A now well-established ritual, the presentation of the MotoGP French Grand Prix allows each of the stakeholders to express themselves by drawing up the legitimately always positive assessment of the last edition and by addressing the new features of the coming chapter, and in this regard, between Claude Michy (PHA) the organizer, Pierre Fillon (ACO) the host, Thomas Sénécal (Canal+) the broadcaster, and Nora Vass (Michelin) the equipment supplier, Sébastien Poirier (FFMoto) summed up the situation perfectly: "We're all in the same boat.".
But if this puzzle with its perfectly fitted pieces is acclaimed each year by the last missing element, you, the public, the French Motorcycling Federation has the difficult task of preparing the next generation of our two champions currently in MotoGP, which compared to countries like Spain or Italy is far from being a sinecure.
To be exact, we would even be getting closer to the 12 Labors of Hercules, but it is clear that little by little the sectors are taking shape and strengthening, attracting by capillarity some names that could well make us dream in the relatively near future, all thanks to the collective work of all the aforementioned structures.
Si Claude Michy addressed a particular case to which we will return, Sébastien Poirier preferred to highlight the specificity of the French Grand Prix and to evoke the collective work undertaken by all stakeholders in the motorcycle speed sport.
Sébastien Poirier : "A few words without being too long to say how much it is for a federation, Having a Grand Prix like the French Grand Prix de Vitesse is a major element. It's not just any Grand Prix. You know that the Federation organizes around fifteen Grand Prix every year in France, in all our disciplines, but the French Grand Prix is truly the event of the year, the one that is most broadcast worldwide, the one that is most watched, and also the one that receives the most media coverage. That is to say that our champions shine, our champions, we see them once a year as part of the French Grand Prix, and all the rest of the year, well we support them from a distance. And it's an opportunity in the case of this Grand Prix, to support them, to help them, to accompany them, and then somewhere show them all the affection and love we have for them, knowing that we very rarely see them in our territory. So it's really a sharing event.
And then, This French Grand Prix is truly the event of the year in the FIM Grand Prix calendar.. It is often recognized as being the most spectacular, in any case where there is the most public, the one where there is the most animation, Johan who is the witness: from Thursday, there are actions which are carried out including by Canal +, so it is really the proof that we are on an extraordinary event in the calendar, and often this Grand Prix is hailed as being, by the FIM or Dorna, the event of the year. So obviously we cannot underline it every year since we have to share, but in any case, it is a very very beautiful Grand Prix.
And then, what I also wanted to say for us, as a federation, is that it comes to solicit us, to titillate us, on the fact that a sport shines through its champions, and we see it with Johann, we see it with Fabio, how much is it that when our French riders shine, it's the whole bike that is carried, it is the whole federation that is carried, and therefore we need, as a Federation, to work on our sectors to be sure to supply the events of tomorrow. We are lucky to have two great complementary champions who carry the colors of France and the Federation. Johann, in addition to being an exceptional driver, is a sponsor of our industry. So, it's all this work that we must put in collectively to ensure our success.. I would add that This work is starting to pay off, Johann is a witness to it. We saw our speed project again this weekend at Le Mans with 27 drivers behind the grid in the Objectif Grand Prix category, we will have 9 drivers participating in the European Talent Cup, we will have a French driver participating in the JuniorGP, we will have the chance to welcome the JuniorGP in France, so I think we are in the process of filling, of completing our entire range at the high level. And Claude signed in 2031, Canal will be broadcast until 2029, I hope that you will be able to extend because I am convinced that thanks to this work that we started a few years ago, well we will feed the French pilot grids. In any case, that's the whole effort we're making.
And finally, as you mentioned, Claude, it's a collective effort. We're all on the same boat, you mentioned partners, we also have them, Motul on our Génération Vitesse, Dafy, et cetera, Furygan, Michelin which is obviously a figure of the French economy. Well I believe that it is all together that we will succeed in uniting around our champions, and we need to unite, and so this family, it also works for the generation of tomorrow.
So to conclude definitively, a big thank you obviously to all the partners, a big thank you to the ACO, because you are doing a considerable amount of work to improve the reception of spectators, my dear Pierre and your administrators. And then thank you to Claude and Canal because I believe that there is a very, very good job being done to promote motor sports, and in particular motorcycle sports, so thank you to you and a very nice Grand Prix.
