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View Full Version : Montreal is trying to get the Canadian GP BACK, and Bernie is open...



Mark in Oshawa
14th April 2009, 00:41
Well, in the Calgary Hearld, this link here: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Sports/Montreal+mayor+negotiating+return+racing/1492387/story.html

[/QUOTE]MONTREAL — Mayor Gerald Tremblay is hoping to entice Grand Prix racing back to Montreal for 2010 and Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone says he’s interested.

Ecclestone told Motor Sport magazine’s May edition that he is in discussions with the city to bring the race back to Montreal.

Martin Tremblay, spokesperson for the mayor, confirmed Sunday that discussions have been ongoing for about two months.

“The mayor wants the race back, but not at any price,” he said. He would not comment further.

F1 CEO Ecclestone told Motor Sport: “We are trying to get that back on again. The government is interested.”

Money is, of course, the major hurdle.

Ecclestone pulled out of Montreal last year when, despite the economic downturn, he wanted millions more than he was getting for the government-subsidized race.

Montreal, the provincial and federal governments and Tourism Montreal had offered Ecclestone $20 million for 2009, increasing to $24 million in 2013 — a total of $110.5 million over five years.

The city would also pay 75 per cent of the first $10 million in race profits and 25 per cent of profits above that.

It wasn’t enough for the billionaire British promoter, who wanted at least $175 million over five years, so he said no, picked up his toys and left the city – presumably for good.

Now six months later he wants back in.

It could be because his racing circuit is feeling the pinch of a dying economy and of fans unwilling to pay soaring ticket prices in the hundreds of dollars.

Montreal isn’t the only Formula One race refusing to dance to Ecclestone’s tune.

France cancelled its Grand Prix for 2009, and organizers of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai said in November they might pull out because of poor ticket sales.

Australia’s Grand Prix lost $27 million US last year.

Ecclestone said for the race to return to Montreal he would have to expand the circuit beyond its current 17 races.

But with hard economic times and fan disenchanted with aging tracks too small for racers to even pass, Ecclestone might have a tough job just keeping the races he has.

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service.[/QUOTE]

It seems the gravy train is going off the rails and maybe Bernie is realizing the people you climb over on the way up might be helping you on the way back down....

Easy Drifter
14th April 2009, 02:22
NASCAR currently has rights to the track but I do know how long that deal is for.
I cannot see NASCAR allowing a F1 race as long as they control the track.
Of course the City owns the island so contracts can be broken and even NASCAR would have a tough time in Quebec courts. :D

Mark in Oshawa
14th April 2009, 03:19
Drifter, ISC controls the rights to racing at the track.They are given those rights from the City of Montreal. They wont turn down F1 coming back because two events a year are licenced by the city at this track. The city calls the shots remember? The city wants f1 back, ISC wont stop them because they will make money on it as a co-promoter. Or rather, will be allowed to keep NASCAR at the track. The City will dump NASCAR under the bus to keep f1.

Easy Drifter
14th April 2009, 04:55
Your last two sentences are the true key.
Do not play rough with the Quebcois!

UltimateDanGTR
14th April 2009, 10:40
Id love to see montreal back, and so i think do most fans, the teams and drivers because its a great track in a great location. one of the highlights of the F1 season if you ask me. F1 needs to go there. but bernies sheer greed will probably get in the way the short ar**ed tw**.

F1 needs races in north america because its a massive market there and so not having a north america is just pafetic. also, its supposed to be a WORLD championship, so should have races on 6 out of 7 continents (antartica being the one without for obvious reasons-but theres a thought.....). This year is a 4 continent championship, not good enough. although africa isnt vital.

back to the main point, bring back Montreal Bernie!

ioan
14th April 2009, 13:12
Well, Bernie's pockets are open (for income) day and night.

DexDexter
14th April 2009, 16:22
I hope they reinstate the race, it's a good event, good crowd, interesting races. When the race was cancelled there were reports that the organisers owed Ecclestone a sizeable amount of money or they hadn't paid the fees. Nothing about that in the article, all about Ecclestone's greed.

UltimateDanGTR
14th April 2009, 16:27
its anoying isnt it.

the current situation:

F1 fans + F1 teams and drivers + race organisers vs Bernie and his FIA crew

result:

bernie always wins. twat.

Hondo
14th April 2009, 17:18
Montreal and all the other venue owners or jurisdictions need to ask Bernie how much he is willing to pay them to be allowed to bring his circus to their tracks or streets to stage a race event.

Seems like all the track owners and governments are always claiming they lose money on the Grand Prix events. It makes me wonder why they pay the little fella to hold an event in the first place.

schmenke
14th April 2009, 18:17
...Seems like all the track owners and governments are always claiming they lose money on the Grand Prix events. It makes me wonder why they pay the little fella to hold an event in the first place.

The loss of profits of the event itself is offset by the surge in revenues generated by local tourist businesses during the race weekend.

emporer_k
14th April 2009, 18:44
I would love to see Montreal back, coupled with a race in america the next weekend.

UltimateDanGTR
14th April 2009, 19:18
so would i emporer K.

but where in the USA? I would say uograde Laguna Seca a bit, and there you have it. or would the corkscrew turn be too interesting for bernies liking?

Hondo
14th April 2009, 19:58
The loss of profits of the event itself is offset by the surge in revenues generated by local tourist businesses during the race weekend.

I understand what you're saying but if tax money is used to help fund the event and the tax revenue generated by tourism at the event doesn't meet or exceed the tax money spent, it's still a loss and a poor bargain.

veeten
15th April 2009, 14:48
well, how about this for an alternative...

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21361.html

schmenke
15th April 2009, 19:56
well, how about this for an alternative...

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21361.html

Makes sense geographically...