Max Verstappen admits that he won't miss racing at the Circuit Paul Ricard after the French Grand Prix was dropped from the F1 calendar. The venue at Le Castellet near Marseille returned to the schedule in 2018 and went on to host Formula 1 in 2019, 2021 and 2022, with its absence in the shortened 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the event has not been included on the 2023 calendar, which looks set to feature a record-breaking 24 Grands Prix. While Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon previously voiced concerns over the loss of their home event when it initially looked to be at risk, Verstappen feels that Paul Ricard does not offer the best racing opportunities for Formula 1.
Why Verstappen won't miss Paul Ricard
When asked on Viaplay F1 Talks if he will miss Paul Ricard, Verstappen answered: "Not really. "I think it's a great test track for endurance but, for an F1 car, it was not fantastic I would say, unfortunately." While the French Grand Prix will not take place in 2023, there are some changes elsewhere on the calendar. The new Las Vegas Grand Prix joins the line-up as the penultimate race of the campaign, whille Qatar returns after making its debut in 2021. Meanwhile, the Chinese Grand Prix had looked set to return for the first time since 2019, but it was recently confirmed that the event has been cancelled owing to the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation in the country. This has left a vacancy in the schedule, with F1 saying in a statement that it is "assessing alternative options to replace the slot on the 2023 calendar and will provide an update on this in due course."
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