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Montreal F1 axe is seemingly final (update 2)

Wed 08 Oct, 04:36 PM


Photo 1 - Montreal F1 axe is seemingly final (update 2)

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A Canadian close to F1's governing body has scotched hopes that the decision to axe the Montreal race may not be final.

Bernie Ecclestone is well known for using tough tactics in negotiations with F1 venues, but this is not an example of the 77-year-old supremo hatching a ploy, according to Roger Peart.

"It was voted on by the FIA and that's really the end of it," said Peart, President of the FIA's circuits commission. "It's a done deal," he told The Gazette newspaper.

"It's sad news for Montreal, it's sad for racing in Canada, and I don't think anyone can do anything about it."

It is believed the reason for the split is contractual, despite an agreement to stage the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve through 2011. Peart suggested that the reason for the situation is commercial.

"I'm surprised but not completely," he said. "Not completely because the commercial side of the sport is moving on to more glamorous venues.

"I don't mean the city of Montreal as far as that, but the facilities themselves. Some (facilities) like Montreal are not world leaders anymore, so it's a purely commercial matter, unfortunately."

Ecclestone later confirmed that a "contract problem" spelled the end for the event. The English language Montreal radio station CJAD, however, said the F1 Chief Executive would not give further details.

The 77-year-old Briton expressed his desire to see his sport return to North America in the future, but insists that the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has 'for sure' lost the race for 2009.

 

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  1. Rich L
    Sad but true. And lets not forget Jolly Olde England. If Donington does not do well, and something tells me no matter how good it does, it will not be good enough, Blighty can kiss the British GP goodby. Also, in todays economy, Disney will not fund a Paris GP, so the French can say aurevoir to their GP.

    From sdcharger717, on Thu 9 Oct 4:26AM

  2. The North American GP's...gone and South America is no longer the final race of next season, which means it is on the chopping block and will soon be gone. Bernie has already said that Singapour is the new Monaco. Magny Cours is gone with no replacement yet. Look quick, F1's great days are over, never to return. Bernie has done his damage and I don't think he gives a damn.

    From Rich L, on Thu 9 Oct 3:29AM

  3. I 'may' have to 'take-back' some of the things I have said about Bernie/FIA.
    WHY? Well in an article I read, it appears that Montreal did not pay its 'bill' to
    Formula 1 Management!
    Bernie has not given a reason, Legault(Montreal race promoter), has not given a reason!
    With a 'contract' that runs until 2011, Bernie/FIA can NOT cancel the deal UNLESS the stipulated 'fees' are not paid!
    If this is true, then you have to ask, 'where IS the money'?
    On race day there was 120,000 paid attendance, at a minimum of $80 per head,
    that is $9,600,000.00, NOT including Fri/Sat attendance! + advertizing revenue, +
    food sales + souviner sales, ect ect.?????????????????????
    I think this and other questions have to be answered before we get a 'clear' picture of WHY!!!!!!!!

    Barry
    Toronto

    Barry
    Toronto

    From Barry M, on Thu 9 Oct 2:21AM

  4. What a shame.... Yet another track providing a great race disappears from the calendar for a not particularly convincing reasons...! Money talks, bulls**it walks, and it seems worse every year!!! I guess there needs to be a space made for some new venues in line already (Russia, India) ?! However, I'd rather see in the history places like Hungaroring! And comparing to that great show in Singapore, Valencia looks like a mistake to me too...!

    From v_musial, on Thu 9 Oct 1:29AM

  5. We could always hope Bernie had his 4 Billion in Lehman Bros Bank!

    From f1bzzzz, on Thu 9 Oct 1:04AM

  6. F1 scumbags. Just like what they did to Indianapolis. Since Indy is the best race track on earth, the facilities obviously have nothing to do with these decisions. If you can't even make it in sports crazy North America, then your organization is pretty incompetent.

    From Toronto Dog, on Thu 9 Oct 12:53AM

  7. What @#$%!! The true fans mean nothing anymore. Me and five of my friends made the trip up from Boston annually and had a fantastic time every time. Its a damn shame that such a great venue, (thats actually in a great city) would be cancelled. Its also a shame for Montreal. I have many friends up there that do well from the revenue brought into the city during four or five days that F1 fans descend on Montreal. Me and my friends drop about $1500 US each when we come up for four days. Multiply that by the thousands that make the trip.

    A damn shame!

