Canada not giving up on F1 race yet

Montreal officials have confirmed they are still working hard to get the Canadian Grand Prix back on the calendar next season, with the final version of the 2009 schedule due to be rubber-stamped in the next few weeks.

Although the Canadian GP remained absent from the latest draft of the 2009 calendar issued by the FIA last week, autosport.com understands that F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone remains in discussions with authorities about trying to put a financial package together to rescue the race.

Ecclestone has been chasing payments owed from last year's race, as well as trying to sort out terms to pay for team's travel costs and expenses.

One idea now being proposed by Montreal is for hotel taxes over the grand prix weekend to be increased, which could help raise several millions pounds.

Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay told the Montreal Gazzette that the hotel tax idea was being considered, but he was aware that time was running out to get the situation sorted.

"I think we need an answer very soon," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

"We need to know if we're going to have a Grand Prix in 2009. We're trying to find a proposal that will meet with the approval of Bernie Ecclestone and his board of directors.

"He's not interested in where the money's going to come from, he just wants to get the money to which he thinks he's entitled."