French F1 GP: Sarcelles fights back

“Contrary to what I have read or heard, our project is very much alive” underlined François Pupponi, deputy mayor of Sarcelles, in the preamble. “We continue to work and convince people on a major project.” In fact, the Pôle Val de France planned 15 km north of Paris plans to host automobile and motorcycle sporting events. But also omnisport in a dedicated hall capable of accommodating more than 10000 spectators.

“The government today has a double choice to make between Sarcelles and Flins,” adds Pupponi. “Either he chooses regional planning by providing the Ile de France with the sports infrastructure it needs and which will create jobs where there is unemployment and relegation districts. Either he chooses land near Flins on which he only builds one circuit. It is a choice of national interest! The ball is in the court of François Fillon or Nicolas Sarkozy.”

Finally, regarding the often questioned financing of this project, the MP retorts: “This is the main attack from our detractors”. Then, he claims to have “French and foreign private investors who have signed letters of commitment and been received by Eric Woerth (Minister of the Budget)”.
 
However, there remains the problem of timing which the FFSA considers favorable to the Flins project. The construction of a “simple” circuit requires less time in fact than that of a complex as large as that envisaged by the “Pôle Val de France”. If Flins can be ready in 2011, we will have to wait until 2012 for Sarcelles to be ready. An additional year which could be decisive in the choice of the FFSA, Bernie Ecclestone and, in fact, the government to ensure the return of a Grand Prix of F1 in France as quickly as possible.

Henri Suzeau