24 replies to this topic

[RedFever]

Max and Bernie are attacking Silverstone head on. It's not news if it wasn't that they are even questioning whether there will be a British GP in 2001 at all!!! it's incredible, one of the most important races in F1's with Monaco, Italy at Monza and recently Spa and Indy, might not be raced at all.

I am all aware of the flooding problems this year (then again, why not stage the race in summer, as it is normal for Britain to be wet earlier in the season), but I didn't realize on TV that situation was so bad. What do you British fans who attended races there think of this????

Below is Max and Bernie's comments:

Silverstone's future as the venue for the British Grand Prix was hanging in the balance on Wednesday.

Ahead of a meeting in Seville, Max Mosley, head of motor sport's governing body FIA, said staging the race at Silverstone devalued the British Grand Prix.

"If you are going to have a world level championship - and world levels are rising all the time - it really does devalue the race when it is held somewhere like Silverstone," he told the BBC.

Failure to improve or find an alternative to Silverstone could even result in Britain being struck off the World Championship calendar, Mosley said.

"We hope that before long in the U.K. there will be a facility of world standard. If there is not, the future of the British Grand Prix as regards a world championship must be very much in question."

Organisers of this year's race, held in April, were heavily criticised when heavy rain turned car parks into quagmires, causing traffic chaos throughout the weekend.

Mosley said at the time that facilities at Silverstone were "shaming."

Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One's overall controller, said ahead of last month's Italian Grand Prix that Silverstone's problems were not merely cosmetic.

"Silverstone is like an old house now. It's about time, it's not a case of just a repaint job, it needs pulling down and rebuilding.

"We should have the best Grand Prix in the world and we haven't. We've got the worst."

Improvements

Silverstone officials agreed in May to implement improvements proposed by the FIA at the circuit by October 4th.

Former world champion and executive director of the Jaguar team Jackie Stewart remains optimistic that Silverstone will not lose the right to stage the British Grand Prix, a race it first hosted in 1948.

"Britain is the capital for motorsport for the world... Silverstone is the very heart of that.

"This glitch, if you like, will be rectified in everyone's view including the president of the FIA and the World Council who will discuss it today and will give (Silverstone) back the date for 2001."

Silverstone was last extensively rebuilt in 1991.

Rival circuit Brands Hatch, which has not hosted the British Grand Prix since 1986, bought the rights to the 2002 race from Silverstone in May and plans to spend 30 million pounds ($43.68 million) bringing the Kent circuit up to FIA standards.

Several Formula One teams,including Williams, Arrows and British American Racing, have said they will oppose any permanent move from Silverstone, which is closer to their bases than Brands Hatch.

[Nomad]

Considering the outrageous ticket prices, silverstone is bad. Sadly there are no other tracks in Britain capable of holding an F1 GP at the moment. The organisation last year was typically British and so was the excuse.

[Halfwitt]

Brands is a nice track with poor facilities, poor parking, and poor access. Donington is just as bad. Believe me, I've been to very big meetings at all three, and I would choose Silverstone. I wish the bike GP was there again. Its only problems are: it isn't as flashy as some tracks (but better than the alternatives), and you can't see much as a spectator.

[FredF1]

It's one of the more expensive venues on the calendar. We were going to go this year but the cost was ridiculous (After that lousy weather I'm glad we didn't! A couple of friends went and had everything they had covered in smelly mud.) As Halfwitt has said the spectator viewing isn't the best. A lot of my friends have gone there and they all said that they had a good time but that the viewing was lousy and it was over priced. Plus getting there by car is a joke. An ex of mine used to live near one of the access roads and she said they used to dread the Grand Prix weekend because there was so many cars using roads that weren't designed for that much traffic

[FlagMan]

I wonder why Max didn't criticise the 'Ring - I understand the conditions were just as bad there...

Getting in and out of Silverstone can be difficult - but its not Silverstone's fault that they kept putting off building the bypass for so long.

Did you ever try getting in and out of Brands at GP time? - Scratchers Lane was just as bad as the Dadford Road .

