SEPTEMBER 16, 2003

Putting Montreal back on the F1 calendar

Formula 1 sometimes moves in mysterious ways but it seems that there are still possibilities that the Canadian Grand Prix might take place in 2004 if another non-tobacco race is dropped from the calendar. Most of the tobacco companies have agreements with teams which allow for a number of non-branded races to be included each year but as this has been rising in recent years so a harder line has developed and the result of this has been the problems we have seen in Austria, Belgium and Canada. The tobacco companies do not mind which races are non-branded and so if another non-tobacco race drops off the calendar they will accept Canada back into the fold.

The French Grand Prix is the one that looks the most in danger because the organizers owe Formula One Management something in the region of $10m for this year's event. If that is not paid it is possible that France will be dropped, San Marino could be shifted to the July 11 date and Montreal could take place on June 6. San Marino may not like that idea but it is struggling to survive at the moment and must take what it is given.