Latest news with #Paradis
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Canadian GP CEO Unfazed by Growing F1 Popularity in the USA
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Canadian Grand Prix President and CEO, Jean-Philippe Paradis, has shared his vision for the future of the Montreal race, explaining that the growing popularity of Formula One in the USA won't diminish the value of Canada's market of "40 million people." The 2025 Canadian GP concluded successfully last weekend, with Mercedes' George Russell securing victory, followed by runner-up Max Verstappen and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in third. Related: Toto Wolff Drops Bombshell After Canadian GP: 'Need to Learn Why It Worked' Paradis admitted that he wanted to make this year's event a hit, considering the administrative challenges faced in the 2024 round. He took over the role from Francois Dumontier last year and immediately set out to make the event better in every way. Hinting at a growth plan to make the event one of the best Grand Prix destinations, he said: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W16 on track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 14, 2025 in Montreal,... George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W16 on track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 14, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. More"There was something where people wanted to make it different. We want to bring Canada to a top quartile GP. There's a path for us to get there, and we wanted to showcase that there is some improvement." The 2026 Canadian GP has been moved from June to May 22, set to take place after the race in Miami. Paradis confirmed that the change will lead to a slight temperature variation. He said: "The month of May might have been a little bit colder this year. But historically there's about a 1.5 to two degrees (Celsius) difference." However, the change in dates will lead to a clash with IndyCar's Indianapolis 500, which Paradis believes won't affect the numbers. In addition, he believes that despite the growing influence of F1 in the USA, with three successful Grand Prix venues, Canada's market is large enough not to lose out to competition. He said: "Canada is a huge market, right? It's 40 million people. There's obviously a huge economic market. We serve really well the Northeast of North America. It's an iconic race. "I'm personally waking up every day to make sure that we have a top race, and this race stays here for the next 100 years." He added: "If you ask me, why do you wake up every day in the morning? It's to try to make the race really amazing. Each time, I will improve the fan experience, the personnel experience." The Canadian Grand Prix is under contract with F1's governing body, the FIA, until 2031. However, a rumor spread that the deal could end in 2029. Addressing the report, Paradis said: "What we wanted to focus on is making sure 2025 is an amazing success we can build on. As we get success, I'm sure things will fall into place."
Global News
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Global News
Canadian Grand Prix CEO confident about event's future after successful 2025
The spotlight stayed on the track this weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix. That's probably what Jean-Philippe Paradis appreciated most after a 2024 edition marked by access and evacuation issues on Île Notre-Dame, water damage in TV studios and communication problems with the city's transport agency. Paradis took over as chief executive officer and president of Octane Racing Group — the Canadian GP promoter — after longtime executive Francois Dumontier stepped down last summer following 30 years on the job. Paradis said organizers didn't feel added pressure to deliver at this year's Canadian GP, but acknowledged that his team was eager to make the Formula One event shine. View image in full screen Canadian Grand Prix President and CEO Jean-Philippe Paradis is interviewed in the paddocks at the Canadian Grand Prix Saturday, June 14, 2025 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi. CMU 'There was something where people wanted to make it different. We want to bring Canada to a top quartile GP,' he said. 'There's a path for us to get there, and we wanted to showcase that there is some improvement.' Story continues below advertisement Paradis noted that event organizers rolled out the first phase of a three-year plan this year. Hospitality tents for F1 teams doubled in size and now include a second floor. The entire paddock area was redesigned to also feature a Canadian touch. Paradis wants to recreate the feel of a downtown Montreal street festival in the paddocks for F1 personnel and VIP guests. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Teams were also able to enter the site via the previously inaccessible Victoria Bridge, avoiding the traffic that disrupted 2024 and previous years. Paradis hopes this year's race will serve as a springboard to making the Canadian GP one of the most beloved stops on the F1 calendar. 'If you ask me, why do you wake up every day in the morning? It's to try to make the race really amazing,' he said. 