Significant changes are imminent to the racing calendar of the premier class. Now there is apparently already a route that will be cancelled.
Big drama in Le Castellet this Sunday: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc retired while in the lead, world champion Max Verstappen benefited, won the Red Bull and was able to extend his world championship lead to 63 points.
But was this French Grand Prix the last one on the Formula 1 racing calendar for the time being? Sky reporter Peter Hardenacke reported on Sunday afternoon: The end of the route in southern France should be a done deal for the premier class. Accordingly, there will be no more races on the Circuit Paul Ricard from the coming season – at least for the time being.
For some time there has been speculation about changes in the racing calendar of the premier class, among other things, even the traditional courses in Monaco and Spa are said to be put to the test. The contracts with the venues are expiring, and there are still no new contracts for Mexico City or Spielberg. In 2023, Formula 1 will return to Las Vegas, where it was raced in the early 1980s. A comeback in Africa is also reportedly being considered.
Although Le Castellet is considered to be a fast and sometimes demanding track, it is a thankless track for fans because there are only a few opportunities to overtake. The course is often referred to disparagingly as a “high-tech test track” – with good reason: at the turn of the millennium, the track was converted and actually designed as a test track. The circuit has been used by Formula 1 again since 2018 and was part of the season 14 times between 1971 and 1990. A much more popular racetrack is Magny Cours in the center of the country, which was on the calendar from 1991 to 2008. Record winner on the Nevers track: Michael Schumacher, who won eight times.