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The French Grand Prix, the world’s oldest surviving motor race, has been scrapped for 2009 as a result of mounting economic problems.
The FFSA, France’s motorsport governing body, took the decision to cancel next year’s race – which had been granted a provisional place on the Formula One calendar – in the wake of falling revenues and rising contractual costs. There are still hopes that a new venue and promoter can be found in time for 2010, with a number of projects, including Magny-Cours and a track close to Disneyland Europe, bidding for the rights to the event.
The French Grand Prix was first held in 1906, but its most recent home of Magny-Cours has never won the affection of either F1 teams or race fans. Team officials will hope that the French race’s absence from the calendar will allow a respite for Canada; its removal from the 2009 schedule left F1 with no race in the key North American market.
John McIlroy
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