French GP to 'return to F1 world championship in 2018'

Paris - The French Grand Prix will return to the Formula 1 world championship in 2018 after a 10-year absence with the race to be staged at the Castellet circuit, sources said.

An official announcement is set to be made on Monday (Dec 5) at a press conference to be held at the Automobile Club de France (ACF) headquarters in Paris.

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The last French Grand Prix was staged at Magny Cours in 2008.

Castellet staged the race throughout the 1970s and 1980s before the circuit was bought by the sport's commercial ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone.

He bankrolled the reconstruction of the arena before ceding the circuit to former wife Slavica as part of their divorce settlement.

The Paul-Ricard du Castellet circuit in 2015 hosted the Bol d'Or, a motorcycle endurance race which attracted 75 000 spectators over two days.