Pierre Gasly has now revealed the few certain tracks close to his home that he would hate to see removed from the F1 calendar. With the announcement of a third race to be held in the United States in 2023 in Las Vegas, doubts were raised regarding the continuation of current venues on the schedule.
As reported by RN365, the Frenchman revealed the significance of the Monaco Grand Prix and the Belgian Grand Prix to F1, saying:
“[One is] a home race, Monaco kind of feels like a home race, and Spa is the closest race to my hometown, so I usually have a lot of support there.”
Emphasizing that these two tracks deserve to remain on the calendar for at least the next few years, he said:
“I think they are very iconic tracks; Spa and Monaco are my two favourite tracks. I think they are clearly part of the history and the DNA of Formula 1 and they deserve to be, and should be, on the calendar every year. We know in F1 nowadays, there are a lot of things involved in how they plan the whole season, so we’ll see what happens, but, personally, I really hope that we can keep them over the next few years.”
The sport is certainly experiencing drastic changes with significantly increasing popularity, especially in the United States. Several drivers, however, fear that an entire shift in such matters could take away from the sport's rich and iconic history.
"Will be a bit of a shocker" - Pierre Gasly on the possible removal of Monaco from the F1 calendar
Known as the jewel in the F1 crown, the Monaco Grand Prix is undoubtedly the favorite race weekend for the majority of the drivers on the grid because of the layout of the street circuit and the sheer history attached to it. Describing it as "the most iconic race in the world," Pierre Gasly revealed that he would be shocked if it were to be removed from the F1 calendar.
The Frenchman said:
“It will be a bit of a shocker if Monaco is taken out of the calendar, I must admit. It’s probably the most iconic race in the world. Talking to non-F1 fans, everybody has heard about Monaco for various reasons, whether it’s racing, whether it’s party-related or whether it’s all the action that happens around the Grand Prix.”
Describing the Circuit de Monaco as his favorite track of the season, Pierre Gasly added, saying:
“It’s a very iconic weekend and I really hope that we get to experience it as drivers, because it’s probably the toughest track of the season, the most challenging, and I must say it’s my favourite one, but also for the fans.”
Meanwhile, the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix is set to get underway on May 27.