    From greek2s, on Thu 9 Oct 12:08AM

  8. i liked canada and sure gona miss silverstone berni and his coronies dont care aout the true fans full stop. f1 be alive again when max the perv and berni the wont more money have gone

    From m.pitson@..., on Wed 8 Oct 11:33PM

  9. Apparently Montreal doesn't have enough Nazi prostitutes to satisfy the FIA.

    From fishblue6, on Wed 8 Oct 11:07PM

  10. I watched a U tube video today on the sad death of Giles. It seems the sport has a short memory. I cant help thinking that the break up up of the surface of the track may have contributed the this decision. In any case a very sad day for F1.

    From evans281@..., on Wed 8 Oct 10:55PM

  11. When 'push comes to shove' the ONLY thing people listen to is money!
    The Canadian Automobile Association' is affiliated with the FIA, as is virtually ALL local auto sport clubs! Every time you buy ANYTHING with a F1 logo on it, (Mclaren Ferrari, ect), part of the money goes to Bernies' liscensing company!
    You see F1 on BBC, ITV or whatever, Bernie's company has liscensed it!
    If people are SO upset with Bernie, DON'T buy ANY liscensed F1 merchandise!
    Doing that WON'T mean much, at the start, but it shows that the CONSUMMER, (you and me!), are the ones 'paying the bills', and were pissed AND things have got to change!
    Everything has to start somewhere!, and 'loss' of revenue is a start!!!!

    Barry
    Toronto

    From Barry M, on Wed 8 Oct 10:54PM

  12. One day, perhaps they will build roads upon which to drive the expensive cars they buy. And in the interim, they will just continue to shovel money into Bernie's pockets...

    From USA 1, on Wed 8 Oct 9:33PM

  13. Great sending our race to another CAMEL JOCKEY COUNTRY.......What the hell do they have to do with car racing,

    From WTF, on Wed 8 Oct 9:18PM

  14. Bernie and Max are taking F1 in a direction suited to their own strange tastes, Bernie like's 'em twice as tall, and Max likes 'em twice as many.

    From USA 1, on Wed 8 Oct 9:08PM

  15. Barry in Hogtown...Have a nice day, hope to catch ya again sometime. This section seems to be locked to only short comments. The Raven has left the building...

    From USA 1, on Wed 8 Oct 9:05PM

  16. We seem to be locked in Invalid Comment mode....Test Message Only, Please ignore

    From USA 1, on Wed 8 Oct 8:51PM

  17. Barry in Hogtown, played my junior in Mtl and T.O and moved on to Ottawa, always a Habs fan. With regard to F1, I guess we don't need it although i suspect that the major manufacturers would love to have us as customers. I once shared ownership of a Ferrari with another guy but can't afford that kind of thing anymore. I have had lots of Merc's and Beemers but won't be getting any of those in the future. My new(ish) 5.7 Hemi was half the price and twice the car with enough power to send Bernie to the moon. What we Canadians, and our great neighbours to the south need to do is vote with our remotes and our wallets. When sales drop, maybe the big guys will drop Bernie and set up their own series with common sense costs and prices on great tracks including Mtl, Edmonton, Laguna Seca, and perhaps, a revitalized Watkins Glen...

    From USA 1, on Wed 8 Oct 8:21PM

  18. Straight from the article: ""It was voted on by the FIA and that's really the end of it," Roger Peart President of the FIA's circuits commission. Later in the article; "Peart suggested that the reason for the situation is commercial." And - "Ecclestone later confirmed that a "contract problem" spelled the end for the event."

    But wait a minute....
    Ecclestone is the one in charge of F1 Administration - the contract holder with the teams. The FIA is supposed to be an independent non-commercial body providing impartial judicial control of international automobile motorsports. So what are the FIA doing simply rubber stamping Bernie Ecclestone's commercial maneuverings?

    What a sick charade this all is.

    From Zee Maddad, on Wed 8 Oct 8:13PM

  19. I really enjoyed the GP in Montreal. A great city with the track on the door-step. Seems that Bernie is only interested in going to sterile tracks. Watch many of the new ones and you will see nobody track side for miles.....only a few marshalls and sand! TV is king, which Bernie owns ad controls! He loves his friends in high places who have always done a "fantastic job". Just note how often he shows off a PM or a Minister to Martin B. when he does the ITV grid walk.

    I am sorry to say but the sport I began to watch at Aintree in 1961 is no more thanks mainly to a geriatric like me acting as a dictator. Perhaps its time to stop travelling to races each year save my money and watch my other passion (more) Rugby Union like Tom Walkinshaw at Gloucester Rugby! Perhaps he had enough of BE as well?

    From Christopher H, on Wed 8 Oct 7:58PM

  20. One more great circuit gone!

    From Christopher H, on Wed 8 Oct 7:48PM
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