Flash.(Briefs)

Oh Canada! F1 race lives

Canadian brewer Labatt has a check in hand to pay almost $4 million for the naming rights to the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix, on the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal. The race is expected to be confirmed on the Formula One calendar next month by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, after the promoter and government agencies surprised the Formula One community by putting together a $20 million "compensation fund'' for the five tobacco-sponsored teams. The FIA had earlier decided not to return to Canada because of that country's ban on tobacco advertising.

McRae back in WRC?

Colin McRae has become the favorite to replace Richard Burns at Subaru in the 2004 World Rally Championship. Burns beat McRae in a race to Tommi Makinen's vacated Subaru seat in the fall, but Burns' recently diagnosed brain tumor means he will not be able to drive at all in '04. McRae is still popular with Subaru. He won the 1995 title with the company. In addition, David Richards not only owns Prodrive, which prepared the Subaru rally cars, but also is the rights holder for the WRC. He is keen to see McRae-the world's best known rally driver-continue in the series.

Lola prototype

Lola is building an LMP2 lightweight prototype that could hit the racetrack as early as next season. The British racing car constructor has made no secret of its desire to build a customer chassis to the new-for-2004 rulebook. Speculation that the design was to LMP2 regulations is confirmed. Work started on the carbon-composite car in the summer and the wind-tunnel program has begun. Lola is waiting for buyers to sign up before starting ...