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Magny-Cours, France - Formula One
left the Magny-Cours track in the French provinces for good on
Sunday after 17 years, and hardly any tears were shed. "Magny-Cours
is not a place for Formula One," said F1 boss Bernie
Ecclestone in the run-up, not even bothering to attend the
final race.
Toyota's John Howett simply said: "We have to drive here
because the commercial rights holders say so."
The drivers had a little bit more sympathy for the track.
"It is beautifully peaceful here. It is nice that you can
relax. I regret that we are no longer racing here," said
German Ralf Schumacher.
World champion Fernando Alonso wondered why Magny-Cours was
scrapped because of its location but a long-haul flight to
Singapore, where a night race is scheduled for the future, was
fine for everyone.
"I don't really know what's better," Alonso said.
Formula One made its debut on the then new Circuit de Nevers,
some 270 kilometres away from Paris and Lyon, in 1991, taking
over from the Le Castellet track which no longer met modern
requirements.
The driving force behind the new track was then Nevers mayor
Pierre Beregovoye, who hoped to boost the regional economy
with the Formula One weekend.
But a low-key infrastructure, too many low class hotels and
the overall location in the provinces now led to the end of
the event.
France will have no race at all next year, and it remains to
be seen where the a new event in the country will fit in,
given upcoming new races in Singapore and Valencia and that
Imola wants to get back on the calendar. A new French GP may
take place near Paris.
But everyone agrees agrees that France is an important country
in the business, having local car makers Renault as one team
in the sport which won the drivers title with Alonso and the
constructors title in the past two seasons.
"France is one of the most important European countries. It is
important for Renault to have races here. We don't care about
the infrastructure," said Renault team boss Flavio Briatore.
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