France: The home of the Eiffel Tower and macarons, Provence’s lavender fields and two Formula One drivers with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly.
Ocon remembers the day he heard that the French Grand Prix was returning to the calendar. France has an extensive motorsports history, being the first ever to host a race titled as Grand Prix 44 years before the Formula One World Championship was created. Fans have flocked to a French Grand Prix at 16 different circuits throughout its storied history, and it’s been held at Circuit Paul Ricard dating back to 2018 after a decade-long absence from the F1 schedule.
It remains unknown if this will be au revoir to the French Grand Prix as Formula One weighs next season’s schedule. But for Ocon, the future is bright as he finds his footing after 100 F1 starts, turning his dreams into a reality.