2011 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix To Host the 7th Canadian Sponsorship Forum

Montreal, March 21, 2010: François Dumontier, President of Octane Racing Group, and Mark Harrison, Chair of the Canadian Sponsorship Forum, jointly announced today in Whistler, BC that the Canadian Sponsorship Forum will join force with the 2011 Edition of the Grand Prix du Canada. The announcement came at the close of this year's Forum presentation at the Canadian Paralympic Games in British Columbia. In June 2011, more than 300 delegates from the seventh annual sponsorship and marketing edition will venture to Montreal to experience the world's number one motorsport event.

"It is with great pleasure that our team at the Canadian Grand Prix will greet in June 2011 industry insiders who have a keen interest in sponsorship, especially for grand international events," said François Dumontier, President of Octane Racing Group and Promoter of the Grand Prix du Canada. "Formula One is a spectacular environment to discover, and each year, our Grand Prix can reaches a worldwide audience of up to 300 million television viewers. One of the top three sporting events on an international scale after the Olympic Games and the World Cup of soccer, Formula One, along with NASCAR, is one of the two biggest trademark names in motorcar racing. It has to be seen from the inside."

"The Forum is excited to partner with Octane Racing Group for this world-class event," said Mark Harrison, chair, Canadian Sponsorship Forum. "This international affair has set the stage to measure Canadian sponsorship against the world for the very first time in Forum history. Together in 2011, the Grand Prix and the Forum are the pinnacle of motorcar racing and the who's who of the world's business decision makers. It is the most dynamic opportunity available in the sponsorship and marketing industry to make the connections to grow your business and make your mark on the sponsorship world stage. The 2011 content will leverage Forum's unique learning platforms to present global best practices around timely topics. Delegates will learn how the best sponsorship strategies across the globe can be integrated in Canadian business to drive to the finish line, ahead of the pack."

The Canadian Sponsorship Forum, which concluded its 2010 conference at the Paralympic Winter Games, brings together the elite of the sponsorship and marketing industry. It is a must for those in the field who wish to expand their knowledge, learn of new tendencies in sponsorship, and be kept appraised of current and relevant industry data available. Keynote speakers address the 300 or so delegates on timely topics related to a major event held in Canada.

Since its debut in 2005, the Forum has been partnering with the most renowned Canadian events. Traveling coast to coast to some of Canada's biggest events, the Canadian Sponsorship Forum has been held at the Grey Cup in Vancouver, the Calgary Stampede in 2006, the Toronto International Film Festival, the IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship in Halifax, and ventured into Quebec City for the Winter Carnival last year. In 2010, the Forum was held the last weekend of the Paralympic Winter Games in Whistler, BC