The Canadian Grand Prix has been dropped from the 2009 F1 calendar in a shock move as the FIA published full details of next year’s schedule.
No reason has been given for the deletion of the Montreal race, held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The Canadian round has been plagued by problems with its surface at recent races, which were especially severe during this year’s Grand Prix.
But there had been no prior indication that the round might be dropped. The race was on the provisional 2009 F1 calendar. It was last missing from the calendar in 1987 due to sponsorship reasons.
Canada’s absence means next year’s calendar has 18 races instead of 19.
The FIA has not explained why the Canadian round has been dropped. It’s one of the most popular and well-attended races on the F1 calendar, held at a distinctive track which has been part of the F1 calendar for three decades.
Canada has loads of dedicated F1 fans and even though it hasn’t had an F1 driver since Jacques Villeneuve two years ago they’ve continued to support their Grand Prix. It’s a terrible shame Montreal is no longer on the calendar, and that F1 now has no North American round at all.
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pawelf1
7th October 2008, 14:17
its just rubish that france gp stays and there is no canadian gp … ;/ blah
Andy
7th October 2008, 14:18
nice to see Bernie’s avoiding the entire american continent now..
well almost, we still have Brazil, but ONE RACE FOR 800, 000, 000 people doesnt really cut it does it?
El Gordo
7th October 2008, 14:22
WHAT? This is one of the 5 best tracks on the calendar!
I am enormously disappointed. No doubt Bernie wants more moolah.
Mark
7th October 2008, 14:25
It makes complete sense of you realize how many passionate F1 fans there are in Abu Dhabi. We should have tried harder in Montreal. You know, like sell out every year. Have massive F1 parties in the street each night. Have the drivers say things like “it’s second only to Monaco”.
Oh wait. We did all that. And more.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th October 2008, 14:27
Mark – well said.
James
7th October 2008, 14:30
The home of the Villeneuve’s has been canned? Some of the most passionate fans in the sport? Wow. I’m actually stunned.
Jonatas
7th October 2008, 14:34
What a shame!
I was there this year and absolutely loved the place, the race, everything. I’m sad I won’t get a chance to do it again next year.
Maybe I should stop going to F1 races altogether. In 2007 I went to my first F1 race in Indianapolis… They dropped that. This year, I went to Canada, they dropped that. Sorry guys!
Mick
7th October 2008, 14:35
The surface was a joke this year. This is the pinnacle of motorsport. A broken surface was unnacceptable. I’ve always liked the Canadian Grand Prix, but there are other tracks in the world, and passionate fans who want to see the races. How about a street race in Cape Town, South Africa. It’ll be fantastic!
I’m miffed that we’ll have one less race next year though!
Eddie Irvine
7th October 2008, 14:40
:( Really sad , I loved Montreal what a great track. Once again I feel like F1 is hitting me in the face along with helman tilke and a truck of petrodollars…
Mark
7th October 2008, 14:40
Jonatas – you’re the F1 Angel of Death. Could I interest you in tickets and airfare to Abu Dhabi and Valencia? I need to make room for Montreal, and with India, Russia and Borat’s play for Kazakhstan coming, we gotta act fast.
Twister27
7th October 2008, 14:40
From a fans point of view I’m disappointed, I’d rather see Montreal on the calendar than the Hungaroring or Magny Cours.
However, from a business and logistics point of view I can see why they dropped it, they couldn’t hold the race before or after the Brazilian race cause the weather would be too cold and they go nowhere near the americas at any other point in the year. It was also on at a bad time from a UK TV point of view as it clashed with Coronation Street! WT!
Fernando
7th October 2008, 14:58
Dammit Bernie you are an ass among all asses in the world. Last year was the first time I had ever been to a F1 event it was in Montreal, and it was hands down one of the best things I have ever done in my life. I already planned for a return in 2009, and every year there after, not anymore I guess.
So now instead of a 5 hour car drive to get there for me it’s a plane ride and visas and all this crap!!!! This has got to be the most disappointing news so far this year. WOW I just cannot believe this is happening please wake me up when it’s over.
