Pierre Gasly has called for Spa-Francorchamps and Monaco to remain on the F1 calendar for many years to come, describing them as "part of the history and DNA of Formula 1". The two iconic Grand Prix tracks, along with France's Circuit Paul Ricard and Mexico's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, are deemed at risk of being dumped from the calendar for 2023 after it was confirmed that a race will be held in Las Vegas. The current Concorde Agreement, which expires in 2025, allows for a maximum of 24 Grands Prix in a calendar year . However, a number of F1 team bosses have stressed that 23 races is already a stretch on their resources . The Russian Grand Prix has been removed from F1's future plans, following the country's military invasion of Ukraine – but with Qatar, Las Vegas and China all set to return to the calendar in 2023, it is likely that at least one of the four at-risk circuits will be dumped.
Gasly calls for F1 to keep Spa and Monaco on the calendar
For Gasly, three of these four venues have a special significance. "[One is] a home race, Monaco kind of feels like a home race, and Spa is the closest race to my hometown, so I usually have a lot of support there," Gasly explained, speaking to select members of the media, including RacingNews365.com . The prospect of losing historic circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps and Monaco has left Gasly concerned. "I think they are very iconic tracks; Spa and Monaco are my two favourite tracks. I think they are clearly part of the history and the DNA of Formula 1 and they deserve to be, and should be, on the calendar every year," he continued. "We know in F1 nowadays, there are a lot of things involved in how they plan the whole season, so we'll see what happens, but, personally, I really hope that we can keep them over the next few years."
Gasly: Monaco removal would be a big shock
It will come as a great surprise to fans that Monaco has seemingly found itself at risk of losing its place, with the venue often described as a jewel in F1's crown. However, the principality currently pays just $15 million per season in hosting fees to stage its yearly event, well down on sums paid by Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan . "It will be a bit of a shocker if Monaco is taken out of the calendar, I must admit. It's probably the most iconic race in the world," Gasly said. "Talking to non-F1 fans, everybody has heard about Monaco for various reasons, whether it's racing, whether it's party-related or whether it's all the action that happens around the Grand Prix. "It's a very iconic weekend and I really hope that we get to experience it as drivers, because it's probably the toughest track of the season, the most challenging, and I must say it's my favourite one, but also for the fans."
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