08/10/2008
NEWS STORY
It appears that organizers of the Canadian Grand Prix are as surprised as race fans by the decision to drop the race from the 2009 calendar, leaving North America without a round of the Formula One World Championship for the first time since 1958.
A brief statement issued in the wake of the World Motor Sport Council announcement reads:
"The executives of the Grand Prix of Canada have learned via the media of the omission of the Grand Prix of Canada from the F1 Championship 2009 calendar. Therefore, the organization will issue no comment until having spoken to Formula One Management (FOM) and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile."
In 2004, the race was (temporarily) dropped off the schedule during the row over anti-tobacco legislation, however, organizers were able to raise the necessary money to make up the shortfall, and thereby saved the race.
Prior to that, financial issues meant Canada was omitted from the 1975 schedule, while in 1987 a row between sponsors Labatt and Molson led to Canada being dropped for a year.