A decision on whether or not to spend government money to retain the Canadian Grand Prix Formula One race is expected to be announced Friday, according to a report in the Journal de Montreal.
Officials from all three levels of government recently met with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to discuss ways of returning the Canadian race to the 2009 calender. Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay called the meeting encouraging and constructive but stopped short of putting a dollar figure on what it will take to bring the race back.
The government officials all agree that they would need to find a promoter for the event after Normand Legault's group said it would no longer function in that role.
The newspaper mentioned Cirque du soleil founder Guy Laliberte and Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett as potential investors but a spokesperson for Laliberte has previously ruled out any financial involvement with the race.
Gillett is no stranger to motorsports, having been on the board of the former Denver Grand Prix Champ Car event and current owner of NASCAR's Gillett Evernham Motorsports team. He has indicated an interest in getting involved in some form with the Montreal race.