Bernie Ecclestone Says Door Is Open To Reinstate The Canadian GP
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Nov 22, 2008
Honda Racing F1
The F1 chief executive went on Montreal radio to address local anger about the axe of the annual race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
When negotiations recently broke down, organisers slammed Ecclestone’s demands as ‘unreasonable’.
“Unreasonable compared to what?” the 78-year-old billionaire said.
“We do business worldwide and nobody else thinks we’re unreasonable. We’ve got a queue of people that want races. So we can’t be unreasonable.”
While Montrealers might not feel much affection for him, Bernie Ecclestone says he adores their city.
“Everyone in Formula One loves Montreal,” Ecclestone said.
“I said (to organizers) you can come to my office, pull any contract out of that drawer for all the overseas races, take any one of them, cross out the name and put your name, and that’s what we’ll do.
“Because what was offered them was less than we get anywhere else in the world.”
He refused to discuss specifics of his offer - and said he didn’t appreciate details of contract negotiations being leaked into the public domain.
The president of the Montreal Canadiens said Formula One is in deep financial trouble - and added that the city could someday get a race under better economic terms.
“The current economic model of Formula One is apt to hit a wall,” said Habs president Pierre Boivin.
“I think governments made the right decision (by refusing Ecclestone’s demands). It was completely unthinkable that they might break even under the terms put forward by Mr. Ecclestone.
“He was clearly intransigent.”
