F1 Canadian GP subsidies under attack

The national and Quebec state subsidies (CDN$6m each) to secure the F1 Canadian GP have drawn criticism from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. CTF director Walter Robinson said: "People don't pay taxes so the government can play racecars, and redirect their tax dollars into a global, multi-billion dollar sport."

Dec 14, 2003, 11:15 PM

He asserted that the uncertainty over the French GP now means that Montreal's 2004 date could have been secured without any 'compensation' for the tobacco-sponsored teams.

The French event, which also operates under a tobacco advertising ban, was relegated to the '18th race' status on Friday by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, meaning that it has slipped outside the contractual obligations defined by the Concorde Agreement, and can take place only if the F1 teams agree unanimously.

Robinson's position is that it is not Canadian, but French national and regional governments which should now be called upon to offer subsidies in order to guarantee their event.

"If this was known, then the federal government and the Quebec government didn't do their homework," he concluded. "This is exactly why the federal government shouldn't be involved in the sponsorship and subsidy business - or what we like to call 'corporate welfare'."