Montreal mayor hopeful over GP

Eurosport - Fri, 24 Oct 11:24:00 2008

Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay has said he is hopeful the axed Canadian Formula One Grand Prix could be reinstated next year after meeting the sport's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

FORMULA 1 Montreal Kanada Canada - 0

"We've had a constructive meeting, we have a better understanding of the issues," he said.

"We still have a lot of work to do to evaluate all the options, but it is still possible to hold the grand prix in Montreal in 2009 and subsequent years."

Tremblay was accompanied by Quebec economic development minister Raymond Bachand and federal international trade minister Michael Fortier.

The race at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was dropped from a revised calendar this month, leaving North America without a Grand Prix for the first time in 50 years.

Ecclestone said at the Chinese Grand Prix last weekend that there was no way back for Canada next year, despite France subsequently dropping off the calendar for financial reasons.

"They want 17 races, the teams, and that's what they've got," he said.

Canadian Grand Prix organisers denied at the weekend that they had defaulted on payments owed to Ecclestone for past hosting rights.

"It is true that we have a commercial disagreement regarding our monetary obligations, but only for 2008," said Canada Grand Prix marketing vice-president Paul Wilson.

"This is the result of an historical difference within the contractual understanding between the two parties.

"We were working hard to resolve the matter in order to meet our 2008 obligations when Mr. Ecclestone, without notice, surprised everyone by unilaterally dropping the Canadian Grand Prix from the 2009 FIA schedule last October 7."

The decision dismayed the teams, with Canada and the United States being important markets for the manufacturers that dominate the sport.

"It's the opposite of what we want to see," BMW-Sauber team boss Mario Theissen, whose team took their first win in Canada this season, said at this month's Japanese Grand Prix.

"The intention should be not to step out of this market but just the opposite - to use Montreal as door opener for a future US race as well."

Reuters

Comment 26 - 45 of 45

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  1. bill mac, what are talking about (just cannot believe that anyone else can build race cars) all the indy car chassis are built in uk. THEY operate them, uk builds them. Get your facts right before you spout!!!!

    From falcon77storm, on Sun 26 Oct 2:24PM

  2. 5 STARS TO DOUBLE WORLD CHAMP ,.,. TALENTED SKILLED ,., ALONSO
    IN A SLOWER CAR HE GATHERED THE MOST POINTS IN THE LAST 5 RACES ,.,. BRAVO

    From Lucie D, on Sun 26 Oct 5:36AM

  3. bernie is too chicken to race in north america; hope car makers like bmw,ferrari,and other makers lose their shirts because lack of north american sales

    From robert, on Sun 26 Oct 3:25AM

  4. Hi jd.patel, sorry just had my tea and very scrummy it was. I didn't know she had raced over here at all. Shame it's all against her - it is a man's world and she is a far better driver than Alonso and he is much more feminine.

    From BigBill, on Sat 25 Oct 9:26PM

  5. only talented skilled double world champ ALONSO deserves the title
    a winner in a slower car
    but still harvested most points from last 5 races

    From raymonda222, on Sat 25 Oct 8:57PM

  6. Patrick has raced in Europe previously. Earned a fine second-place finish in the competitive Formula Ford Festival, the highest-ever finish by either a woman or an American in the event. Honda should have signed her up instead of leading her on. It would have been a good match, for her a fine apprenticeship in F1 and great for Honda and Formula One in North America.

    From JAYANTILAL, on Sat 25 Oct 8:08PM

  7. I agree jd.patel and from what I have seen she is a very brave driver too. In drag racing there are even more women driving both cars and bikes in the states and they are very succesful.

    From BigBill, on Sat 25 Oct 7:37PM

  8. 25. Bill M…Danica Patrick has often been described ( male Americans! ) as "at Best" a middle of the pack driver in Indy car????
    guys get your facts right…. Out of 47 drivers in this years merged series she finished the year in 6th position. Does that sound like middle of the pack? Looking at the performance of the cars like F1 there is a two team lock out in IRL i.e. Target Ganassi & Penske a ride with one of these teams almost guarantees that the first 5 positions will be locked out. So to secure 6th position at the end of the year is no mean feat. Just ask the other 41 drivers.

