French drivers react to return of home F1 race

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A number of French Formula One drivers, past and present, have reacted to say how delighted they are to see the return of their home race at Circuit Paul Ricard in 2018.

Officials from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region and Var département have confirmed on Monday that the Le Castellet venue has secured a five-year deal to host the French Grand Prix again, which will end a 10-year absence from the F1 calendar.

Following the presentation, pre-recorded messages from several French drivers were shown at the premises of the Automobile Club de France in Paris.

“This is a huge project, and great news for French motorsports, for the French automotive industry as well as tourism in the region,” said four-time world champion Alain Prost, who is the last driver to have won at Paul Ricard in 1990. “I naturally plan on attending the event and hope it will be a great popular success.”

Prost’s former driver and ex-Ferrari star Jean Alesi added: “Seeing the French Grand Prix return to Paul Ricard is the best racing news I have heard in a long time, I am thrilled as it brings back a lot of great memories.

“I’ll come along with all my friends to experience it as fan. Congratulations to Circuit Paul Ricard and long live the French GP!”

His contemporary Olivier Panis, the last Frenchman to have tasted victory in F1 at the 1996 Grand Prix, was equally pleased with the news: “Many congratulations to the whole team that has been working on bringing the French GP back at Circuit Paul Ricard.

“I am proud and happy. I have experienced it from the inside during my career and it’s quite special. We’ll be supporting the organisers to make sure the event is successful.”

There are currently two French drivers on the grid with Esteban Ocon, who recently signed a multi-year deal at Force India for 2017, and 10-time podium finisher Romain Grosjean. The Haas racer admits he had lost hope of competing on home soil.

“I am sorry I could not be there for the announcement of this great news,” Grosjean said. “You can easily imagine how emotional it will be for us French drivers to race in front of our fans.

“I have talked about it with others and to be honest I have had some doubts over the recent years and then all of sudden, thanks to many people pulling together, the return of French GP has materialised.

“It’s quite exceptional. Circuit Paul Ricard is a unique venue and I look forward to being there in 2018 and trying to win my first French GP!”

2016 GP2 Series champion Pierre Gasly, who attended the press conference, hopes he can be on the grid by the time F1 heads back to the south of France for the first time in 28 years.

“The wait has been long but now it’s over,” the Red Bull junior said. “A lot of fans in France have been waiting for it and it’s just incredible.

“I’ll do my best to be there, behind the wheel of an F1 car. That would be unbelievable to experience these very special moments.”

Gasly's fellow Normandy-born driver Ocon tweeted: “Very happy to see the French Grand Prix back to the F1 calendar. Can't wait to race at Circuit Paul Ricard in front of the French fans”.