One of the things that I was really looking forward to about my move to Canada among many other things was being able to head up to Montreal each June to take in the Montreal Grand Prix. A few months ago I got the bad news that it had been dropped from F1’s calendar but held out hope that it could still be saved. Unfortunately today news broke that it has officially been lost. All I have to hope now is that it will be back again the following season. Regardless, I still find it an absolute disgrace that the race has been lost.

Canada was one of the best races of the season and certainly one of the most popular. The T.V. audiences it attracted were huge and it was a money making race; the event draws an estimated $100 million per year in revenues and economic spinoffs to the city of Montreal. This all comes on the same day I learn that China is thinking of dropping their race after 2010 because they are losing big money every year. Of course that might open a chance for Canada to get back in but the real crying shame is that Canada, a race with history and heritage in the sport, gets dropped while China and some other races with absolutely no F1 pedigree within the countries continue on.

China, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi are all races that have bought their way into the calendar. They are nice shiny new circuits who have handed Bernie Eccelstone a fortune of money to get their race at the expense of historic circuits. I like that F1 is going even more global than it currently is and that there are nice new circuits, but when it comes at the expense of F1’s best and most famous circuits then it is a real shame. As much as Spain has a place in F1 it will have two races again next year. How one country can have two races when another big F1 market has none is madness.

There are other countries out there vying for a race also which makes you wonder which other famous course will be bumped aside for the money of other races. Will Britain go eventually? What about Monza, Spa and Monaco? It sounds idiotic and very unrealistic, but then that is the way of things and it shouldn’t be ruled out.

There is no race in North America now - the largest car market in the world, and with Car companies struggling more than ever in North America it will not go down well with the car companies that are involved in F1 that their names will not get exposure in the big market. F1 needs to get back to North America and that has to start with Montreal.

Below is the 2009 F1 Calendar:

March 29   Australia
April 5    Malaysia
April 19   China
April 26   Bahrain
May   10   Spain
May   24   Monaco
June  7    Turkey
June  21   Great Britain
July  12   Germany
July  26   Hungary
Aug   23   Europe (Valencia)
Aug   30   Belgium
Sept  13   Italy
Sept  27   Singapore
Oct   4    Japan
Oct   18   Brazil
Nov   1    Abu Dhabi

Category: My Sports » Canadian GP, F1, Why Sport isn't what it was |

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