Wow I keep looking at the calendar to see if maybe it will magically reappear.
Vlad the Inhaler
7th October 2008, 15:00
I’ll miss the pikey tarmac……
Seb Carter
7th October 2008, 15:00
This is dreadful news
I couldn’t have agreed more with Mark’s comments. I am getting quite sick of moving races to places that have the money but not the passion. Passion is what it is all about. Cam you imagine if every race was like Bahrain or Shanghai? It would be a total bore because the heart of the F1 fans is missing.
We need places like Monaco, Albert Park, Silverstone and importantly Montreal because that is where the party and the atmosphere is. Without it, F1 would become a businessman’s sport, where the money talks that the people. We need the fans of Montreal, and not the popularity seeking, money minded folks of Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Valencia.
And on top of all that, Montreal provided fantastic racing. What a shame.
diseased rat
7th October 2008, 15:03
I wonder if this is Bernies way of forcing more dates into the calendar. Canada comes back on the schedule in 2010 or 2011 because the teams, drivers and public want it back, but by that point in time the other new tracks are established, so we just end up with even more dates.
GeorgeK
7th October 2008, 15:05
Why was Canada dropped? Oh, maybe something to do with Canadian Motor Clubs calling for Max’s resignation?
The paving is fixable, the track and attendance is always great, and they have one off travels longer then N. America. So what’s the reason? See first para. above.
Jupiter
7th October 2008, 15:21
A great shame; along with Spa and Monaco it is one of the three Grand Prix I most look forward to at the start of the season.
Mr Soap
7th October 2008, 15:25
Wouldn’t surprise me in the least. And Msxs vindictive streak is just one reason I didn’t want him to survive a vote of confidence. Oh well.
Really snews though, Montreal has been one of the highlights of the year for many years.
David
7th October 2008, 15:30
bernie, you are a ****
schumi the greatest
7th October 2008, 15:52
shame montreal always provided a good race full of accidents and events and the ability to throw up an odd result even if it never rained!its one of them tracks where the drivers cant afford mistakes or theyl end up in the wall. sadly tracks that provide entertainment and skill from the drivers are not up to it anymore.
i mean who wants to see drivers risking all in a fight for victory in between concrete walls when we can see them driving on tracks the size of cornfields with run off the size of small islands with huge impressive yet empty grandstands??
the formula 1 world championship…….18 races, not one race takes place in north america, where the only superpower in the world reamains, yet, how many races are there going to be in asia???
might aswell call it the formula 1 european/asian championship
i do wonder at times if f1 really thinks about what its doing, “yeah so bahrain pays more than canada for a gp, maybe no one will actually turn up to see the race, but what does that matter”
going off subject slightly but i hate the bahrain track, to the untrained formula 1 fan eye it looks the ******* same as kuala lumpar, 2 long straights couple of slow corners couple of sweeping bends, all accompanied by sahara sized run off
boo
Eric M.
7th October 2008, 16:01
So there are now two races in Spain, and none in North America?
What a joke.
Juanito C
7th October 2008, 16:03
Mmmm, another point to make clear, what Alonso said on Monza 2006… “the Formula one is no longer a sport…” first Argentina, Mexico, Indianapolis and now Montreal, what a pity decisions…
Pingguest
7th October 2008, 16:04
I wouldn’t be all surprised if this only about money. Bernie Ecclestone is only concerned about his (Swiss?) bank account and not in the sports.
No Grand Prix in North America then. That doesn’t do too well to Formula 1’s creditability as a ‘World Championship’.
sassan
7th October 2008, 16:06
I loved montreal, great races have taken place there. Is it the begining of traditional tracks being kicked off the f1 calender for tedious tilke tracks in the far east. Well i wouldn’t be suprised, the poison dwarf only wants money for himself and a tedious race track which offers crap races. Canada has produced great races 1989 and 1998 for example. What has bahrain and malaysia produced.
