Canadian Grand Prix - 2009 Hiatus

2009 Hiatus

On October 7, 2008, the Canadian Grand Prix was dropped from the 2009 Formula One calendar, which left the Montreal race off the list for the first time since 1987. In the provisional 2009 schedule released in June 2008, the Canadian Grand Prix was to have been held on June 7, a date taken by the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix in the revised schedule.

Since the US Grand Prix was dropped after 2007, this means that in 2009 no Formula One race was held in North America for the first time since 1958. (The American Indianapolis 500 formed part of the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 to 1960, but was not run to Formula One regulations and only very rarely entered by regular championship competitors.)

During the Australian Grand Prix, reports surfaced that the Canadian Grand Prix could return during the 2009 season in the event that the race circuit in Abu Dhabi was not ready in time. On April 26, 2009, Speed reported Bernie Ecclestone as saying the FIA was negotiating a return of the Canadian Grand Prix for the 2010 season, provided upgrades to the circuit are completed.

On August 29, 2009, the BBC reported the provisional schedule for the 2010 season, which had both the Canadian and British Grand Prix marked down as "provisional". The Canadian GP was scheduled for June 6. The 2010 Canadian Grand Prix was eventually run in Montreal on June 13, 2010.

On November 27, 2009, Quebec's officials and Canadian Grand Prix organizers announced they have reached a settlement with Formula One Administration and signed a new five-year contract spanning the 2010–2014 seasons. Under the five-year agreement, the governments will pay 15 million Canadian dollars a year to host the race, much less than the 35 million a year Ecclestone initially asked for.