French Grand Prix Back To Rouen?

A business group in Rouen, France, today announced that it was going to make a pitch for staging the French Grand Prix in Rouen, the capital of Normandy. There will be more news on this tomorrow apparently. Rouen staged five races - 1952, 1957, 1962, 1964 and 1968 on the Rouen-Les-Essarts circuit. It is well known that Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One promoter, would really like to see the race happen in or very close to Paris - Disneyland and Versailles have been mentioned - so I'm not sure where a return to Rouen would fit in. But it is closer to Paris than Magny-Cours, and it is also closer to London and Brussels, in fact. The weather would not likely be any better than here in the center of France, though, as Normandy is reputed for its rain.

The group said in a statement that the following ideas are being offered:

• A circuit in the streets of Rouen itself
• A circuit in the port of Rouen, on land owned by the government
• A circuit near the airport

With more and more races moving to town centers, we know which one would have the best chance.