Montreal looking for money to save GP

The attempts to save the Canadian GP have gathered pace again as government officials are now meeting to find a new promotor for the event. It emerged earlier that the Grand Prix could still be saved, thanks to a "positive" meeting with Bernie Ecclestone, who earlier scrapped the GP from the 2009 calendar.

So far, it is sure that it will involve investing a considerable amount of money, but it has not been confirmed just how much.

Montreal mayor Tremblay said to 'Montreal Gazette': "We have a better understanding of the issues and the challenges" involved in rescuing the race".

Raymond Banchand, Quebec Economic Development Minister, added: "If hotels, restaurants and other downtown businesses are willing to help financially, governments will as well."

Speaking of the public funding, he said: "It will be a reasonable amount, well under the (amount of) cash we, the taxpayers of Quebec, get in our pockets when Americans, other Canadians and Europeans come here and spend money" for the event.