In July 2023, I look back on attending the 2022 French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard. A year later, the enjoyment of that day remains vivid, mixed with disappointment at France's absence from the calendar. These are my memories and questions from that time, rather than a claim about the Grand Prix's future or whether it could ever return.
Remembering a good day at the circuit
I came away with a very positive impression of the organisation and atmosphere. The weather, crowd and enthusiasm around the new 2022 regulations gave the event a particular feeling.
The support for French drivers and Charles Leclerc stays with me, as do Leclerc's pole during that weekend and Théo Pourchaire's podium in the support races. The footage accompanies a personal recollection rather than a detailed report of every session.
Not everything was ideal: I also remember the queues to buy water. They did not outweigh the enjoyment of attending.
An absence I had not anticipated in that way
At the circuit, I did not feel I was witnessing a final edition. A year later, seeing no French Grand Prix in 2023 or on the recently announced 2024 calendar made that possibility strike home.
The questions I had in 2023
I wondered what a return would require: commitment from those involved, the time needed to establish a project, and the place of sporting history alongside financial constraints. I did not have a definitive answer. This memory of Paul Ricard mainly expresses my wish to experience that kind of day in France again.
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