Montreal Grand Prix Report: Exciting Race with Controversial Results

Will Jacques Villeneuve Take Part in Next Season's Canadian GP?

It was less than a year ago and no one thought a Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix was in the cards for 2004, but this weekend

Less than a year ago, there was debate if this year's Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix would even happen. (Photo: Mark Thompson, Getty Images)

it was here, it was exciting, it was controversial, and in the end it was an unequivocal success.

Why would the powers behind the world's preeminent motorsport series want to drop one of the most popular races off its calendar? It's all about the money that powers it, and in this case such is tobacco money.

Due to Canada's recent anti-tobacco advertising legislation, which most Canadians believe is a good thing despite the funding challenges F1, Champ Car and other motorsport series are facing, many of the cars that lapped le Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve

Even with this season's somewhat predictable podium finishes, the Quebec F1 event easily sold out. (Photo: Mark Thompson, Getty Images)

racetrack in Montreal yesterday wore no major sponsor logos. What's more, the F1 paraphernalia on sale throughout the city, such as hats, shirts, jackets, etc, didn't sport tobacco branding either.

Nevertheless sales boomed in motorsport crazy Quebec, and the race was a sellout. That's pretty amazing considering the 2003/04 F1 season has been one of the most boring on record. Even Ferrari fans have admitted that watching Michael Schumacher lap almost the entire field every race Sunday without fault is a tepid yawn-fest. Only Jacques Villeneuve's ex-team BAR is doing anything at all to make the year somewhat intriguing, with the odd moment of brilliance thrown in by a Renault or Williams.