[FredF1]

I seem to recall Silverstone being singled out for lots of praise by the bould Max for it's safety improvements following the Imola tragedy in '94. How times change eh?
I suppose the fact that Unkie Bernie doesn't have a stake in the circuit has no bearing on the case? Oooh.... Cynical Fred! Off to bed with no supper for you.

[Mickey]

I've been to only 2 GP venues in my entire life: Silverstone (97 & 98) and Monza (99 & 2K).
While Silverstone is greatly overpriced - about double the price of Monza for a General Admission ticket - the viewing is much better there. You can easily walk around the outside of the entire track, and watch from any position. There's plenty of TV screens around, so you can follow some of the ongoing action, not just what happens in front of you. Many places such as Becketts, or Club, have banked grass areas where you can see the action without being on the front row of people. At Monza walking around the outside of the track is impossible, as there are many obstructing elements such as the old high-speed track and banking (well worth a pilgrimage on its own), walls and fences. You have to find a spot right next to a fence, so that people don't obscure your view - an alternative chosen by many is tree-climbing! There's almost no way, without some sort of grandstand ticket, that you'll be able to watch on a large TV screen.
This was just illustrating what's good about Silverstone that you can't have at Monza. The atmosphere and the track invasion at Monza more than make up for it. And the weather, of course. Silverstone 98 was a dog of a day.

[Clatter]

I think the biggest problem is BE doesnt have a stake in the circuit and the committee that run it are willing to stand up to him. He dosent like this one bit.

The criticism he has levelled at them can be said for several circuits on the calender.

[Halfwitt]

Ecclestone and Mosley think we only ever visit one track, or watch one race. They think everyone is gullible and will believe everything they say. Unfortunately, most people do.

It's propaganda, and it is well done. They are masters at it.

[Bogwoppit]

I was at Silverstone for the British GP - a goup of us went camping in a landrover 110 - and made enough money towing ppl out of the mud to pay for the campsite! However, the ticket prices for the weekend - don't ask!

Having said that though, the race was well worth going to, and access is reasonable - unlike the Brands circuit - that's a real swine to get to!

[Ricardo F1]

I was offended by Mosley and Ecclestone's comments about Silverstone, and I truly hope that the F1 teams come out and say so too.

This is purely a political statement, there is absolutely no basis for their comments - especially that it's the worst GP of the season. Excuse me Bernie, but did you SEE Brazil??? I can't remember any hoardings falling on the track at Silverstone, nor a track surface that barely passes for a back street of some cow poke town.

Silverstone, the track, is great - fantastic to drive around and the surface is one of the smoothest in F1. The access to the track is very poor and that needs to be sorted - but it's not Silverstones fault, directly at least. The car park situation was a farce, but then again it wasn't Silverstone that decided to move the GP into the middle of the rainy season was it??

There is a political agenda in what these guys are up to and it's ridiculous. It makes me wonder if it's a threat to the British teams from Mosley - 'support me or your beloved home GP gets taken away'.

Shocking.

[FredF1]

It was reported on BBC Breakfast News this morning that Silverstone has been given it's July slot back for next year. It's still unclear what happens for 2002 though.

[Huw Jenjin]

MM and BE comments about Silverstone are purely politically motivated and Malicious, as was giving them that date on this years calendar. Everybody knew it was going to be a problem, so rather than avert it, they coaxed it to happen.
Max Mosely could be dropped into a snake pen and be the only one left after ten minutes.

[AyePirate]

A related nugget on the autorace.com site:

Ecclestone stresses seriousness of British GP threat
At the World Motor Sport Council meeting on Wednesday, the British GP at the Silverstone circuit for the 2001 season was confirmed for July, but no assurances were given for the future of the British GP at the circuit.
Bernie Ecclestone said that they are not kidding when they say that there might not be a British GP in the future of Formula One.
He explained the seriousness of such when he said: "Just because Max and I are British, the country is the home of motor sport and the great teams of grand prix racing in the past 20 years have been British does not mean we will also have a race in this country. Most of the F1 teams are based in Britain, the technology is here and we have provided two world champions in the last decade. That's a lot to be proud of, and yet we get no support from the Government."
He added that if the UK government was prepared to give F1 the same sort of investment as securing the World Cup, Britain would be left with a facility which in turn would generate more publicity over a seven year period than the World Cup.

