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[Jabberwocky]

I apologize if this point has been broughtup before but why can't they, the FIA, alter between the two track's?? Silverstone, the birthplace of modern day F1 should never even be considered to be taken off the list and Donington has a great F1 history aswell so why can't we have an alternateing schedule for the next few seasons and then see how things pan out??

That would require an agreement between Gillett and the BRDC to share the British Grand Prix; with both parties coming up with half the fee. And of course Bernie would have to agree to the coalition as well; which I doubt he'll do; I personally think that Bernie is trying to drive F1 away from Europe completely to pastures new where the governments are willing to pay the big $$$ to boost their countries image.

I think you have hit the nail on the head really mate. I think that most existing european circuits have seen the evil little dwarf for the money grabber that he is and that they will never make any money from a race.

[EwanM]

I apologize if this point has been broughtup before but why can't they, the FIA, alter between the two track's?? Silverstone, the birthplace of modern day F1 should never even be considered to be taken off the list and Donington has a great F1 history aswell so why can't we have an alternateing schedule for the next few seasons and then see how things pan out??

That would require an agreement between Gillett and the BRDC to share the British Grand Prix; with both parties coming up with half the fee. And of course Bernie would have to agree to the coalition as well; which I doubt he'll do; I personally think that Bernie is trying to drive F1 away from Europe completely to pastures new where the governments are willing to pay the big $$$ to boost their countries image.

Also the FIA can't really intervene in saving the British GP. The calendar is created by the commercial rights holder. The FIA only ratify it. I realise they could voice their objection, but even so, as shown in the case of the French GP, they were powerless.

[McLaren Fan]

It's bad news, but not unexpected really. I'm kind of divided on how I feel. Obviously, it is disappointing to see traditional Grands Prix drop off the calendar. In this instance, though, the BRDC have rested on their laurels and pushed their luck too far. Fair play to Donington for trying, but it was never going to happen.

[EwanM]

It's bad news, but not unexpected really. I'm kind of divided on how I feel. Obviously, it is disappointing to see traditional Grands Prix drop off the calendar. In this instance, though, the BRDC have rested on their laurels and pushed their luck too far. Fair play to Donington for trying, but it was never going to happen.

I agree. However we are now at the stage where Donington's persistence is wasting time for a race to be held next year.

It is true though that the BRDC are not innocent in this whole affair. Personally they have to take alot of the blame for this situation ever happening in the first place.

[Juliet P]

It's bad news, but not unexpected really. I'm kind of divided on how I feel. Obviously, it is disappointing to see traditional Grands Prix drop off the calendar. In this instance, though, the BRDC have rested on their laurels and pushed their luck too far. Fair play to Donington for trying, but it was never going to happen.

I agree. However we are now at the stage where Donington's persistence is wasting time for a race to be held next year.

It is true though that the BRDC are not innocent in this whole affair. Personally they have to take alot of the blame for this situation to ever happen in the first place.

Not over... til the fat lady... sings

[darwin dali]

It's bad news, but not unexpected really. I'm kind of divided on how I feel. Obviously, it is disappointing to see traditional Grands Prix drop off the calendar. In this instance, though, the BRDC have rested on their laurels and pushed their luck too far. Fair play to Donington for trying, but it was never going to happen.

I agree. However we are now at the stage where Donington's persistence is wasting time for a race to be held next year.

It is true though that the BRDC are not innocent in this whole affair. Personally they have to take alot of the blame for this situation to ever happen in the first place.

Not over... til the fat lady... sings

Who's the fat lady here?

[Juliet P]

It's bad news, but not unexpected really. I'm kind of divided on how I feel. Obviously, it is disappointing to see traditional Grands Prix drop off the calendar. In this instance, though, the BRDC have rested on their laurels and pushed their luck too far. Fair play to Donington for trying, but it was never going to happen.

I agree. However we are now at the stage where Donington's persistence is wasting time for a race to be held next year.

It is true though that the BRDC are not innocent in this whole affair. Personally they have to take alot of the blame for this situation to ever happen in the first place.

Not over... til the fat lady... sings

Who's the fat lady here?

Metaphorical fat lady!

[MAD MAX]

Why are the BRDC to blame?. Is it not right that the British G.P is a financial loss to them at £12m to host it, plus a 7% increase year on year during the lifetime of the contract. OK their facilities are not on a par with other venues, but its a fantastic track

[EwanM]

Why are the BRDC to blame?. Is it not right that the British G.P is a financial loss to them at £12m to host it, plus a 7% increase year on year during the lifetime of the contract. OK their facilities are not on a par with other venues, but its a fantastic track

They are a factor. The BRDC has for years claimed that they couldn't afford to stage the GP or improve the facilities. Despite this, in the past decade they have built a multi-million pound club house.
The club has also turned down numerous proposals from consortiums to buy the circuit or help invest.