Shame on you Bernie!
Eric M.
7th October 2008, 16:14
I’m seriously gutted about this. I’ve never been to a GP, and was seriously considering going to Montreal in 2009. Now if I want to attend a GP I’ll have to fly to another continent!
ccolanto
7th October 2008, 16:21
Montreal is one of the best cities to hose F1. The fans love it, the Drivers love it. There better be a reason behind this, maybe upgrading the track and/or pit garages, but I’ve been attendind the race for the past 3 years and going to miss it dearly.
Stewey
7th October 2008, 16:21
Im so annnoyed
i loved canada allways provided f1 with shocks
when was the last time something major didnt happen in canada or some wacky result such a shame
f1 is all about greed at the moment to many people thinking about their own pockets to care about whats really right- the racing
if bernie wants f1 to be popular again and stop having people saying its boring or its all about money hes got a funy way of showing it
why is he in charge anyway i think hes past his best get someone who cares about the racing an wants overtaking
bring back canada and the us gp get rid of magny cours, bahrain(boring), hungary(worst track in f1 history), valencia (i thought they wernt aloud to have two races what about imola and nurburgring/hockenheim sharing deal)
i thought it was spose to be world championship seems to me that its just europe/asia
bernie might get more money for hosting a race in asia than in montreal but i bet he wont get as many tickets in those countrys or as many tv viewers
he better have a reason for getting rid of it what about all the people in america there going to have to fly to another continent to watch a gp wasted generation of viewers
DG
7th October 2008, 16:24
First Silverstone, then Magny-Cours, and now its a reality for Montreal.
I think this is Bernie’s subtle hint that things are going to happen his way and neither the teams, the manufacturers, the FIA or the fans can do anything about it.
Why does he need such old fashioned, crumbling, dangerous circuits around when he’s got Singapore, Valencia, Istanbul, Bahrain and now Abu Dhabi?
But I think its wrong of him to totally ignore North America, and who knows, maybe Brazil is on the blacklist too?
Scott Joslin
7th October 2008, 16:34
Really sad and awful news. Canada leads the way with Passionate fans and a superbly run event that is nearly always sold out. All for what – an F1 theme park in the desert which will be empty.
F1 will lose a lot of it’s soul soon if it keeps dispensing with “proper” race venues.
The circuit was a very challenging event and one I personally looked forward to very much.
I really look forward to rounds two and three – Bahrain and Spain – Two tracks that nearly always produce nothing worth talking about. Where as Canada created more excitement in nearly 1 lap than in those two race tracks.
Too Good
7th October 2008, 16:46
All – There is no point in lambasting and lamenting.End of the day its all about who coughs up Big Monies to the Small Man .
And to be honest, safety situation at Montreal for last two years was apalling.Having said that, Bernie wouldn’t have cared less if drivers had complained about safety issues.
Alas where on calendar will we see Drivers jumping red light at pit exit now :(
qazuhb
7th October 2008, 16:47
Will Robert Kubica miss it?
Scott Joslin
7th October 2008, 16:53
Too Good the reason we are
is because as you quite rightly put it, it is not about benefit of the sport long term or the majority of F1 fans, more for money, which disappoints a lot of F1 fans.
Nick
7th October 2008, 17:08
wtf? Why would they drop Canada and yet keep the absolute awful spain tracks?!? that no one passed on at all. FIA has lost it.
or this is Bernie’s way of getting Canada to pay more money for the gp./
Fred Schechter
7th October 2008, 17:11
That’s fine,, I’ll just go to the other North American and Central American F1 races.
NO,, wait, I can’t do that.
Fine, then I’ll just watch it on network television like people in the rest of the world and,,,
No, can’t do that.
Then I’ll watch replays on youtube and,,,
No,, can’t do that.
If I was an F1 sponsor I’d be HEAVILY ANGERED about my brand Euros not reaching the worldwide audience I was promised. Call your local Bernie and Max and tell them. Only you can prevent the short uber rich from angering entire continents.
