DESPITE ITS POPULARITY, THE LONGTERM FUTURE OF THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX HAS BEEN SHAKY FOR WELL OVER A DECADE. race are always amongst the most spectacular of the season. Despite its popularity, however, the long-term future of the Canadian Grand Prix has been shaky for well over a decade. The current deal, which began in 2010, runs out after the 2014 race. Under the existing terms, the Canadian and Quebec governments, plus the city of Montreal and its tourism offshoot, provide an annual investment of some CAN$15 million to stage the race. The Quebec government is responsible for CAN$4 million, with the city paying US$1 million. The Canadian government and Tourisme Montreal pay around US$5 million
116 l BLACK BOOK 2014
each, receiving a 30 per cent share of ticket sales revenue in return. At the 2013 race – won, inevitably, by Sebastian Vettel – Quebec Premier Pauline Marois seemed confident that a new deal, acceptable to all parties, would be agreed. She told the Montreal Gazette newspaper that talks were “going well”, adding: “I hope we will conclude an agreement. And I told Mr Ecclestone we need to conclude a winwin agreement.” For many years, Montreal was Formula One’s only North American stop. It remains to be seen what effect, if any, the hugely successful new event in Austin, Texas, will have on negotiations in Canada. Ecclestone, as history
has shown, is not afraid of playing hardball with Montreal’s promoters and government officials. He will likely expect an upgrade in facilities at the circuit, much of the infrastructure for which was built for the 1976 Olympic Games rowing regatta, before signing off on any new agreement. The 2013 Canadian Grand Prix was tragically marred by the death of track marshal Mark Robinson. Robinson, a member of the Automobile Club de L’Île Notre-Dame, was helping to remove the damaged car of Esteban Gutierrez after the race ended when he slipped while picking up a radio from the ground. He was then hit by the crane carrying the car back to the pits. It was the third fatal accident involving a marshal at a Grand Prix since 2000, following incidents at the 2000 Italian Grand Prix and the 2001 Australian race.