Francois Dumontier, CEO and chairman of Canadian Grand Prix promoter Octane Racing Group, will step down after 30 years at the race organiser.

Dumontier, who first worked on the 1994 race in Montreal, founded Octane Racing Group in 2002 and became president and CEO of the Canadian Grand Prix in 2009. After three decades at the forefront of motorsport in Canada (culminating in his induction into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2017), Dumontier will step down from his role at Octane and be succeeded by Bell Media Executive Vice President Jean-Philippe Paradis.

“After dedicating three decades to the development of motorsport in Canada and, in particular, Formula 1 in Montreal, I hand over the steering wheel with a great sense of accomplishment,” said Dumontier.

“I am proud to leave a legacy of a world-class event – Canada’s premier sporting event, to the city of Montreal, Quebec and Canada. Formula 1 is more popular than ever and I wish the organization every success as Montreal continues to establish itself on a rapidly evolving circuit.”

Octane was acquired by Bell in 2021, with Paridis taking over as CEO and chairman immediately, while Dumontier will remain on board as a strategic advisor to ensure a smooth transition.

“I am honoured to be appointed President and CEO of Octane Racing Group,” said Paridis. “The Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix is ​​one of Canada’s biggest sporting and tourism events, attracting fans from around the world, and I am excited to continue leading this incredible team.

“I would like to thank François Dumontier for his leadership over the last three decades; his impact on Canadian motorsport is immense. I wish him every success in the future and look forward to continuing to collaborate with him as our strategic advisor.”

As part of the changes, Octane announced that Sandrine Garneau has been promoted to the role of chief operating officer, responsible for brand and strategy. Garneau’s promotion is effective immediately.