After Autosport interviewed the MD of Silverstone Circuit yesterday, I thought it would be interesting to see where everyone thought it would be next year?

I know there is a donington thread, but I thought this one would be different as it would show people's opinions on the venues, the event, their feelings on the british gp and whether there is a future for it?

So. What are your thoughts? Where do you think it will be? Where do you want it to be? Do you care?

My opinion is that it is interesting to see that Silverstone have come out and started the war of words and the public negotiation with FOM to get the race back and also made it clear that they think donington are not up to it!!!

I think we're in danger of not having a British Grand Prix next year. . . .

Either Silverstone or nowhere. Simon Gillett (or however his name is spelled) reminds me of our Romanian politicians: a bag of hot air which sometimes releases a lot of promises which never materialize. And it's good to see that the Silverstone owners have realized this, but they're making a bit of a mistake: they have to carry on with the preparations as if they have the GP in their hands. Even if they lose some money by preparing it for the F1 GP, they will get a large part of that back with the MotoGP race. They have to be 100% prepared if Donington fails to meet its deadlines.

I agree. Even though the BRDC are living in 1968, they still are able to deliver a great event at the end of the day.

Really the blame lies with the Government. What we need (and I'm Australian) is an MP to step up, cut through all the bullshit, and secure some funding to lock down the event for the next decade.

Voted Silverstone as more likely than Donnington but as per the Autosport story - it is looking more likely that it will be neither cause I cant see Gillett admitting now that they wont be ready, which means Silverstone miss their "window".

Not going to happen.

On the one hand Bernie has a contract with Donington so in the unlikely event that it gets the money together the race will go there next year.

On the other hand, the lease of Silverstone will soon be handed over to an operator who is prepared to invest £60 million to £70 million in the circuit to bring it up to Bernie's standards. It would take a sovereign wealth fund to have access to that kind of money at the moment and Bernie would certainly gravitate to Silverstone rather than Donington if so.

I think I would prefer it at Donington. The BRDC are a bunch of old duffers who are only concerned with the history of the British Grand Prix. They care nothing for the future of the race, assuming they will get it each time the contract is up for renewal simpl because it's the British Grand Prix. And as such, they only do the bare minium each time they need to upgrade the circuit. Think what you will of Bernie Ecclestone, but I believe there's a reason why he keeps hounding them on the subject of circuit facilities. It's because they're not good enough.

Who says they will have anything to do with the running of the Grand Prix if it remains at Silverstone?

I don't know where it "should" be held, but from a purely personal point of view, I prefer the track configuration of Donnington. Don't berate me for this, it's just a preference.

I don't know where it'll be, but I'd definitely rather have it at Silverstone.

Well, conidering that Damon Hill and his cohorts have been running it for years now - they own the place, don't they? - I think they'd have something to say about it if someone else wanted to run the race at Silverstone.

Incorrect. On the 25th August a proposal is being put before the BRDC to give the directors the power to sell control of Silverstone to an independent operator. This was covered in the press around a month or two ago.

I'd much rather the old duffers run the British GP then a pal of Bernies who together want to make a quick a buck with no love of the sport.

Indeed. That is what the BRDC members seem to think - particuarly since it doesn't look like they will get the best financial return from the deal despite a sovereign wealth fund being one of the bidders for Silverstone

At what expense? Silverstone has poor facilities compared to most other circuits. How many times have the upgraded their pit complex recently? I'm sure they've done it three or four times since the turn of the millenium. And the reason I remember it is because there's been a lot of intertia; the project takes forever to get underway, almost as long to complete and nothing seems to get done because we go through the entire process again two years later. Bernie and his cronies might be money-grubbing, but they're not incompetent and preoccupied. At least the other circuits seem to want to host a race; the BRDC just assume they'll get it.

And you simply assume Bernie has no love for the sport because you disagree with him.

Does Bernie really enjoy the races? He can't even be bothered to watch them.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/106191...-for-Ecclestone

Ecclestone’s long tradition of being at 35,000 feet in his private jet heading to London before any race is finished. “We once had a one-two at Watkins Glen in 1974 when I owned Brabham and I was in a chopper before the race finished,” he said. “I go on the grid, watch the start and get out. My job is done.

I don't think the average race going fan gives a rat's arse about the facilities.

Hell, when I first went to Silverstone we sat on straw bales on the edge of the circuit.

I've being to silverstone 4 times in the last 5 years and I have nothing to complain about, I wish the burgers were cheaper, but thats Bernie to blame for charging so much to host a race.

How many times have you being lately Tightpants?

Voted for Silverstone.

Hope the race is there without a doubt.

Here is something I think most people, except Eccelstone, overlook.

