27/05/2008
NEWS STORY
Days after Bernie Ecclestone insisted that this year's Grand Prix at Magny Cours would definitely be the last, the F1 Supremo seeking a race in Paris, a French politician has said such a move would be "illogical".
"It would be totally illogical, in a period of reduction of public spending, to pay out over 100 million euros on a new circuit in the Paris region when we already have one in Nièvre which functions perfectly well," said François Patriat, president of the regional council of Burgundy, at the weekend.
He also revealed that "the region and council (of Nièvre) had each invested 3 million euros against only 300,000 by the state overall" for the 2008 French GP.
Thing is, he has a perfectly valid point. At a time when the FIA is demanding cost-cutting from the teams and manufacturers, how can it be right to insist on spending vast amounts on new circuits when existing tracks function perfectly well.
Then again, a race in Paris - or any of the other leading capital cities of the World - suits Bernie's F1 vision far better than a purpose built track in the middle of the countryside.
Thing is, when you're showing off your daughter's latest up-market clothing range, you can hardly expect your esteemed guests to thread their way through the steaming cowpats, can you?