Montreal is saying no to F1

This is not Montreal, which lost the Grand Prix. Instead abandoned hotel in the Grand Prix of Formula 1. Let us be clear: Bernie Ecclestone demanded 173.6 million over 5 years. Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa offered $ 148 million. And because it was not a good economic decision, politicians have chosen to abandon the race scheduled for 2009.

Still, nearly 175 million dollars is a lot of money to a man and a fast financial crisis. That is a lot of money for Montreal and the governments of Quebec and Canada, when we wonder if we will not, we also caught by the recession.

In fact, I wonder if this is not Bernie Ecclestone who is going to be its business model crumble. The man pilot entertainment interesting for lovers of speed, but in times of recession, may suffer from a slowdown in consumer spending.

Apart from the oil countries, one wonders who can really afford a grand prize in the coming years. Already, France withdrew from Formula 1 for 2009. Belgium is at risk. Australia, including the Grand Prix is negative, reflecting. There will be no Grand Prix in the United States next year. And China apparently would review the agreement signed with the boss of F1 races scheduled for after 2010.


Several emerging countries should join the F1 tour in the coming years, including South Korea and India. But it is questionable whether these developments will indeed take place.

Turkey, emerging to replace Canada in June next to the calendar, could also be called upon to rethink membership from Istanbul to the race, when the economy slows down. Turkey is currently negotiating a new loan with the IMF after having attended a massive withdrawal of foreign capital in recent months. Capital had largely fueled the Turkish economy for five years.

According to the economist Eckhard Siggel, RDI interviewed live on the economy, "if an emerging country received a lot of foreign capital in the short term, it is very vulnerable, because the money will disappear quickly. [...] The countries of the East are very vulnerable now. Several accounts have very negative and no major reservations. "

In calendar 2009, over 17 races, six are held in emerging countries or in cities that could affect their participation. What has been told to economist Philip Merrigan, RDI still live on the economy, it is "not convinced that will not the Grand Prix in Montreal. "

According to him, "Mr. Ecclestone could have very unpleasant surprises, if the global recession is also high that currently sees progress. Sell tickets at prices several hundred dollars, it is not clear that wherever he goes go, it will find takers. "

Philip Merrigan is of the opinion, in fact, that Bernie Ecclestone gets a big finger in the eye: "Still, he is not alone there. He has two other partners, including one that comes to bankruptcy: Lehman Brothers. His situation is not as good as that. "

It is clear that Montreal loses an international event exceptional. The name "Montreal" resounded at least once a year in dozens of countries. An advertisement for an extraordinary city that is not part of the great metropolises of the world.

Still, Montreal is a dynamic city, a city of culture and celebration. The disappearance of the Grand Prix does not compare to the departure of the Expos in 2004. A team that played in an economic unsuitable for small markets. We must build on later on the future, the definition of Montreal.

Architecture, culture, celebration, ecology, sustainable development, opportunities to better define this city, better value and make it loved by its people and tourists are immense. The departure of the Grand Prix we must whip ...