Over 2,000 Riders Gather To Save Mérignac Circuit

Following a court decision to close the track, riders and drivers gathered on April 9, 2022 to make their voices and engines heard.

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Earl Davidson

By: Earl Davidson

Apr 17, 2022 at 4:12pm ET

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On April 9, 2022, a demonstration was carried out by the Gironde branch of the Fédération Française des Motards en Colère otherwise known as the FFMC (which means French Federation of Angry Bikers in English). Between 2,000 to 3,000 motorcycle and car, enthusiasts participated in the rally following the expulsion of the race track’s former managing body last April 4, 2022.

It was over thirty years ago that the Bordeaux Mérignac Circuit was established in order to give enthusiasts a place to safely test out, play around, and race their vehicles. However, due to the proximity of the track to residential areas that were built close to its location years after the track’s establishment, and the subsequent noise that came with track-prepped vehicles, the track faced closure following a court decision that was made on June 17, 2021.

It's not the first time that France has dabbled or put up restrictions on two-wheelers. Due to noise and speed complaints, Paris limited the number of delivery scooters. This came on the back of the city cracking down on noise pollution and resulted in a majority vote to ban gasoline-powered motorcycles. The decision was then postponed and given a moratorium period to incentivize a transition to electric mobility.

The track’s previous managing organization was recently expelled by the town hall and was replaced by another company. The local government unit seeks to recover 15 hectares of land near the airport runways in order to support “aeronautical” activities and serve as a reception area for travelers according to a report from the French news source, Le Repaire Des Motards.

A video of the demonstration was posted on YouTube, showing cars and bikes parading around town to make their voices (and engines) heard. On the day of the protest, the FFMC was able to meet with the Mérignac’s mayor, Alain Anziani, in order to discuss the risks associated with the closure of the circuit. The FFMC and Anziani both stood their ground, and the mayor assured that the decision was final.

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While the mayor remains true to the court decision, the president of the Bordeaux Metropole opened the door to dialogue with the FFMC in order to find a potential location to relocate the circuit to a new area away from the industrial area and airport of the region.

The FFMC continues to push that a track would still serve public utility, giving riders and drivers a safe space to practice and open up their vehicles’ potential in a safe and controlled environment away from public roads and highways. The closure of such a location could lead to “wild” practices. The mayor at the time of the track’s establishment knew this and created the track for the good of all, which is an idea that is perhaps not shared by Bordeaux’s current mayor.

Sources: Le Repaire Des Motards , Le Repaire Des Motards