They continue to bank on this new £25mil refit, which I can't see happening. Although the facilities have vastly improved they appear to be going completely the wrong way regarding the pit/paddock development. Mind you maybe they have never been that seriously about it in the first place.

I get the feeling that they continue to keep stringing FOM along with promises that would not continue to wash in any other form of business or any other GP country.

The BRDC cannot keep banking on the British Grand Prix's historical value. After a while it just doesn't work.

[scotty]

Not over... til the fat lady... sings

Most definitely not it seems!

New twist to Donington saga
Wednesday 28th October 2009

Just a day after it seemed Donington Park's hopes of hosting the British GP were dead in the water, it now appears that all is not lost after Simon Gillett managed to raise the necessary funds.

According to the Daily Express, Donington chief executive Gillett transferred the outstanding £12million they had to pay the Formula One management company before the deadline expired.

'Gillett contacted [F1 supremo Bernie] Ecclestone in his London office to say that he had managed to raise the funds and that the transfer had taken place, but it may have been after the banks had closed,' the paper claims.

'Ecclestone, the commercial rights holder for F1 and who decides where races are staged, has been expecting the payment for weeks.

'Ecclestone declined to comment, but Gillett has used almost every minute of his time in his efforts to meet Ecclestone's deal.'

Donington launched a £135million bond scheme earlier this month in an attempt to raise funds to revamp the track. However, the plan never got off the ground as they withdrew it 10 days later.

The paper adds that it's still unclear where Gillett received the money

'Where investment has come from to allow him to transfer money is not known, but it will have to be absolutely certain to encourage Ecclestone to give him the go-ahead.'

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3 ... 68,00.html

[MAD MAX]

Why are the BRDC to blame?. Is it not right that the British G.P is a financial loss to them at £12m to host it, plus a 7% increase year on year during the lifetime of the contract. OK their facilities are not on a par with other venues, but its a fantastic track

They are a factor. The BRDC has for years claimed that they couldn't afford to stage the GP or improve the facilities. Despite this, in the past decade they have built a multi-million pound club house.
The club has also turned down numerous proposals from consortiums to buy the circuit or help invest.

They continue to bank on this new £25mil refit, which I can't see happening. Although the facilities have vastly improved they appear to be going completely the wrong way regarding the pit/paddock development. Mind you maybe they have never been that seriously about it in the first place.

I get the feeling that they continue to keep stringing FOM along with promises that would not continue to wash in any other form of business or any other GP country.

The BRDC cannot keep banking on the British Grand Prix's historical value. After a while it just doesn't work.

Thanks for that, your obviously more switched on than I with the relevant detail

[scotty]

Contrary to my previous post, it appears that the fat lady has actually sung over Donington (albeit disguised as a greedy dwarf) -

No Donington GP, says Ecclestone

Formula 1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone has categorically insisted there will be no British Grand Prix at Donington Park next year.

"There's no Donington," said Ecclestone at the new Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi ahead of the final race of 2009.

The proposed move from Silverstone to Donington collapsed because the company redeveloping the circuit failed to show it had the £135m funding required.

Silverstone are trying to ensure there will be a British Grand Prix in 2010.

The company which owns the Northamptonshire circuit, Silverstone Holdings, stalled when a new deal was being renegotiated.

That allowed Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd - who lease Donington Park from the owning Wheatcroft family - to sign a 17-year deal with Ecclestone, which is now dead in the water.

But Ecclestone says any possible deal is now in the hands of Silverstone to make sure the British Grand Prix goes ahead next year, and beyond.

"We're talking," he said. "A deal can be done if they [Silverstone] want to."

Asked if there was a difference of opinion over the details, Ecclestone added: "There isn't actually. As far as I'm concerned, no problems.

"Donington have missed the deadline which we kept extending for them.

"It's unfortunate for them. It was the credit crunch that caused them to be in trouble - because their intentions were good, that's for sure."

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill, who is trying to land the event for Silverstone, said on Tuesday that he feared the future of next year's British GP is far from certain because of competition from around the world.

"F1 can go anywhere in the world and get a huge amount of money," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"That's what Bernie's wrestling with. But it's not his job to give a discounted job to the UK."