HounslowBusGarage
7th October 2008, 17:13
I thought Bernie was saying recently that he thought 20 races per season was about right. Next year there will be 18. Does that mean that one more race will suddenly appear in the four week gap between Hungary and Valencia?
And wasn’t India going to get a race in 2009, or were they promised one for 2010?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th October 2008, 17:14
This just gets stranger. The Canadian Grand Prix organisers say they weren’t informed of the FIA’s decision to drop the race beforehand: story.
I wonder if the FIA has unilaterally taken the decision to drop the race and not consulted Ecclestone on it.
Jack
7th October 2008, 17:20
There’s something dodgy going on here….
Mafhew
7th October 2008, 17:27
I’m suprised that in this era where racing is being lamented for not being exciting enough, the only one real race which has provided exciting racing year after year is dropped. Nice decision FIA.
Oh well, i suppose we still have the Valencia street circuit =)
And wow that is strange about the fact there was no notification.
Eric
7th October 2008, 17:40
Way to go Bernie you arrogant pompous ***, like you don’t have enough money already. I have attended the Canadian GP for the last 3 years and it was a fantastic venue! This is nothing more than a pathetic old man proving he can do whatever he wants with the sport of F1, I hope you rot in hell Bernie!
Too Good
7th October 2008, 17:41
Keith, As posted by other posters, This development definitely has connection with the American Motorsports bodies not backing Spanky, in the vote of confidence. But by that logic Germany should have been off the calendar as well.
And what about Constructors keen for “American Races” as they have sizeable market in this continent that they really care for.
donwatters
7th October 2008, 17:42
What’s going on here? Cancelling a successful event for no stated reason? Not telling the organizers about it? It’s like something out of the Twilight Zone. I just don’t get it.
Chaz
7th October 2008, 17:45
This is a scandal! Bring back the Canadian GP now. Why are the decent circuits all being modified to rubbish or dropped. Who’s starting the online petition?
TommyB
7th October 2008, 17:47
Canadian GP is good EVERY year. I can never remember I bad one. Why not stop the crap boring race tracks like Hungary which never produce good racing
Milos
7th October 2008, 17:48
definitelly something does not smell right here … how glad I am I went to Canada for the race this year instead of waiting for the next season …
this can’t be real … I want to believe the race will be back on the calendar next year, but with the way the calendar looks now, there does not seem to be any room for it, unless another reshuffle takes place …
Brigitte
7th October 2008, 17:49
I just can’t believe the Montreal GP F1 has been taken out… I’m from Quebec Province and I go to the GP F1 every year since 1996.
A huge disapointment for the Quebec Fans as well as other fans around (like Toronto, North of the US, etc.)
Brigitte
Milos
7th October 2008, 17:51
did anyone tell Bernie in advance ? would be inetresting to hear what he has to say about all this …
GeorgeK
7th October 2008, 18:00
Patience my friends, ADAC, the German motor club is under strong attack by Max, it’s only a matter of time before the German GP is gone as well.
Too Good
7th October 2008, 18:11
We don’t need online petition.. lets give Max what he likes (Lots of Spanking)and that should suffice :D.
Now for the dreadful part – We need some volunteers to see spanky’s “Back”
Kubica
7th October 2008, 18:19
BMW Sauber is gonna be ******!!! Now they have nowhere to have spectacular crashes and/or win races.
Rabi
7th October 2008, 18:21
Also ADAC controls Hockenheim and not the Nurburgring.
Someone needs to go and kick Max’s teeth in because Montreal is one of the best tracks in the world both to race and watch! I am sure this has to do with the Canadian motor club voting against Max than anything to do with Bernie. Think about it why would Bernie want to cancel it anyway? It has nothing to do with money just an old sick ******* getting his revenge on the Candian motor club!
Hopefully the press can blast the FIA over this as that’s the only thing left for F1 fans to be hopeful over.
Scootin159
7th October 2008, 18:26
I have a feeling there will be major fallout from this.
