NEVERS, France, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - The President of the Regional Council of Burgundy, Francois Patriat, on Wednesday presented a project to modernise the Magny-Cours circuit which it is hoped will enable the region to continue to host the French Formula One Grand Prix.

Magny-Cours in central France has been much maligned for its comparative lack of hotel infrastructure and traffic problems.

The project, which will be financed by the region with government and European Union backing, includes plans to build a 200-room hotel complex in addition to a high class hotel with 250 rooms.

Twenty seven stands will be built which are twice the size of the current ones, with plans to expand areas catering for race management and the media and the creation of a new press conference room.

The tribune of the starting grid will be covered and new covered tribunes will be built to achieve a stadium with a 20,000-seater capacity.

The circuit will also be improved with the starting grid extended from 12 to 18 metres.

No estimation was given regarding the cost or the duration of the work.

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has said that he would like to see Paris host a Grand Prix in 2009, stating that Magny-Cours was no longer a solution.