Saulnier: “It’s been three years since I last watched a Grand Prix”

After having been a racing driver, team director at Peugeot or having founded his own team, Serge Saulnier is now the president of the board of directors of the Nevers Magny-Cours circuit (Nièvre).

Responsible for the future of the French circuit which hosted the F1 between 1992 and 2008, Serge Saulnier focused more on motorcycle events even if the tricolor track still hosts many automobile competitions such as the FFSAGT.

If the queen single-seater discipline will make its return to France this year at Paul-Ricard (Var) on June 24, Serge Saulnier does not seem disappointed at having missed the opportunity to organize the Grand Prix.

“It’s been three years since I last watched a Grand Prix on television, for the simple reason that I don’t have Canal+, recognized Serge Saulnier in issue 2149 of AUTOweekly. (I worked to bring back F1) for a few years. But it very quickly became clear that we could not count on a financial commitment from local authorities... up to what was needed to host a Grand Prix and cover an inherent deficit. »

“We must recognize, and I admire it, the financial risk taken by Christian Estrosi (then president of the PACA region when the return of the French GP to Castellet was announced). He must have a real passion to engage in such a process. As far as we are concerned, the planets were not aligned…”, added Serge Saulnier.

Discover the carpooling with Serge Saulnier in AUTO issue 2149hebdo, available now in digital version on all platforms and on kiosks.