'Each time, I will improve the fan experience, the personnel experience.' The Canadian Grand Prix is under contract with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) until 2031. Paradis denied a rumour suggesting the FIA could terminate the deal as early as 2029. As for a contact extension, he noted many tracks only have one- or two-year deals. 'What we wanted to focus on is making sure 2025 is an amazing success we can build on,' Paradis said. 'As we get success, I'm sure things will fall into place.' Story continues below advertisement On Tuesday morning, however, Paradis will join Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, Tourisme Montreal President and CEO Yves Lalumière and several city officials at Île Notre-Dame for a press conference 'relating to the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix.' Paradis and his team will have a little less time to prepare for the next year's edition of the Canadian GP. In the 2026 F1 calendar released last week, the Montreal event is set for May 22 to 24 — a few weeks earlier than the traditional June slot. The race will now directly follow the Miami GP, scheduled three weeks earlier. The change helps make the calendar more geographically logical and reflects F1's goal of reducing travel and becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Paradis doesn't expect the calendar change to affect ticket sales or fan willingness to travel to Montreal for the race. 'The month of May might have been a little bit colder this year,' he said. 'But historically there's about a 1.5 to two degree (Celsius) difference.' Most F1 drivers and team principals weren't overly familiar with Montreal's climate beyond their annual grand prix visit, but said they're used to unpredictable weather. 'Even when it's the same time of year here, the weather is quite unstable,' said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu. 'You can have a dry race, wet race, really changeable conditions. So I'm sure teams are fine with it being a different time of year. Story continues below advertisement 'I don't think it's going to be drastically different. But I think it's very good for everyone to look at how they can optimize travel logistics.' Williams team principal James Vowles said he has visited Montreal in the winter. 'I definitely don't want to race here in winter. It's freezing cold,' he said. 'But I think May is perfectly fine.' Paradis also said a scheduling conflict with the Indianapolis 500 won't reduce the number of American tourists coming to the event. He expressed the same confidence despite the growing number of Grand Prix races in the United States — now at three since Las Vegas was added in 2023 — when Montreal used to be the only North American stop. 'Canada is a huge market, right? It's 40 million people,' he said. 'There's obviously a huge economic market. We serve really well the Northeast of North America. It's an iconic race. 'I'm personally waking up every day to make sure that we have a top race, and this race stays here for the next 100 years.'
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadian Grand Prix CEO confident about event's future after successful 2025
MONTREAL – The spotlight stayed on the track this weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix. That's probably what Jean-Philippe Paradis appreciated most after a 2024 edition marked by access and evacuation issues on Île Notre-Dame, water damage in TV studios and communication problems with the city's transport agency. Paradis took over as chief executive officer and president of Octane Racing Group — the Canadian GP promoter — after longtime executive Francois Dumontier stepped down last summer following 30 years on the job. Paradis said organizers didn't feel added pressure to deliver at this year's Canadian GP, but acknowledged that his team was eager to make the Formula One event shine. 'There was something where people wanted to make it different. We want to bring Canada to a top quartile GP,' he said. 'There's a path for us to get there, and we wanted to showcase that there is some improvement.' Paradis noted that event organizers rolled out the first phase of a three-year plan this year. Hospitality tents for F1 teams doubled in size and now include a second floor. The entire paddock area was redesigned to also feature a Canadian touch. Paradis wants to recreate the feel of a downtown Montreal street festival in the paddocks for F1 personnel and VIP guests. Teams were also able to enter the site via the previously inaccessible Victoria Bridge, avoiding the traffic that disrupted 2024 and previous years. Paradis hopes this year's race will serve as a springboard to making the Canadian GP one of the most beloved stops on the F1 calendar. 'If you ask me, why do you wake up every day in the morning? It's to try to make the race really amazing,' he said. 'Each time, I will improve the fan experience, the personnel experience.' The Canadian Grand Prix is under contract with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) until 2031. Paradis denied a rumour suggesting the FIA could terminate the deal as early as 2029. As for a contact extension, he noted many tracks only have one- or two-year deals. 'What we wanted to focus on is making sure 2025 is an amazing success we can build on,' Paradis said. 