Canada GP return to be announced on Friday
It emerged earlier this week that the Montreal event, provisionally scheduled for June 13 next year, could be shown the green light by the city and the Quebec government in meetings on Wednesday.
Radio-Canada and the French language La Presse now report that the details of the final deal will be announced publicly at 3pm (local) on Friday.
The confirmation, guaranteeing annual Canadian grands prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve between 2010 and 2014, will occur during a press conference at Montreal's City Hall.
11/24/09 According to AR1.com sources, the deal isn’t done yet with the Canadian / Quebec government. So there is nothing imminent in terms of an announcement. According to Bernie Ecclestone, if it’s not done before Christmas, then the Canadian GP is going to be off the 2010 calendar.
11/24/09 (GMM) Official confirmation of Canada's return to the formula one calendar for 2010 is expected this week, according to the French-language La Presse newspaper.
The Montreal event has appeared with a June 13 date on provisional versions of next year's schedule, while Bernie Ecclestone and event organizers have been finalizing the contract.
The newspaper said the city and the Quebec government could give the green light on Wednesday, preceding an official announcement towards the end of the week.
It is reported that Ecclestone and the race negotiators have now finished their talks and the agreement can be signed off during a meeting of Montreal's executive committee on Wednesday.
Quebec's intergovernmental affairs secretariat (SAIC) is expected to agree on the same day, "and this should be a formality", the office is quoted as confirming.
The new promoter of Canada's F1 race is Francois Dumontier, head of Octane Management.
10/06/09 (GMM) The obstacle standing in the way of a final deal for a 2010 Canadian grand prix is tax, according to the French-language La Presse.
The report said Bernie Ecclestone wants to receive the payments of the Quebec, Ottawa and Montreal authorities over the next five but not pay federal tax.
It is said the F1 chief executive is holding back his signature until he receives a written guarantee about the issue from the Canada Revenue Agency.
Raymond Bachand, handling the governments' F1 negotiations, said last Friday that "there are always complicated elements of a tentative agreement – which we have with Mr. Ecclestone – when the lawyers put it down on paper".
"There are problems that sometimes arise," he added.