Eccelstone under attack after Canada snub

Bernie Ecclestone has been accused of “extortion” over his decision to axe the Canadian Grand Prix over a tobacco advertising row.

Next season’s calendar will not feature a Canadian round after Formula One supremo Ecclestone informed race organisers he was pulling the plug on the race in protest at anti-tobacco legislation.

But Ecclestone’s decision has been met with anger from Canadian anti-smoking groups.

“This is tantamount to extortion,” Garfield Mahood, executive director of the Non-Smokers’ Rights Association told the Globe and Mail. “There’s no question that Formula One is playing hardball.”

A spokeswoman for Canadian health minister Anne McLellan told the same newspaper the government would stand firm against Ecclestone, insisting health concerns were more important than motor racing.

Ecclestone dropped Belgium from the calendar for this season in protest at their anti-tobacco laws, but local politicians have negotiated an exception to those rules for Formula One and the race will return next year.

“We recognise that there will be an important impact on Montreal’s economy but we also have an obligation to protect the health of Canadians. We feel very strongly about our legislation,” said Farah Mohamed, McLellan’s press officer.

Last night race promoter Normand Legault told a press conference he had received a letter from confirming Montreal would not be hosting a race in 2004.

The legislation was announced in 1997, and the Montreal race was given a seven-year grace period before tough new laws curbing tobacco advertising at sporting events are introduced on October 1.

The Gilles Villeneuve circuit, named after the late Ferrari driver and father of former world champion Jacques, has been home to the event since 1977.

Legault said the decision will hurt the city because the weekend event in June has drawn crowds of more than 300,000.

“There’s an important economic impact,” said Legault. “There will be an important negative impact on Montreal’s tourism.”

Tobacco sponsorship issues were also blamed for the removal of the Austrian Grand Prix this year with cigarette-friendly China and Bahrain effectively replacing the A1 Ring race and now the Canadian event.