'As we get success, I'm sure things will fall into place.' On Tuesday morning, however, Paradis will join Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, Tourisme Montreal President and CEO Yves Lalumière and several city officials at Île Notre-Dame for a press conference 'relating to the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix.' Paradis and his team will have a little less time to prepare for the next year's edition of the Canadian GP. In the 2026 F1 calendar released last week, the Montreal event is set for May 22 to 24 — a few weeks earlier than the traditional June slot. The race will now directly follow the Miami GP, scheduled three weeks earlier. The change helps make the calendar more geographically logical and reflects F1's goal of reducing travel and becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Paradis doesn't expect the calendar change to affect ticket sales or fan willingness to travel to Montreal for the race. 'The month of May might have been a little bit colder this year,' he said. 'But historically there's about a 1.5 to two degree (Celsius) difference.' Most F1 drivers and team principals weren't overly familiar with Montreal's climate beyond their annual grand prix visit, but said they're used to unpredictable weather. 'Even when it's the same time of year here, the weather is quite unstable,' said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu. 'You can have a dry race, wet race, really changeable conditions. So I'm sure teams are fine with it being a different time of year. 'I don't think it's going to be drastically different. But I think it's very good for everyone to look at how they can optimize travel logistics.' Williams team principal James Vowles said he has visited Montreal in the winter. 'I definitely don't want to race here in winter. It's freezing cold,' he said. 'But I think May is perfectly fine.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Paradis also said a scheduling conflict with the Indianapolis 500 won't reduce the number of American tourists coming to the event. He expressed the same confidence despite the growing number of Grand Prix races in the United States — now at three since Las Vegas was added in 2023 — when Montreal used to be the only North American stop. 'Canada is a huge market, right? It's 40 million people,' he said. 'There's obviously a huge economic market. We serve really well the Northeast of North America. It's an iconic race. 'I'm personally waking up every day to make sure that we have a top race, and this race stays here for the next 100 years.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2025.
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Paradise Found: From Cognac To Colorado, A Taste Of Paradis In Aspen
The Paradis Suite at St Regis Aspen Resort The house of Hennessy has created a rare opportunity for cognac aficionados to be fully immersed in the world of Hennessy Paradis through a collaboration with the St. Regis Aspen Resort. Not only has their presidential suite been transformed into the Paradis suite, but guests can also book a special Paradis dinner experience. A partnership between Pastry Chef Cyril Baudin of Chateau de Bagnolet, the historic estate of the Hennessy family in Cognac, and Buğra Keleş Executive Chef of the St. Regis in Aspen, the four course dinner brings epicureans on a gastronomic journey from Cognac to Colorado. A sample menu includes Alaskan king crab and Kaluga caviar paired with Krug Grande Cuvée, dry aged duck breast and foie gras paired with Joseph Phelps Insignia, Wagyu striploin and white Alba truffle paired with Hennessy X.O., and a lavender infused baba paired with Hennessy Paradis. Dessert course from the Paradis dinner experience: lavender infused baba paired with Hennessy ... More Paradis Paradis is the pillar of the Hennessy Rare Editions collection. I chatted with Renaud Fillioux de Gironde, an eighth generation master blender for Hennessy, to learn more about the unique cognacs in the Rare Editions portfolio. Renaud was born and raised in Cognac. Naturally his family has deep roots in the cognac industry with his parents being grape growers and distillers, and his great uncle was a master blender. He has worked in Bordeaux, Reims, Chile, and Australia. About 20 years ago his uncle noticed his potential and gave him the opportunity to join Hennessy. For Renaud 'it's really about what you believe in. I believe in quality. I believe in preparing the future and having values. This is why I'm really happy in this job.' Hennessy Paradis in the Paradise Suite at St Regis Aspen Resort Benjamin Liong Setiawan: There are several expressions within the Hennessy Rare Editions collection. Can you tell me more about them? Renaud Fillioux de Gironde: The heart of the Rare Editions is Hennessy Paradis. It's really the idea of being on the quest for perfect harmony. It's this idea of how you can see that everything just fits together. Even after all these years—because we're talking about a blend of 100 different eaux-de-vie that are at least 30 years old and some way more—it's still fresh, young, full of energy, but elegant. That's the magic of Paradis. Paradis is, in a way, iconic because you can have all of these characters with this wonderful