2nd British Race

Originally posted by ensign14

Nothing inexplicable about it. Monaco is not de facto or de iure part of France, it's a sovereign country in its own right, the fact that it's close to France is irrelevant and would rule Brands Hatch out as a British GP venue (I'd rather try to get there from Paris than anywhere north of Watford). Plus it's had a Grand Prix since 1929, longer than almost any other country...of course one it does not beat is the country that invented the thing in 1906. Perfectly explicable that F1 should pay homage to the history of motor sport.

Originally posted by Peter


Which Watford is that, where Brands Hatch is North of it?

Originally posted by Stephen W
The only sensible suggestion so far is Rockingham, but NOT the oval tarck but the infield circuit a la Indy!

Originally posted by Bumper

Spain has 2 GPs this year but Barcelona is not expected to have its contract extended when it runs out next (?) year.

Originally posted by Lifew12


He's saying he'd rather go to Brands from Paris than anywhere north of Watford. Or something.

Originally posted by Buttoneer

They have a race contract to 2016

Originally posted by Andy Donovan
For those with GTR etc. on their PCs, how about a Hitchin GP?

Originally posted by jonpollak
London GP
Jp

Originally posted by ehagar


Indeed, a street race in London is probably the only way there will be another race in the UK.

Originally posted by Dunc
It seems odd though that he's prepared to hold a new race in non-exotic Spain but not a new one in non-exotic Britain. And why oh why do the French get two races?

If Hamilton remains winning and possibly becomes a WDC, there just might be enough hype and interest to have 2 races in England. But then, where would this 2nd race ever be???

Originally posted by Dunc
In the years of Shumi, Germany regularly got two GPs. Italy had two GPs until recently, largely due to Ferrari's influence. France, inexplicably, still has two GPs if you include Monaco a de facto if not de jure part of France. Spain is now getting two due to Fernando Alonso.

Given that the biggest F1 star of the moment is British surely we deserve a second GP. Come on Bernie, drop Magny Cours and hold a race at Brands or Donnington instead.

Originally posted by Dunc


I don't want to get too arsey about this but de jure Monaco is a sovereign country but de facto it is very much part of France. Hence why French residents don't get any special tax priviledges.

Could any other circuits be easily upgraded to meet F1 standards? A street race would be cool but please not in London. There are lots of other places in this country that sporting events could be held in, why does everything in British sport have to gravitate towards London.

Originally posted by se7en_24
Because it's the easiest and cheapest place to travel to for most people.

Originally posted by Hacklerf
The idiots need to get Silverstone sorted first, stop ****ing with Bernie and do what he asks, its not rocket science

Originally posted by wj_gibson
It's easy to forget that a number of drivers were unhappy about the prospect of going to Donington as far back as 1993, believing the track to be too short for contemporary F1, and borderline on safety even back then.

So there are two things to overcome. First they need to build the facilities, and then they need to pay the market rate. There is no sentiment in this from my point of view.

The matter looks even more complicated, however, with sources suggesting that the local authority approval for Silverstone's redevelopment was only given on the condition that Ecclestone guaranteed the future of the race.

Originally posted by Gilles4Ever
2nd British race? - I'd be more worried keeping the one you have.

Originally posted by wj_gibson


The main sticking point with Silverstone has never been the paddock. It has always been the fact that Silverstone was on a lower "escalator" in terms of the fee Ecclestone wants to charge, and the fact that he just dislikes the BRDC since they've never been prepared to recognise him as a "real" contributor to motor sport and let him into their club. The paddock issue (along with the traffic issues) have always been trojan horses.

Originally posted by Lifew12


yet when they got there they loved it - even in the rain.... [/B]

Originally posted by Hacklerf
The idiots need to get Silverstone sorted first, stop ****ing with Bernie and do what he asks, its not rocket science

Originally posted by Hacklerf
Yea but do you go to the shops and buy a tin of beans for 50p, when your mates go in and pay £1? Silverstone need to pay what the others pay, stop ****ing about trying to get it cheaper, the government should of course help if they are unable to raise the funds, but that is a different discussion.

Originally posted by wj_gibson


That doesn't mean their concerns were wrong, though.

As it stands, the circuit is totally unsuited to the demands of contemporary F1. The cars would be lapping the present 2.5 mile circuit at not much more than a minute.

Originally posted by Lifew12


You must have a limited knowledge of geography - half the population lives hundreds of miles from London. A more central location would be a better suggestion.

