Sarcelles F1 plan waits on Sarkozy

The French Grand Prix is not going to happen in 2010, nor in 2011. The event, once considered to be an essential race in the F1 calendar, is suffering from the French government’s lack of interest and its desire not to stir up trouble with green-minded folk. This is illogical, of course, as the biggest problem for any sport is the number of spectators travelling by car, rather than the carbon footprint of the event itself. Formula 1 has been very poor at arguing this case – at least thus far – but there is no doubt in terms of emissions that the Tour de France cycle race or Disneyland Paris are far more damaging to the environment than a single F1 race. Sports like golf, soccer and even fishing attract far larger spectator numbers and thus pollute more than F1. However until the Sarkozy government is talked out of the current mentality, little is going to happen.

Sarkozy is big on environmental issues. He has an urban renewal plan for Paris, called Grand Paris, which aims to invest $50 billion creating better transport infrastructure and to plant a new forest of one million trees around Charles de Gaulle airport to help combat pollution. This does not really fit in with the construction of a Formula 1 circuit in the same area. Sarkozy’s lack of interest in F1 can only be defined as being misguided, cosmetic or electorally-inspired. Nicolas Deschaux, the president of the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile (FFSA), France’s national authority and the
body that controls the event, says that the French GP is going to remain in trouble until the French government wakes up to the realities and helps out. He says that Russia’s support of Vitaly Petrov is an indication of what is now needed if France is rebuild its heritage in motor racing.

One man who clearly understand the value of a French Grand Prix in the Paris region is François Pupponi, the mayor of Sarcelles. This commune has had a poor reputation for many years because of social housing projects that have become unemployment black spots. Sarcelles was where the major 2005 riots in Paris took place. Pupponi wants to use F1 to breathe new life into his suburb and is ine of the prime movers in a regeneration project called “Val de France” which aims to develop the area, with business parks and a much better image. The F1 race is part of that plan. Around 270 acres of state-owned land has been set aside for the circuit and Pupponi has been busy putting together funding from banks to pay for the construction of the track. He is well on his way to having all the planning permission necessary. Architects are working on the project and a contractor will soon be announced. If all goes well the work will start in 2011 and there would then be a race in 2013.

What he still needs is someone to pay the race fees and he hopes that national, regional and local government will all chip in as they will all be gaining considerably as result of an event as economic benefits in the region each year will be substantial. Until that money is sorted out, France has to wait for Grand Prix racing to return.