30/03/2009
NEWS STORY
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It has been revealed that organizers of the Canadian GP have held talks with Bernie Ecclestone in the hope of taking F1 back to north America... this year!
The promoters of the event were involved in public spat with the F1 supremo last year in a dispute over money (what else?), the aftermath being that, with the loss of the United States GP also, the sport doesn't visit the continent this year, the first time since 1958 that this has happened.
However, in the wake of speculation that organizers of the Abu Dhabi event are behind schedule, Canadian officials have spoken to Ecclestone with a view to Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve coming to the sport's rescue and hosting an event this year.
Speaking to the Montreal Gazette, however, Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay, was keen to emphasise that if F1 is to return to the city it cannot be a one-off event held merely to make up the numbers, as happened at Donington in 1993.
"We have been talking with Bernie Ecclestone about it coming back in 2011 and 2010," said Tremblay.
However, referring to this year he added: "We don't want to have it just in 2009. We want a long term agreement that respects our ability to pay."
Asked if it would be possible to organize a race at such short notice, Tremblay said: "We have a lot of good people who have organised the races for many years."