Canada has a good chance of recapturing its spot on the formula one calendar, according to Philippe Gurdjian.

Frenchman Gurdjian is known as a close ally of Bernie Ecclestone, and a F1 race 'fixer', whose latest project is the new Abu Dhabi grand prix.

He told the French magazine Auto Hebdo: "I am less concerned about (the future of) Canada than about France.

"I can imagine Canada will quickly get back its place," Gurdjian said.

For the moment, however, the future of the race at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is unclear, despite the assistance of Canadian levels of government.

Federal minister Michael Fortier, present at last week's meeting in London with F1 chief executive Ecclestone, refuses to cite a dollar value on the rescue of the event.

"Before that can be done, all the options must be evaluated," he is quoted as saying by La Presse.

"One cannot talk about figures until the discussions with Bernie Ecclestone are concluded," Fortier said.

Similarly, Quebec government minister Raymond Bachand is not willing to "guarantee" a solution will be found.

"But if a financially responsible option can be put in place, it is very possible that the grand prix will be held in 2009," he said.

Source: GMM