Pedro Andrade
7th October 2008, 18:29
Great to see my favourite track go.
Scootin159
7th October 2008, 18:36
What would it take for Mr. Eccelstone to lose his job?
Too Good
7th October 2008, 19:10
Scootin59 – To answer you question, Nothing. He has already sold his rights over F1 to CVC and now fleecing F1 as CVC paid employee.
As I mentioned before, If I am organizer whose event has been recently dropped by Bernie/FIA. I will be relieved that the Mafias have left :).
What is an emotional attachment to the fans, is just business for Bernie/FOM/FIA ( and most team owners as well)….
Love of sport,its tradition, etc doesn’t permeate the thick skin of the parties mentioned above
Uppili
7th October 2008, 19:11
I know, who is to blame for it. Me!! Every race that i plan to attend bites the dust that year. Last year i vowed to attend this year’s US GP after moving closer to Indianapolis!! Then I vowed to go to Champ Car’s cleveland Grand Prix!! This year i vowed to go to the next Canadian GP. :(
Pedro Andrade
7th October 2008, 19:14
Ecclestone and Mosley’s time to go can’t come too soon…
Robert McKay
7th October 2008, 19:15
Canada has been one of the few races over the past couple of years to consistently produce an exciting race in the dry – and for this very reason should be one of the FIRST tracks on the calendar, not dropped off the end. Partly due to the surface, partly due to tyres not reacting as expected and mostly due to the close proximity of the walls.
But no worries, Valencia can entertain us instead.
BAH.
Too Good
7th October 2008, 19:28
Pedro, thats not going to happen, Max’s deputy quitting soon (read last para). Which mean a new puppet will take his place and Max will continue for another term under pretext help the Deputy protect interests of Motor Sports
Robert McKay
7th October 2008, 19:36
Uppili: fancy a trip to either Magny-Cours, Catalunya or the Hungaroring? Just promise me you’ll never plan to go to Spa :-D
sven duva
7th October 2008, 19:43
MotoGP has three races in Spain, and still manage to maintain interest all over the world with races in Europe, North America (2 of them), Middle East, Asia, and Australia. And next year even in Africa, I think I read somewhere. I don’t know where this F1 circus is heading at the moment. OK, Singapore were alright for me, but Shanghai, Hungaroring, Bahrain, Catalunya and Magny-Cours are really boring tracks that sparks no F1 passion at all. Is this the official “screw U.S.” from Bernie, or are there any hope for a world wide F1 again? I know there are different opinions about the U.S, but a motor sport series without any presence at all over there is not truly world wide.
Leon
7th October 2008, 20:00
Don’t think it’s Mr M this time.
Following my theme of commenting on the machinations of our Bernie Boy, I’ll repeat what I implied in the ‘clowns’ thread… He really is only interested in big bucks. History ? Historic Driver Associations ? Spectacular Locations ? Stunning Track designs ? Bernie’s not remotely interested. Silverstone….huh? Nurburgring Nah ! American Market Nuts ! Montreal Ditto ! Melbourne Ditto….. Get the picture.
Time somebody from Mezzo-Giorno region sent some of da boys round… give hime somma friendly advice…maybe an offer he can’t refuse heh….. ?
Daniel
7th October 2008, 20:53
In the brazilian press, this fact was commented as a result of F1 cutting-costs measures, because, once the US Grand Prix was dropped, it became to expensive to head to North American for an one-off race in the middle of the European season… have you heard anything about that?
Robert McKay
7th October 2008, 20:57
Certainly seems in agreement with the analysis of grandprix.com – the loss of Indy meant the two tracks couldn’t share the freight burden, and combined with the credit crunch/financial times has just made it too expensive for Canada…
Of course, Bernie/FOM could drop the demands a bit in order to have a North American race – but they won’t.
Bell
7th October 2008, 21:11
Finally, Bernie has gotten what he couldn’t get in ’06 and obviously has found a new and sordid way to line his pockets with UAE green (or gold)! By removing the Canadian GP without giving an excuse