The French Grand Prix isn’t on the Formula 1 calendar next year — and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says there’s no guarantee of European races going forward as the sport expands in other parts of the world.
The race, first held in 1906, acknowledged F1’s decision in a statement. The most recent iteration took place last month and was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
- F1 says the French Grand Prix could return to the calendar on a rotating basis.
- The race was initially taken off F1’s calendar after 2008 and returned in 2018.
- The 2023 calendar will add races in Qatar, Shanghai, and Las Vegas. Regulations cap the number of annual races at 24.
France’s current deal, which expires this year, pays F1 $22 million annually. New entrants are paying higher fees, with Qatar reportedly shelling out $55 million and China paying $50 million.
Return to Spa
The contract for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa ends this year, but F1 announced on Sunday that the race will return at least for one more season. Red Bull team CEO Christian Horner has called for legacy races like Spa, Silverstone, and Monza to be protected from cuts.
Negotiations with Kyalami in Midrand, South Africa, are proceeding slowly. F1 also recently announced it will not return to Russia.