The British GP was once held at Donington. Why was is moved to Silverstone in the first place?

I dont know the true reasons but nevertheless, it was decided that Silverstone was the place to hold the race.

Nothing like Copse in the wet. Truely one that seperates the men from the boys.

From my perspective here in the USA, Gillett seems like a flim flam shady dealer, which is slightly better than Damon Hill.

The venues for the British GP have been Brands Hatch, Aintree (Liverpool), Donington and Silverstone.

It has always gone back to Silverstone. There must be a good reason for that.

Bernie had to do a huge U turn at Silverstone this year so I think FOTA have applied enough pressure for the British GP to be on the calendar at one track or the other. I don't mind which, they both have good things about the track itself. I don't think the bs at Dony will ever turn into a real business, their PR is rubbish, the first thing they did was cock up the new tunnel with a flood and failed inspection by the FIA with moronic barrier siting, then it all stopped, and so I'm expecting it to stay at Silverstone. Bernie likes wiinding them up though, so he'll keep them dangling as long as he can.

Where is "I don't care" option?

The "don't care" option is not to come into the thread and comment.

Give it to Finland if they cant host it I prefer Silverstone.

I'm beginning to think so too. I don't think Bernie wants to have a British GP.

Donington won't be able to host it but by the time they've realized and sorted that out it could be too late for Silverstone to step in and take it over without help, that they won't get. So then Bernie can blame BRDC and Silverstone for there being no British GP and saying they were full of hot air to begin with saying they could step in etc.

All politics and we'll get another middle-east och asian race.

Donington have never hosted the British GP.

What circuit facilities are not actually good enough?

Donington 93? Or was it named European GP then?

European GP. Silverstone hosted the British GP a few months later, ending in a win by Alain Prost.

It was the European GP.

The tickets should be on sale for the British Grad Prix now, never mind the lack of progress at Donington. Surely its time for common sense to prevail and move it back to Silverstone for next year at least.

Donington was included because of the contract to run it, that therefore, makes it a venue....

Well not until it has actually hosted the race, in my book that classifies it as a 'future (possible) British Grand Prix'.

Indeed it does, but, it is still a 'venue'. I never said that it had hosted a British GP.

There are simply too many uncertainties surrounding Donnington and its finances. And I think the whole thing will make Bernie a bit twitchy about it. So I voted Silverstone.

Yeah I read your last post wrong then sorry Forever F1!

When I wrote the first article regarding 'venues', it was in the early hours of the morning and I could have perhaps chosen better words.

Hopefully Donington, but probably (if at all) Silverstone.

Could this be Bernie's way of getting the British GP off of the calender?

"Sorry guys Donington isn't ready, and it's too late to organise everything for Silverstone, so we are going to Vietnam instead"

I really hope Donington is ready. As a circuit I prefer it to Silverstone. Mind you I was there for the Trucks weekend before last and last weekend for the FIA F2's, and apart from the Dunlop bridge going, and a big bank of earth, removed from the ground when the modified the tunnel at Coppice nothing seems to be changing. I am getting a bit worried now that it will not happen.

I'm confused by the criticism of the BRDC as 'old duffers' etc.


I can't see what they've done to deserve that. Especially as they've had plans for the supposedly required improvements in place for ages.

Bollocks, do you know how much these improvements cost? It's not as simple as going out withdrawing a couple of hundred quid and getting the local builder round. They've had plans in place and everything ready for ages. Bernie keeps moving the goal posts.

Incidentally, do any of you know exactly what modifications Bernie is demanding from Silverstone? I know what they are but I am curious to see if any of the detractors know what Bernie actually wants Silverstone to do.

Bernie says Donnington have until the end of September to prove they have funding otherwise it goes back to Silverstone and their contract is void.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77913

To host the race?

Mark my words: Donington won't be anywhere near ready in time for 2010, the contract for the British Grand Prix will fall through and it will remain at Silverstone for the foreseeable future. Donington is nothing more than a win/win bargaining chip for Bernie to get Silverstone to make the improvements that he wants.

Yup.

Why the should the Government fund the leisure activities of some rich boys (or some rich old farts)?

Well, they have no problem bailing out the banks who screwed everything up for millions of us and their boards are stuffed with old farts.

Bernie, a prime example of an old fart, should stake his claim to government billions to provide such cracking entertainment such as Valencia for example. Oh the excitement!

This has nothing to do with excitement or other Government's mistakes, the owners of Silverstone should be able to attrack private investors to update their circuit, if not they would be better organising something at their level, like club races.

Can't they just cut the crap now and give it to Silervstone.

Yes, maybe the Govt shouldn't give money out, but when they can pour billions into Tennis and olympics it makes a mockery