F1: Tax issue holding back Montreal grand prix deal for 2010

From GMM

The obstacle standing in the way of a final deal for a 2010 Canadian grand prix is tax, according to the French-language La Presse.

The report said Bernie Ecclestone wants to receive the payments of the Quebec, Ottawa and Montreal authorities over the next five but not pay federal tax.

It is said the F1 chief executive is holding back his signature until he receives a written guarantee about the issue from the Canada Revenue Agency.

Raymond Bachand, handling the governments' F1 negotiations, said last Friday that "there are always complicated elements of a tentative agreement - which we have with Mr Ecclestone - when the lawyers put it down on paper".

"There are problems that sometimes arise," he added.