22/10/2008
NEWS STORY
A group of Canadian politicians - thought to be at local, provincial and federal level - are to meet with Bernie Ecclestone in an attempt to save the Canadian Grand Prix, which was controversially dropped from the 2009 calendar earlier this month.
It is understood that Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay, will be joined by provincial minister Raymond Bachand at a meeting with Ecclestone in London on Thursday.
According to reports in the Canadian media, Bachard is willing to make a serious, though unspecified, financial offer to Ecclestone in an attempt to save the race.
The race was dropped following a meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council, the reason given being "commercial problems". Ecclestone subsequently claimed that there were outstanding debts going back several years, a claim which race organizers strenuously deny.
The dropping of the event leaves north America without a Formula One Grand Prix for the first time since 1958. Since the announcement, there has been widespread condemnation of the decision from teams, drivers and race fans, who feel that Montreal is one of the best events on the calendar.