freshness and harmony. Then we also have Richard Hennessy, another cognac in our permanent range. If Paradis is about harmony, then Richard is about complexity. We're talking about the ingredients that are at least 50 years old and up to way more than that. It's the history of our founder in a glass. So it's really more about maturity and complexity, when Paradis is about harmony and a delicate character. It's two different expressions of what an amazing stock of eaux-de-vie we have in Cognac. Hennessy Paradis x Loewe BLS: In addition to your core range of Rare Editions, you have some limited edition cognacs. RFdG: I'd say a limited edition or special creation is Paradis Unlimited, which is the purest version of Paradis. We put back the cognac for almost three extra years in the barrel to let all of the elements combine with it. And the idea behind Paradis Unlimited is, how can you get the purest clarity and expression of Paradis? So we took it straight from the barrel directly to the bottle. It's even more delicate and more elegant than Paradis. I really love it. And you can craft the packaging and design it any way you want. It's full personalization. Talking about personalization, the ultimate expression of our rare cognacs is the Dame Jeanne. To understand this concept, you have to know every Hennessy eau-de-vie is aged in barrel. Each year I taste them to see their evolution and see if they're ready to blend. If they can still improve, we're going to keep them for a longer period in the barrel. At some point, if I've got a lot of great eaux-de-vie, but I'm not ready to blend all of them, the eau-de-vie that reaches its best, I remove it from the barrel and put it in the demijohn. It's a big glass jar. Once it's in glass, it stops the evolution because if you leave it in the barrel, it would have become older, but not necessarily better. If we want to keep the essence just as it is, then we use a demijohn. And to do something very special, let's made a cognac just for one person. The idea of the Dame-Jeanne is you want a cognac just for you. What I'm going to do is ask you to invite me for a couple of days to where you live. Tell me about yourself. Show me your favorite restaurants, what you like to eat, what you like to do, anything, so I can understand you better. Then I say, okay, now visit me in Cognac. I'm going to do a tasting with you of several different eaux-de-vie. I'm going to understand even more what you like. Now I'm going to make one cognac, one treasure, just for you. 10 liters of a pure expression of what I believe—with my knowledge about cognac making and blending—is something you will like, something just for you. I've done that twice and I've got the third one on the way. It's a pure expression of a perfect cognac just for one person. La Dame Jeanne by Hennessy BLS: That's hyper customized. RFdG: Yes, 100% from beginning to end. BLS: In an expression like a Paradis, what can you tell me about the eaux-de-vie that make up the cognac? RFdG: I don't talk too much about the figures because what matters is the quality of the selection. It's not the number of eaux-de-vie. Because if you blend one thousand poor eaux-de-vie, it's not gonna make a better cognac. What I learned during the first ten years of my career at Hennessy is learning how to taste. It's every day at 11 o'clock tasting 60 to 70 samples to learn what is good for Hennessy. It's not about what I personally like, but what is good for Hennessy. I worked ten years with my uncle and the team of tasters. After that, you start to have a good understanding of the stock. The idea, when we do all our daily tasting, is to follow the quality of our eaux-de-vie stock. We select what we buy at the beginning. We age them properly. We use the ones that are ready. We try to put in the best condition the ones that still have potential. If you get that right all the time, then you get a great stock. You can do great blends. Actually, blending is the very last step of the process. But if you don't do the whole work before, then you get nothing. The quality of the selection makes a difference. BLS: Knowing that there are different eaux-de-vie in the blend, how many generations back do they go? RFdG: If you look at the stock of Hennessy, the oldest eaux-de-vie we've got in stock is from 1800. This is how far it goes. When I'm blending some Paradis, a lot of the eaux-de-vie were there before I joined Hennessy, before I was born. It's interesting too, for me, there's a bit of emotion because I'm using some of the treasures of all the members of my family that were here before me. I have a special bond with them—the liquid. I got something that you can touch physically. I never meet my great grandfather. He was alive when I was born, but he passed away when I was a baby. So I didn't get a chance to meet him, but I can, in a way, meet him through the liquid. And when I'm blending Paradis, it's a tribute to their work—to what they've done, to the focus they had on quality, the quest for perfection. Because you're on a quest. Perfection doesn't exist, but you try always to push the limit. A look at some of the oldest eaux-de-vie in the cellars at Hennessy in Cognac, France. BLS: There's a real passion and tangible history in what you do. RFdG: