The upcoming Montreal F1 race will be more family-friendly this year as organizers have unveiled new features aimed at attracting young fans.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will host a new Family Zone on Canadian Grand Prix weekend where kids under 15 can enter for free when accompanied by an adult. Seniors will pay half price to enter the zone as well.
The Family Zone will include a soccer school, video games, some Montreal Canadiens players and inflatable games. The zone will be equipped with new high definition screens showing other parts of the racing site.
Racers will sign autographs at an open house to be held on June 4. The race winner will receive a stylish new aluminum trophy sculpted by Jean-Philippe Caron.
Others races to be held at the track on Grand Prix weekend between June 5 and 7 include the Ferrari Challenge, Formula 1600 and Micra Cup.
In past years the long-term future of the race was in doubt but the focus has changed now that a deal has been struck to ensure that the race stays at least until 2024.
The race is a major tourist magnet for Montreal as thousands of tourists visit the city to catch the high-speed thrills each spring. The provincial government has undertaken a study to estimate the economic impact of the race, which some believe might be considerably less than the $89 million that has been mentioned in the past.
A study from Melbourne – which hosts a similarly-sized race – determined that the economic benefits were a mere $32 million.
Mayor Denis Coderre was in attendance at the announcement in Montreal Friday but did not venture to speculate on the bottom line. “I know that a lot of people are spending money, this puts Montreal on the map, this is an open window to the world, so let's all focus,” he said.
