After a 10-year absence, Formula 1 “will make its return” to France in ’18, according to LE PARISIEN. But “against all odds” the race will be held at the Castellet dans le Var circuit, the site of the French Grand Prix in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and not the Magny-Cours dans la Nièvre, the host of the last French GP in ’08. The official announcement will be made on Monday in Paris at a press conference organized by the Automobile Club of France (LE PARISIEN, 12/1). REUTERS’ Alan Baldwin reported F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone said, “Yes, I think it will happen.” He indicated that France “was likely to be scheduled for a July date rather than the late August or early September slot reported in French media.” Ecclestone: “More or less sort of the German date.” Germany "has been axed" from the '17 calendar due to financial reasons, despite the country having world champions in Mercedes and Nico Rosberg, but Hockenheim still has a contract to host the loss-making race in '18. The Castellet has been "fully renovated and is now owned by Ecclestone's family trust, which will not be involved in hosting the race." A five-year deal had reportedly been agreed to with the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region in association with the city of Toulon, department of Var and the French motorsport association (FFSA) (REUTERS, 12/2).