The British GP has been held every year since 1948 and has a rich history, while recently English drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have won 2008 and 2009 world titles respectively with Brackley-based Brawn also clinching this year's constructors' crown.

Silverstone has hosted every British Grand Prix since 1987, while Donington, which is synonymous with MotoGP, has held only one F1 race, the European Grand Prix in 1993.

[myownalias]

"Silverstone need to go and buy a pen" - Bernie Eccleston says he would be sad to see the British Grand Prix disappear but won't cut the BRDC a deal; no more negotiation. I don't blame Silverstone Holdings for not paying the fees if they are going to make a loss; and I doubt that the government will step in to secure the future of Britain's GP!

Bernie Ecclestone says he would be "very upset" not to see a British Grand Prix in 2010 - but that he will not cut a cheap deal to ensure it goes ahead.

Formula 1's impresario said a deal was on the table for Silverstone, now the only available track after Donington failed to raise the required funds.

"We've been negotiating for too long," Ecclestone told BBC Sport.

"That deal is better than anybody else's deal anyway so if they don't like it, it's OK."

The proposed move from Silverstone to Donington Park for 2010 and beyond collapsed because the company redeveloping the circuit failed to raise the £135m funding required.

Silverstone is now trying to ensure there will be a British race next year, but Ecclestone is adamant the deal he has offered is non-negotiable - and that the circuit's facilities will need modernising.

The 79-year-old contrasted Silverstone with the new state-of-the-art Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi, which is hosting the season finale this weekend and is part of a £32bn state-funded development.

Ecclestone said: "People will start to understand when they see these sort of things, what we've been complaining about with Silverstone and Magny-Cours [in France] and all those places.

"It's not just here but everywhere that has raised the standard so [much] higher. This is just even on top of that.

"It's not just a case of [Silverstone] signing the contract and paying. They must raise their standard.

"They have a contract if they want to sign it. I'd be delighted. If they don't want to sign it it's OK."

Asked if there was anything Silverstone could do to speed up a deal, Ecclestone said: "They need to go and buy a pen."

The contract on the table is believed to demand a £12m fee for 2010, with an increase of 7% per year after that.

The negotiations with Ecclestone are being handled by Silverstone Holdings Ltd, the business arm of Silverstone, which is owned by the British Racing Drivers' Club.

Neil England, the non-executive chairman of Silverstone Holdings, has been conducting the talks with Ecclestone.

England was not available for interview when contacted by BBC Sport on Friday.

On Thursday, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson contacted Ecclestone to stress the importance of Formula 1 and the British GP to the UK.

"This is a very British institution and every effort must be made to keep the race in the UK," said Mandelson.

"Losing it would be a body blow to UK sport, the teams, and the fans. Bernie reassured me he was doing everything possible to maintain the British Grand Prix in the UK. "

The British GP has been held every year since 1948 and has a rich history, while recently English drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have won 2008 and 2009 world titles respectively with Brackley-based Brawn also clinching this year's constructors' crown.

Former world champion Sir Jackie Stewart told BBC Sport that he believes the F1 heritage and know-how Britain possesses means it is important the race is not lost.

"There must be a British Grand Prix," he said. "And I think Bernie knows that too.

"Races like Turkey and Abu Dhabi… all the races in those countries are government-financed. The British government doesn't do that.

"I hope and pray it comes true [that Silverstone lands the deal], but it must be affordable. If it's affordable then it will happen. You cannot have it and lose millions.

"We must improve the facilities - not only for the F1 people and the media - but for the spectators too. To do that, you've got to be able to make money to spend money.

"We have to keep the races that started it all. Where did the modern era of Formula 1 motor racing begin? Silverstone. It is an essential to keep that with us - we do need history and tradition."

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill, president of the BRDC, said on Tuesday that he feared the future of the British GP is far from certain because of competition from around the world - such as countries like Korea.

"F1 can go anywhere in the world and get a huge amount of money," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"That's what Bernie's wrestling with. But it's not his job to give a discounted job to the UK."

[racechick]

Yes the new rack today was stuning and Silverstone can never be tghe same as that track. But Silverstone doesnt need to be that. Its something else, stunning in its own way. Its about tradition, atmosphere and real fans. If tacks like Silverstone go then the heart will be taken out of F1. There should be room for both. Keep the good new tracks. keep the good traditional tracks and dump the useles boring ones(like the current Spanish ones)

[headless]

Abu Dhabi, I couldn't care less what it looks like, but what kind of race it produces.
I guess from the last lap, it shows there is potential for good racing, just a s*** boring race didn't help me take to it.