It’s no secret to say that both France and Belgium could become the two big casualties on the Formula 1 calendar by 2023, although there is still some chance that one of them will hold onto its spot.
During the weekend of the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix, the drivers, aware of the situation, received questions about which of the two races they would prefer to continue on the calendar if it were up to them, and these were their answers.
Lando Norris: “For me the choice is clear, my mother is Belgian. So for me, Spa is my home race, like Silverstone, and I have many memories of Belgium, I spent a lot of time there as a child with my family.”
Charles Leclerc: “I would choose Spa because of the nature of the circuit, it is more interesting to race there, but I also have links with this circuit. I started racing karting around here.”
Sebastian Vettel: “I would choose Spa, it’s a circuit I don’t want to miss. Paul Ricard is not that interesting. I don’t think many drivers like it, but at the same time there are many fans who come to see us. We didn’t come here in 2020, but I remember very well how the public sang the anthem of France in 2019. The atmosphere was fantastic!”
Pierre Gasly: “Are you asking a French driver if he prefers his country’s race or the Belgian Grand Prix? I love France, I want to race in front of my fans and I will always support this Grand Prix more than any other. Spa, for On the other hand, it’s my favorite circuit on the calendar. But obviously my priority is France, but it would be sad to lose Spa.”
Fernando Alonso : “I have very strong ties to France. I was champion with Renault, I live in Monaco, coming to Paul Ricard is much better for me than Spa. So I choose France.”
Lewis Hamilton: “To be honest, I don’t have any preference. Spa has a lot of history, and now the organizers have changed the track a lot, so surely the racing will get better. You ask me to choose between two great circuits that are in two parts of the beautiful world. So I don’t have a concrete answer.”
Sergio Pérez: “Both circuits are great. Maybe there should be some kind of rotation, one year in France and one in Belgium. Both have earned a place in their own right. But I would be very sad if we lost Spa.”
Mick Schumacher: “I would add the German Grand Prix to that list. But yes, Spa is much closer to home than the French Grand Prix. If I had to choose, I would choose Spa, but I would like to see Germany and the Nürburgring in the calendar”.
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