British Grand Prix in doubt

The British Grand Prix is once again in major doubt after Donington Park revealed it had failed to raise the £135m required to revamp the circuit and host the 2010 race.

Unless a last-minute rescue package is found, the race will almost certainly not take place at the venue next summer.

Silverstone bosses have repeatedly said they are willing to step in to host the race, but are understandably looking for a cut-price deal from F1 promoter Bernie Ecclestone after being initially overlooked as the venue for this year's race.

Their differing position to Ecclestone's could yet mean the unthinkable for a country with the current driver and constructor world champion in Jenson Button and Brawn GP - no home race for next season.

This would be catastrophic for motorsport in the UK. Ecclestone needs to see sense and, for once, think less about the money and more about the good of the sport he claims to love so dearly.

Can F1 cope without a British Grand Prix and likewise can the British motoring industry? And should Ecclestone back down over his pay demands? Post your comments below...

Comments

[les from silverstone]

the position of donnington park , the ridiculous access road and its proximity to the e.m airport was always going to be the nail in its coffin !!
whereas silverstone with its access to both the M40 and the M1 (dualled both ways )and PROPERLY designed for racing circuit beats everything around the world for the purpose for which it was created for !!
ecclestone doesnt care about the grass root support from racing fans as he only sees F1 as somewhere for his well heeled friends to sit around in resplendent lavishness being filmed to satisfy their own smugness.... thus the glitzy eastern circuits ........
but drivers STILL CANNOT race in many of them !

[Brian Wylie]

Another thought. Anyone eho has been to Donnington for club and any other minor meetings must have been aware that the circuit was a non starter for a F1 event. Apart from anything else, getting to it was a nightmare and the facilities were, and are , poor. For Tom Wheatcroft (RIP) the whole thing was a hobby not a serious business.

[Brian Wylie]

Ecclestone is very close to his longtime dream, the demise of the British Grand Prix. He has no interest in who watches at any circuit as long as he gets the money in for the TV rights and the circuit owners fees. How to stop him? Stop showing it on TV would be a good start. The teams after a small rebellion seem to have given up. Thanks to Ecclestone and his greed, F1 is killing itself.Thank God the motocycling fraternity refused to have anything to do with him

[TobyJoe, South Wales]

Fantastic finale to the end of the season. Magnificent course. Worthy champion. ( Where was Eddie Jordans Poppy???)

[Tony]

Get rid of the greedy ecclestone and all F1 in Britain would be solved.

[peter]

What does anyone expect from a third world country that is now England to sort out this mess, I don't care where the British GP is held as long as we still have it. Perhaps we could have designed a circuit around the Olympic site? sorry that doesn't help does it! I'll take my backhander for the suggestion now thanks.

[les from silverstone]

and whilst on the subject of circuits ........perhaps the MAIN reason ecclestone HATES SILVERSTONE is the fact that anyone can OVERTAKE almost ANYWHERE
unlike his other circuits around the world where it seems the main prerequisite is the comfort of those with large bank accounts and the inability to overtake !! causing those purportedly in charge to continue to make ridiculous rule changes to not only make the sport MORE expensive BUT make pit lane tactics create the end result !
NOW folks like me expect that in RACING every driver has to continue OVERTAKING any car in front of him....
how can they do that when tracks have been purposely designed to prevent such happenings !!

[les from silverstone]

F1 will make more headway once the poison dwarf( ecclestone) is boxed, buried or burnt ........ FACT

[PEED OFF]

Just read on the BBC F1 Forum that Jenson Button returned to the Brackley HQ of Brawn GP and signed autographs for all the fans outside the factoty. WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH... I was in that crowd and waited for hours, When he finally turned up he was stuck at the entrance barrier in his Mercedes and he signed One GP ticket, Then beeped his horn and shot through the barrier.
When he exited a little later he just drove past all the fans without stopping and sped of up the A43.
Obviously now he's world champion he does'nt need to be seen with the general public.

UNBLOODY BELIEVABLE

[Tyke]

I fear that all that has happened here is the Donington will be lost for ever as a great Bike, Kart and Touring car venue. If the circuit goes, we in the Midlands and the North have yet again lost out.
Anyone who has ever been to "Donie" knows what a nightmare getting in and out of the place is when the Superbikes were there, and how close it is to the Airport, what warped thinking made the Dwarf loony even think about it as a serious F1 track? Silverstone have tried to meet the idiot's demands, the Road system around the place has been improved (At tax ajnd council Tax payers cost) It attracts huge crowds, the drivers love it....but Bernie preferes half full fly blown Middle and Far Eastern Circuits because he gets more cash and plaudits, the sooner he, and Mosely, go and leave the sport in peace, the better I say.

[ivor]

The real problem lies not with Bernie, or Silverstone. It lies with our government who can come up with untold billions of pounds to stage the olympics, but cannot find the money to build a new circuit. Or bring Silverstone up to the standard the man demands.
You have to agree that when other countries are not only ready but willing to do everything that Bernie wants, why should he worry about the British Grand Prix.

[Arthur]

Just imagine this, If Alonso was world champion and Ecclestone pulled the plug on the Spanish GP just because one of the officals wouldnt share his smarties.Come on Ecclestone put your hand in your pocket and give something back to Silverstone and the thousands of racing fans that have supported you over the years. We have a GREAT BRITISH CHAMPION lets have a GREAT BRITISH GRAND PRIX.

[Peter]

What's the matter with Bernie, did he want to join the BRDC and got turned down? whatever it was obviously got up his nose. Well he is getting up my nose and I know it won't make any difference but no British GP then me no watch GP's anymore. That is the only way I can make a protest.

[nige]

Typical Eccelstone! "We don't need a british Grand Prix"! What about last years winning team and driver, also this years winning team and driver! It's a good job we have the british crew in F1. dont't worry about all the F1 fans in this country, just as long as you can rake in as much MONEY as you can, You must be standing up to your neck in pound notes! still that would only make it 18 inches high!

[Dina]

It has to be Silverstone but I fear that Bernie is not at all sentimental or cares for tradition.As for intervention from the FIA forget it.After the recent presidential results,Max Mosley is still firmly in the picture and Jean Todt will back Ecclestone whatever he decides.They are all in each others pockets,with finacial reward not F1 the sport as their common interest.

[Frances]

If we can lose a race in France and Germany than Britain isn't safe. The problem is that once off the calendar then isn't it difficult to get your spot back.

[Martyn]

The poisoned dwarf is clearly too greedy.

[Colm]

There should be no dispute about where the British GP should be held. It should take place at Silverstone, it's traditional home, that old fool Ecclestone insisted it should take place at Donnington. Well Donnington hasn't materialised and it's owners are now fighting for the circuits survival. Even if Ecclestone steps forward with the money to save the circuit and save himself from further humiliation, it would be a conflict of interests on his part and shouldn't be allowed by the FIA.
The GP should be allocated to Silverstone on a long term basis.

[Tom, Goole]

The British Grand Prix is not the be-all and end-all for F1 (Silverstone didn't make for my favourite race), but it would be disastrous for motorsport in this country. Sort it out Bernie!