Juan Albion
Chicken Sniffer 3rd Class
Organizers of the French Grand Prix have announced that Formula One race will not be held in 2009.
The French Motorsports Federation says "economic reasons" are behind the decision after it was unable to find a suitable promoter to take on the financial responsibility of staging the event.
"After considering the economic context, the FFSA is giving up its status as a financial promoter of a Formula 1 grand prix," said FFSA president Nicolas Deschaux. "As a result, unless a promoter is found to replace the FFSA, the French Grand Prix cannot be part of the FIA's international calendar in 2009."
It becomes the second event to fall off of next year's calendar, joining the Canadian Grand Prix which was removed for "commercial" reasons. France's disappearance could pave the way for a return of the Canadian race in 2009 should the funding issues between the promoter and F1 officials get resolved. The French race was scheduled to be held on June 28, which was only a few weeks after the original Canadian date.
This will mark only the second time since 1950 that the French Grand Prix will not be on the F1 schedule. However, in recnet years F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has threatened to leave the race off the calender if it continued to be held at Magny-Cours. Ecclestone has favoured a race run through the streets of Paris in the shadown of the Eifel Tower.
The FFSA says it hopes to return to the F1 schedule in 2010 and says it has received up to six applications to stage the race including one from Disneyland Paris.
The French Motorsports Federation says "economic reasons" are behind the decision after it was unable to find a suitable promoter to take on the financial responsibility of staging the event.
"After considering the economic context, the FFSA is giving up its status as a financial promoter of a Formula 1 grand prix," said FFSA president Nicolas Deschaux. "As a result, unless a promoter is found to replace the FFSA, the French Grand Prix cannot be part of the FIA's international calendar in 2009."
It becomes the second event to fall off of next year's calendar, joining the Canadian Grand Prix which was removed for "commercial" reasons. France's disappearance could pave the way for a return of the Canadian race in 2009 should the funding issues between the promoter and F1 officials get resolved. The French race was scheduled to be held on June 28, which was only a few weeks after the original Canadian date.
This will mark only the second time since 1950 that the French Grand Prix will not be on the F1 schedule. However, in recnet years F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has threatened to leave the race off the calender if it continued to be held at Magny-Cours. Ecclestone has favoured a race run through the streets of Paris in the shadown of the Eifel Tower.
The FFSA says it hopes to return to the F1 schedule in 2010 and says it has received up to six applications to stage the race including one from Disneyland Paris.