Originally posted by Red ITC
What with, shirt buttons? Silverstone is a relic with no substantial income. When Ecclestone talks about "market rates" for hosting a race, he means the tens of millions per year certain nation states will pay for some TV prestige. There is no way a British F1 race can make this much profit per year, and Ecclestone bribing Gordon Brown and Tony Blair over tobacco means no central money.

The current plan seems to be to sell land to raise money to build a facility that cannot pay for its raison d'etre. No wonder Damon Hill has so much to say about Spain's right to have a GP, heaven forbid anyone should look at the slow motion disaster closer to home.

I'd rather watch the Moscow GP or the Korean GP on TV than see a small but well loved race track mortgage its future to compete with the hyper capitalists and vain world leaders in Ecclestone's address book.

Originally posted by Hacklerf


Yea but do you go to the shops and buy a tin of beans for 50p, when your mates go in and pay £1? Silverstone need to pay what the others pay, stop ****ing about trying to get it cheaper, the government should of course help if they are unable to raise the funds, but that is a different discussion.

Originally posted by Spunout


Uh, that is not a different discussion.

Silverstone cannot pay what Bernie asks. Nobody can, without govt handouts. The races Bernie and some of his minions call "unprofitable" are in fact far more profitable than new ones. Think: hundreds of millions for Tilkedrome + VIP facilities. Cheap ticket prices, half-empty grandstands.

Remove govt handouts from the equation and you´ll have no GPs left. And China, Bahrain, Malaysia etc would be the first ones to go. All these countries are underrated and sometimes seen as 3rd world nations, so the incentive to pay is there. Great Britain and Australia don´t feel they need to polish national image by spewing more and more cash to some annoying billionaire.

For Bernie, it´s business. For others, it´s charity. Race organizers struggle to live on, govt collects taxes for handouts. The only party that really benefits is Mr. Ecclestone. So if anybody is to blame for GPs moving to obscure places without fans, it is Bernie Ecclestone. Not govt or race organizers.

Originally posted by Hacklerf
The government and Bernie was behind the idea of the London Grand Prix, so surely there is some kind money available for the British GP?

Originally posted by Chiara
It is rather irksome that the government won't just put their hand in their pocket and stump up some cash. If they could afford to waste millions of taxpayers money on building a glorified tent (the millenium dome) which serves no fundamental purpose, then I fail to see why they can't help Silverstone out.

All that tax they generate on cigarettes.....that would do for starters

Originally posted by Chiara
It is rather irksome that the government won't just put their hand in their pocket and stump up some cash. If they could afford to waste millions of taxpayers money on building a glorified tent (the millenium dome) which serves no fundamental purpose, then I fail to see why they can't help Silverstone out.

All that tax they generate on cigarettes.....that would do for starters

Originally posted by Clatter


The goverment doesnt have money of it's own, it all comes from the taxpayer, and as there is already a budget shortfall (due to their mis-manaagement), I see no reason to expect them to furthur increase BE's retirement fund.

Rather than look to the goverment, it should be BE's greed that is investigated.

Originally posted by Chiara


I'm well aware where the treasury gets its money from thanks I used to work for the Department of Inland Revenue and Customs

Having seen for my own eyes in the past some of the ridiculous projects they have frittered away taxpayers money on...I really don't see why they cant help out Silverstone a bit.

If other countries can manage Bernie's fee its a very sad state of affairs that a country with one of the longest working hours in a week, and highest level of taxation on its population and over 65 million residents can't.

Originally posted by Chiara


I'm well aware where the treasury gets its money from thanks I used to work for the Department of Inland Revenue and Customs

Having seen for my own eyes in the past some of the ridiculous projects they have frittered away taxpayers money on...I really don't see why they cant help out Silverstone a bit.

If other countries can manage Bernie's fee its a very sad state of affairs that a country with one of the longest working hours in a week, and highest level of taxation on its population and over 65 million residents can't.

Originally posted by Clatter


I agree the goverment waste a hell of a lot of our money, but that's another argument. I really see no reason why any private entreprise, which is what F1 essentially is, should expect to be propped up by the taxpayer.

As far as other countries go, perhaps someone should consider how they look after their citizens first, they are willing to throw money to look good on the world stage, but won't spend anything on their own people.

Originally posted by micra_k10

Looking at the number of WDC's, it's time finland got a race. It would be sold out for sure...