Multi-Billionaire in a dole queue! Bernie fails to see the crucial differences
between The World Cup and F1. F1 is an elitist sport, Football is a
populist sport (trying making a formula one car out paper and a roll
of tape). Correct me if I'm wrong, but my perception (from an American perspective) is that as big as it is, F1 is it's dwarfed by Football (Soccer) both in its financial and spiritual role in the lives of most people. Lastly no one effectively "owns" Football in the way Bernie "owns" F1, so the graft is spread around a bit.

However, Bernie's "Brother, can you spare a hundred million?"routine does have
precedent. It has been performed dozens of times by American Football, Baseball and Basketball franchise owners for years. The scenario goes like this, Billionaire team owner says "My team needs a new stadium with Luxury Boxes (ritzy corporate hospitality suites- Paddock Club- equivalent Cash Cows) ,unless you waive most or all of my taxes and loan me the construction money at zero interest on easy terms, I'll take my team to a city that will. It always works. Sometimes the owner has to move the team to get it, but he/she always gets the money. Meanwhile, nationwide, schools remain underfunded...Bread and Circuses.

[george baird]

Silverstone ain't bad compared to my only other visit to a different track Magny Cours 96 .Sure there were problems this year but that's life .

[AD]

But Britain is one of the biggest countries in the world. And their track facilites compared to Malaysia, Indy, etc. are poor. They should be well able to upgrade the facilities.

[Dudley]

Er... britain is actually a tiny, tiny country. We're smaller than 17 American states for example.

[Wolf]

I don't know for sure but I remember hearing that certain B. Ecclestone purchased Brands Hatch (or something similar to ownership). I'm 'convinced' that it does not have anything to do with appauling conditions on Silverstone cuircuit!;)

[Ray Bell]

If you believe the media, Australia can make the venue right, and has done so in two different cities... by will of Governments, sure, but without the core support of the public the Brits have, nor the background in the industry.
The Poms should be able to turn on a first class circuit for their GP, or better still, have two first class circuits alternating year by year.
The Government would win with the increased revenue in VAT, of course.

[Eric McLoughlin]

Motor sport in Britain has had to survive over the years without a shred of government (or - more recently, Lottery) support. I suppose it's always been considered a rich man's sport and therefore does not need hand outs. Although, it is interesting that the British yachting medallists at the olympics were very grateful for the Lottery support they have received over the past 4 years. I would'nt think of sailing as exactly the kind of sport socially deprived kids would aspire to.

As for Silverstone, I have never attended a Grand Prix there, only a couple of Coy's Festivals. Despite its long history, I think it's a bit souless and without character. It has the look of a building site, with vast areas of concrete, chicken wire fencing and a preponderance of porta-cabins - a bit of a mess really.

[Ray Bell]

Your description is precisely the mental picture I had for years, Eric, but I thought it might have climbed the ladder a bit the last few years...

[FlagMan]

Eric - perhaps Silverstone 'looks like a building site' because they are constantly having to change things to keep up with F1's constantly changing demands...

Name any modern F1 circuit that doesn't have vast areas of concrete and chicken wire.

[Ray Bell]

Not an unknown phenomenon.... circuits in Australia go into debt each year to keep up with demands of the V8 circus... then pay the debt off with V8 meeting profits the next year... unless the V8 people get a better offer and go elsewhere.

[senninha]

The "old" Silverstone was much better...

[Eric McLoughlin]

I don't think all the work that has gone on at Silverstone over the last thirteen years has been at the behest of the FIA - they didn't ask for that BRDC edifice to be built at Woodcote for instance. From a spectators pont of view, there just seems to be an air of bleakness about the place. I suppose some of that can be blamed on the fact that ex-World War Two bomber bases can't help but being bleak. However, Goodwood is also an ex-wartime airfield and could hardly be more different.

Also, the fact that the maximum temperature reached on the Coys weekend (end of July remember) was a freezing 13 degrees centigrade did not enamour me to the place this year. And next year's GP will be at a similar time of the year too.