Officials to make offer for Canadian GP return

Canadian government officials are on the verge of making an offer to Bernie Ecclestone with a view to reinstating Montreal's formula one race in 2010.

The demise of the popular event at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was doubly controversial, given the fact that a crucial market for F1 sponsors and manufacturers, North America, is now not at all represented on the calendar.

It is suggested that team bosses have scheduled a forthcoming meeting with Ecclestone, the sport's chief executive, with a view to airing some of their concerns about the direction of the annual calendar.

The reports coincide with news that all three levels of Canadian government are set to offer to pay a $15m annual fee for the next five Canadian grands prix, beginning next season.

The English language Montreal radio station CJAD said the quoted figure is less than half the figure most recently requested by Ecclestone, but noted the pressure on the diminutive Briton being exerted by the F1 manufacturers.

The situation is far more complicated with regards to the United States' missing spot on the calendar, with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last hosting a grand prix in 2007.

The fabled oval's departing president Joie Chitwood told Autoweek this week that he had not thought about bringing F1 back to Indianapolis "in a long time".