    From JAYANTILAL, on Sat 25 Oct 7:32PM

  9. Nicola D, there have been some good septics in F1, but not for some years though. I remember the disastrous year that Michael Andretti spent at Williams, which was a really good car at the time. Poor old Michael had a problem just getting the thing off the line. Motorsport in the states is very strange, everything has to be a world championship even though the rules effectively prevent any non-US entries. Septics just cannot believe that anyone else can build race cars. Listen to commentators for Indy Car races and the number of times they say - best cars, best drivers, which is plainly not true. Its very odd.

    From BigBill, on Sat 25 Oct 7:17PM

  10. Hi jd.patel, I would like to see Danica Patrick holding her own in F1. I'm sure there is a joke there somewhere!

    From BigBill, on Sat 25 Oct 7:12PM

  11. threats from spotty emerson should be reported
    she should be totally banned from commenting the nincompoofeter

    From jestyn.thyme, on Sat 25 Oct 1:43PM

  12. DOUBLE WORLD CHAMP ALONSO FOR MORE SUCCESS

    ALONSO USES HIS SUPERIOR SKILL TO AVOID INCIDENTS ,.,. DOES NOT SHUNT OTHERS

    HE ALONE DESERVES TO WIN

    From Lucie D, on Sat 25 Oct 12:06PM

  13. I also believe that Canada should take France's slot.
    As for America not supporting F1 because there are no US F1 drivers, very few make it in F1, Gilles Villenueve springs to mind. His son Jaucqes didn't last long (yes I realise they are Canadian, but even the US will support Canadian drivers if it's all they've got). JPM didn't last long either and went to Indycar.
    I'd watch a US race, but not on an oval, that gets TOO boring.
    Mexico GP sounds cool.
    And I'm not keen on the night races, they floodlight the track, what's the point of it being at night then? getting up at 2am/4am/6am to watch a GP doesn't bother me.
    Put headlights on the cars and race in the dark THEN a night race would be interesting.
    imagine the commentaters trying to identify the drivers! LOL :)

    From Alien, on Fri 24 Oct 11:04PM

  14. They still have NASCAR

    From Christos, on Fri 24 Oct 5:12PM

  15. Germany got 2 GPs because of MS, Spain got 2 GPs because of FA so how about Britain gets 2 GPs when LH wins. More like none at all if The Poisoned Dwarf has anything to do with it.

    From Biggles, on Fri 24 Oct 10:06AM

  16. How about someone use a crowbar to open JBOLAN's head to see if there are any BRAINS inside.

    From Biggles, on Fri 24 Oct 9:59AM

  17. I agree that the Canadian Grand Prix should be reinstated back into the formula one calander next year, North America is an important manufracture market and no races in North America would be sad for the sport of Formula One. And also remember North America is apart of the World that we live in and the Formula One World Championship is a World Wide Championship, thats why Formula One has races in Asia and Europe, as well as Australia. It's sad that Formula One doesn't have a race in Africa when it use to many years ago back in the early nineties and the early eighties. Europe shouldn't have a monoploy on staging Formula One races, the truth is Bernie should increase the number of rounds to about twenty two rounds a year. Canada and the United Sataes should have a round of the Formula One Championship each to much attention has turned towards the Middle East and Asia.

    D.Bristow

    From d.bristow550, on Fri 24 Oct 9:29AM

  18. F 1 RACING IS NOT A NORTH AMERICAN SPORT
    THEY HAVE THEIR OWN QUAINT SPORTS TO SUPPORT

    From salsa747, on Fri 24 Oct 8:06AM

  19. BIG THANKS TO SKILLS OF BERNIE

    HE BROUGHT IN THE MILLIONS $£$£ TO RESCUE F1 FROM DEBT

    From salsa747, on Fri 24 Oct 8:05AM

  20. As much as I love the "traditional" venues for F1, sorry to say that financially a stand alone N. American trip is an expensive joyride. The only hope would be to have it within the same timeframe as Brazil and bring back USA at a serious track - not a bloody oval, otherwise afraid even I wud bin Montreal

    From not printable, on Fri 24 Oct 7:32AM
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