Full House in Canada Despite No Villeneuve

Organisers have declared a full house for Sunday's Canadian Formula One Grand Prix despite the absence of local favourite Jacques Villeneuve.

"It's sold out and presently we're selling the 2005 tickets for next year's race," promoter Normand Legault told Reuters on Friday. "The lack of Jacques has had no effect at all.

"Jacques' presence has more of an impact on television ratings...I guess the networks can probably double or treble their audiences (with him)," added the promoter.

Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion with Williams, left Formula One at the end of last year after being replaced at BAR by Japan's Takuma Sato. The Canadian is eager to make a comeback, telling local reporters this week that he was in shape and ready.

"I train every day," he said. "One never knows what can happen, and if someone calls, I have the physical condition and the readiness to step into a car immediately."

The circuit is named after his late father and Ferrari favourite Gilles, who won in Montreal in 1978 when the Canadian Grand Prix moved to the city. The capacity is just over 100,000 spectators per day.

Canada's fate was in doubt last year, with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone announcing 2003 as the country's last race due to local anti-tobacco legislation.

A deal was then done to rescue the Grand Prix and the about-turn led to an unprecedented 18 round calendar, of which Canada is the eighth race. Legault said Canada's future was assured until the end of 2006 with discussions ongoing to renew the contract after that.

"Our fans are extremely loyal," he said. "About 20 percent of them have been attending the race every year since it has been in Montreal."

The sell-out crowd compares to dwindling attendances at some European circuits.

The last Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, the nearest circuit to Ferrari World Champion Michael Schumacher's boyhood home in Germany, saw the race day crowd fall to 106,000 from 123,000 last year and 140,000 in 2002.