F1 boss Stefano Domenicali yesterday put an end to the suspense about the presence of the French Grand Prix on the 2023 calendar announcing the race will not take place next year. The F1 boss also drops a hint about the future of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.
The contract between the organisers of the French Grand Prix and F1 expired at the end of July 2022 and was not renewed. Although the calendar for the 2023 season has not yet been published, Stefano Domenicali has indicated that the race at Le Castellet will not be held in 2023. However, he does not rule out a return of the French Grand Prix in the years to come.
“We are discussing with the French Federation and even with the government because the future is more and more linked to promoters who see it as an investment for the country.”
“So the discussions are quite open for a good future. And as you, know, a possibility, not next year, but in the future could be a rotation proposal that would allow everyone to be part of the calendar.”
There are still many questions surrounding the 2023 calendar but the F1 boss said discussions were continuing, including the presence of the Belgian Grand Prix.
“As you can imagine, I can’t comment too much on the 2023 calendar, out of respect for the discussions and the formalisation of it with the World Motor Sport Council and the FIA,” he said.
“All I can say is that I have seen comments that I said that Belgium would be the last year [in 2022] – I would be careful about that comment, I would be very careful, that’s the only thing I would say,” Stefano Domenicali concluded.
The official 2023 Formula One calendar is due to be published at the end of October.
Now drop Monaco! A waste of a race.
I like the race in France, there *could* be 2 races in France, 1 in Belgium and 2 in Germany, Italy & the U.K. but F1 is forever hungry for money, so that will never happen.
There may, short term be more in the USA but within 5 years I reckon they will look at more races in the Middle East, China and Russia of course.
Makes me laugh how cash is king over everything including the treatment of the fairer sex, women obviously don’t matter to F1. Neither does much else on the integrity side of things.
The French gp at Paul Ricard is a real pain and too hot. Drop all the sand races specially Saudi an Bahrain. Start the season early with 25 maximum of races
F1 without Belgium is unthinkable, it is a great track with diverse weather conditions and the drivers love the challenge it gives them, Monaco total joke, road races in general fail to provide a spark, very few are challenging
This seems like a great move to reduce the carbon footprint and all that other environmental bollocks everyone goes on about. Ditching European races, where the vast majority of teams are, and replace these races for venues in US, middle East and Asia.
I look forward to them trying to cancel Monza.
Stefano is pushed by his American bosses to find more money and profits and he will just do that to hang on to his job. In my opinion, they should keep all the iconic European races and get rid or alternate of some of the flyaway races. The Middle East races such as Bahrain, Saudi, Qatar, and Abu-Dhabi rotate them ( but that may not be considered bcz of the money and FIA president who silently will push to keep it as it is.