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Formula 1 French Grand Prix: costs that raise questions
Hotel bills in French ski resorts, trips to the United Arab Emirates… Thousands of euros in expenses are raising questions in an investigation into favoritism and misuse of public funds targeting the French Formula 1 Grand Prix.
(France 2)
Hotel bills in French ski resorts, trips to the United Arab Emirates… Thousands of euros in expenses are raising questions in an investigation into favoritism and misuse of public funds targeting the French Formula 1 Grand Prix.
In 2018, Formula 1 (F1) returned to France after a 28-year absence. Christian Estrosi, President (Horizons) of Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis and Mayor of Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), led the project. For this occasion, a public interest association (GIP) was founded. Christian Estrosi became its president. He managed to gather a large number of local authorities, who agreed to finance the race. But after only four Grand Prix, it all came to an end. The track in Castelletto (Var) was not profitable enough for the big bosses of F1. There remains a debt of 32 million euros that will have to be paid by taxpayers.
Some elected officials refuse to pay
The debt must be repaid by the local authorities. The problem: some elected officials refuse to pay, like Jean-Louis Masson, president (Les Républicains) of the Var department council. He took legal action. The prosecutor’s office in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) opened a preliminary investigation into embezzlement of public funds and favoritism. Christelle d’Intorni, Member of Parliament (Les Républicains), Councilor of Metropole Nice Côte d’Azur and opponent of Christian Estrosi, accessed the account books after an administrative appeal. She mentions the costs that “asking questions”.
She particularly highlighted the three-day trip to the United Arab Emirates in 2017, on the occasion of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which was attended by the mayor of Nice and Renaud Muselier, president of the Southern Region, with total expenses. from 71,355 euros. The representative mentioned numerous stays in hotels on French ski resorts. The management of the Grand Prix disputes all deficiencies.