This is why I love my job, because it's not just about me right now. It's a combination. It's teamwork. People will have passed away a long time, but it's thanks to their work. The fact that a lot of the ingredients that I'm using in Paradis, they could have said, 'it's great today, I'm going to use it.' The thing is, it's great today, but it can become even better tomorrow. So I won't use it now. I will keep it for the future. And this philosophy, this way of thinking, is what makes a difference. Doing something good and trying to make it better. BLS: For you, you're preparing some eaux-de-vie that will be used for generations to come. RFdG: Exactly. The last harvest was 2024 and still, during the whole winter. Part of what I decide to buy will be used in 100 years. We also have the impact of the climate and everything. Every vintage is different. Maybe this 2024 vintage is not going to age for a long time. But this other vintage, will say, has a lot of treasure. So we'll follow them. Every year we're going to re-taste them. Maybe change from one barrel to another one. Give them fresh air and everything. Aging is not waiting. Aging is making a lot of decisions about how to get the best potential. It's like dealing with people. We are all different and have different abilities. But if we are put in the right conditions, maybe we can be very good at what we do. For instance, you probably went through schooling and jobs that helped you to be good at your craft. But somebody else is a good plumber. And I need a plumber because we need diversity. You just want to make sure that you take every eaux-de-vie and you put them at their best. Managing stock is understanding potential from the beginning and putting it in the best condition for them. Understanding how these eaux-de-vie are different from that one. Seeing what's the ultimate they can be after two years or after 300 years. Hennessy Paradis BLS: How do you know when you need to move some eaux-de-vie into a demijohn to stop the aging process versus giving others more time in the barrels? RFdG: So this is why tasting is so important. This is why all the time I spent learning how to taste is, really, learning to understand. I can see in this one that it can be even better tomorrow. Or if I found a point that I realize through tasting the character that will develop is just going to be linked to age, I don't want that. Again, because it's going to be older, not better. So the potential that was there, we've reached the max potential. So let's use it now or move to demijohn. And it's only through tasting. There are no rules. There's no chemical analysis that you can do. It's really about understanding and making decision. We don't say, okay, I'm going to do it for just half of the batch. No. You do it, you do it. It's your call. BLS: You have to commit to it. There's a metaphor for life found in that philosophy. RFdG: Yeah! This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Paradis dinner experience in the Paradis Suite at St. Regis Aspen Resort The Paradis Suite and the Paradis dinner experience at St. Regis Aspen Resort will be available for bookings from May 29th onward, throughout the summer season, and just in time for the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Find Benjamin Liong Setiawan on Instagram: @hungryeditor.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Virginia Beach woman, Middlesex man facing multiple charges in relation to child sexual abuse material
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Two people are facing several charges related to producing child sexual abuse material between January of 2023 and October of 2024. According to court documents, Cory Richard Hambley, of Water View in Middlesex County, and Grace Elizabeth Paradis, from Virginia Beach, were both charged with the following: 1 count each of conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct 2 counts each of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct 2 counts each of distribution of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct 3 counts each of posession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct 2 counts each of use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity 1 count each of transportation of visual depiction of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct Court documents state that between January 2023 and October 2024, Hambley requested multiple times over the internet for Paradis to send and take photographs and videos of sexually explicit content between two minors, one of which was only 10 and 11 years old at the time of the offenses. Some of the incidents discussed in the court documents involve the two minors performing sexually explicit acts, and some of which involve Paradis herself performing sexually explicit acts on the victims. Around Dec. 8, 2023, Paradis uploaded a 51-minute video to Hambley's Google Drive folder, showing sexual acts between the two victims. Court documents state that, upon conviction, both Hambley and Paradis will have to forfeit any and all matter containing child sexual abuse material and and and all matter used to profit from or depict child sexual abuse material. Continue to check for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
