DECEMBER 15, 1997
France still without a Grand Prix
French Sports minister Marie-George Buffet has been working to arrange a decree to modify French law over the TV coverage of sporting events, but that was rejected recently by the French Council of State, which rules on constitutional matters. The government is planning to draft new legislation in January.
The FIA says that the Grand Prix will not be reinstated until the law is passed while Buffet says that there was no deadline when she discussed the problems with FIA President Max Mosley. France likes to think of itself as the spiritual home of GrandÊPrix racing and seems to think that it has a divine right to a race.
"I am convinced that a solution can be sorted out," Buffet said, "but first thing, we must have the race back on the calendar. Last year the race was reinstated in April and I have every hope that it will be back in the calendar at the end of January."