Rumormill: Montreal GP could be back as soon as this year

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:59:00 EST

Abu Dhabi is scheduled to hold its first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix on November 11 of this year. Due to tight capital, though, it is being reported that the event's organizers are behind on the building schedule for the race track and new support hotels. If that race gets replaced, rumor has it that Montreal will be asked to step up. Montreal would certainly get our sympathy vote -- the city's grand prix site still features a timer that is busy counting down to nothing...

For his part, Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay has been speaking to Bernie Ecclestone about bringing F1 back to Montreal in 2010, and Quebec's gem could be slotted into an October space to substitute for the Middle Eastern race. Tremblay said he doesn't want to consider a one-off event, he wants a long term contract that brings F1 conclusively back to Montreal. Thanks for the tip, Pat.

[Source: F1 Live]

Rumormill: Montreal GP could be back as soon as this year originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Show Me The Money: Attempts to rescue Canadian GP failed

Noah Joseph — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

Organizers, fans and media alike were shocked when the news broke that Formula One Management and the FIA had canceled the perennial Canadian Grand Prix, but the prospect remained open for local officials to renegotiate the contract. We're disappointed to report, however, that those prospects have now all but completely dissipated, as negotiations between the sport's commercial rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone and representatives from the Canadian federal, Quebec provincial and Montreal municipal governments have broken down. And everyone's fingers are pointing at Bernie.

According to Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay, Ecclestone put forward an outrageous proposal extorting exorbitant multi-million-dollar fees from the race organizers, who receive backing from the three levels of government. The Canadian representatives then began considering levying a new tax over local hotels to cover the cost and planning to establish a non-profit organization to come up with a fiscally sound counter-offer, but even those prospects were completely shut down when Ecclestone stated his refusal to budge from his terms whatsoever. And so, with the US Grand Prix still out of the running - for the time being, at least - the top level of motor racing has completely abandoned North America altogether.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Lluis Gene/Getty]

Show Me The Money: Attempts to rescue Canadian GP failed originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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