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Montreal faces $75m loss after snub

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-09 09:32

MONTREAL: Montreal faces losses of up to $75 million after Formula One's governing body, the FIA, excluded it from next season's Grand Prix circuit, according to the city's mayor on Tuesday.

At an earlier meeting in Paris, the FIA awarded United Arab Emirates city Abu Dhabi its first ever race in place of Canada for the 2009 season, without giving any further details about its decision.

Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay, speaking on Radio-Canada, said: "We are talking economic consequences in the region of $75 millions - which are big losses."

Tremblay said the decision would have an impact on the global image of the city, adding that over 300 million people watch the race.

Race organizers had no idea the event would be removed from the calendar, and the official website is still advertising tickets for next year.

"The Canadian Grand Prix bosses learned of the withdrawal of the Canadian Grand Prix from the 2009 calendar through the media," organizers said in a statement on Tuesday, adding they would not comment further until FIA had been consulted.

"We are going to look at what to do in the next few hours," said the race's promoter Normand Legault on Tuesday.

Canada was included in the F1 season in 2003 by chief Bernie Ecclestone, following the implementation of new laws banning cigarette advertising.

In June 2006 after a meeting with Ecclestone, Legault told local press that the future of the race was assured for five more years.

At Ecclestone's request the track was modernized, but after last year's race - won by Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber - a number of drivers complained about the surface.

The new 18-race F1 season will kick off on March 29 in Australia and end in Abu Dhabi on Nov 15.