French Grand Prix organisers want to make new deal with FOM
F1 News
- GPblog.com
It is very doubtful whether the French Grand Prix will go ahead but the organizers would like to make a new deal with FOM before the requirement comes up that they have to organize a Grand Prix without an audience.
For the organizers of the French Grand Prix it would be terrible if they were forced to organize a race without an audience. As is the case at Zandvoort. According to the boss of the French Motorsport Federation Nicolas Deschaux, it is important for the promoters of the circuit to have an audience.
"For the promoters, in this case the GIP, the basis of the contract with FOM is the condition that there is a public welcome. Their biggest revenue is ticket sales. So it is difficult for the organisers of the circuit to imagine organising a Grand Prix without an audience unless the conditions in the contract change", said Deschaux to Autoweek.
By this Deschaux refers to a new deal with FOM if there is to be a race without an audience. They would like to get around the table with FOM right now so that a new deal can be made before they are forced to race without an audience.
At an earlier stage, Jan Lammers (Dutch GP) also said he hoped that they would not be asked to organize an event without an audience. In Zandvoort, too, most of the income comes from ticket sales.