nothing to do with them at all. I think they are renting it to
the people that are going to be the promoters," said the Briton.
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![](../images/120216pics/sports59.jpg)
Bernie Ecclestone, Chief
Executive of the Formula One Group, rides in an elevator during the
race. REUTERS/Nacho Doce
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L'Equipe reported that a five-year deal had been agreed with the
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (PACA) region in association with the
city of Toulon, department of Var and the French motorsport
association (FFSA).
PACA president Christian Estrosi is a an ex-mayor of Nice and also a
former car and motorcycle racer who finished fourth in the 1978
French 500cc Grand Prix at Nogaro.
The race's return is expected to be announced formally at a news
conference scheduled for Monday in Paris.
(Editing by John O'Brien)
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