RE: Circuit of Wales 'unviable' says Silverstone
Discussion
b0rk said:
The Wheatcroft family are basically petrolheads with business activities and resources unrelated to Donnington that have allowed them to indulge in circuit ownership without needing to generate a commercial return.
Palmer has a series of businesses based off circuit/motorsport activity that probably mean the circuits could operate at a loss without detriment to the core profitable businesses of Palmersport, BSB, British F4 and MSVR. Indeed owning multiple circuits is probably the reason MSVR can put together such a wide range of race series.
Meek has previously stated he acquired Mallory Park for out of his love of racing.
As a serious question I can't think of a UK circuit that is owned and run as a purely commercial enterprise, there is normally a degree of love of racing and/or motorsport behind the ultimate owner.
Circuits are very expensive to run and keep upgrading, no business can operate for very long making losses. Tom was a petrol head, Kevin isn't, he is a military vehicle enthusiast; he runs Donington to keep his fathers legacy going but it DOES have to cover its costs over time.Palmer has a series of businesses based off circuit/motorsport activity that probably mean the circuits could operate at a loss without detriment to the core profitable businesses of Palmersport, BSB, British F4 and MSVR. Indeed owning multiple circuits is probably the reason MSVR can put together such a wide range of race series.
Meek has previously stated he acquired Mallory Park for out of his love of racing.
As a serious question I can't think of a UK circuit that is owned and run as a purely commercial enterprise, there is normally a degree of love of racing and/or motorsport behind the ultimate owner.
JP could make more money if he sold out for housing but he is not a charity and the circuits are run as a business. Remember MSVR bought the circuits and therefore have business loans to repay.
andy97 said:
As Jim Spencer has said, its such a fantastic layout (the Coastal Circuit is the best of the configurations) with an awesome combination of quick and slow corners with landscape rise and fall. The quickish downhill left right corkscrew is the best corner combination in the country.
The circuit is also the second widest in the country (after Silverstone) and has lots of run off so its a pretty safe layout. The scenery is unique in the uk with the sea next door and views to Snowdonia over water in the not too distant back ground.
Infrastructure has improved significantly recently with the construction of new pits and circuit ops offices.
If it was in the middle of the country people and race series would be happy to pay a premium to race there.
Well worth the effort to get there and I really hope that British GT and BSB race there sometime soon.
The down side is that access to the circuit is fairly poor with just one road in and out, once you have left the Holyhead road. That's why BTCC will never go there. It could cope with a BSB round with lots of spectators o Bikes but couldn't cope with a similar number of cars.
I'm off to Anglesey for the next round of the Caterham Graduates series. As a circuit, I hate its location (I live in Kent and it's further than Spa for me) and I am in a small minority who don't like the layout. That said, I've never got to drive the Coastal circuit - only the International, so I've not experienced the Corkscrew. The circuit is also the second widest in the country (after Silverstone) and has lots of run off so its a pretty safe layout. The scenery is unique in the uk with the sea next door and views to Snowdonia over water in the not too distant back ground.
Infrastructure has improved significantly recently with the construction of new pits and circuit ops offices.
If it was in the middle of the country people and race series would be happy to pay a premium to race there.
Well worth the effort to get there and I really hope that British GT and BSB race there sometime soon.
The down side is that access to the circuit is fairly poor with just one road in and out, once you have left the Holyhead road. That's why BTCC will never go there. It could cope with a BSB round with lots of spectators o Bikes but couldn't cope with a similar number of cars.
It is pretty safe, but I have hit the barrier on the far side (up the hill) of the first hairpin (formerly known as the bookatrack.com hairpin, but subsequently renamed). It was wet, but there is a good layer of tyres. I'm looking forward to seeing the new pits, although I very much doubt that we'll get to use them.
Regarding CoW - it really is a hopeless business case. Nothing more to add. If it costs £180m to build it will be worth £10m the day it opens, if it's even worth that.
Jez
n3il123 said:
Seems that they have agreed a deal with Dorna for 2016 onwards, on a track that hasn't even been started yet.... no pressure then chaps.
Linky
Probably a good thing - with an event that will bring in a lot of cash they suddenly become a bit more viable. I just hope they finish in time. Linky
davepoth said:
n3il123 said:
Seems that they have agreed a deal with Dorna for 2016 onwards, on a track that hasn't even been started yet.... no pressure then chaps.
Linky
Probably a good thing - with an event that will bring in a lot of cash they suddenly become a bit more viable. I just hope they finish in time. Linky
n3il123 said:
Seems that they have agreed a deal with Dorna for 2016 onwards, on a track that hasn't even been started yet.... no pressure then chaps.
Linky
Actually if you read the Dorna press release Circuit of Wales have a deal for 2015 to 2020 with an option extend for five further years. It is not stated if the option is in the favour of Dorna or CoW. The Silverstone deal was originally reported as 5yrs plus an optional 5yr extension it will be interesting to see if CoW have the extension taken up. Linky
So basically CoW have to come a commercial agreement with another UK circuit that meets current Dorna/FIM track requirements to host the 2015 round, Silverstone? Donnington? and errrr..
. I assume that by CoW not announcing where the 2015 round will be held means they haven't agreed final terms with another circuit for '15 but would surely have a contract in place if only at heads of terms stage or the expression up
creak without a paddle comes to mind. I see Silverstone have put out a bend over a prepare to be rogered press release regarding '15 so it is not going there currently.Personally I'd quite like CoW to be built as the south west (and south Wales) is crying out for a good GP distance circuit.
egor110 said:
What was the problem with don?
Its fim certified so ok for gp.
Like Brands before it, signed a long term deal for the F1 GP which involved massive track changes and works which it couldnt compete and nearly went kaput, meanwhile selling the race back to Silverstone.Its fim certified so ok for gp.
Which is exactly what'll happen here.
jmorgan said:
I get to Coventry from S Wales in two and half hours and this is closer to Coventry from where I live. This place is not far out of anyones way unless you want it to be.
Same here.Edited by jmorgan on Tuesday 25th March 18:41
Brands Hatch is a compromised journey in comparison. Friday night getting over the Queen Elizabeth bridge is a total ball ache from anywhere North of Hemel.
The oppinion on difficulty to get to, is from the usual 'Blowhards' in the south east. Go and race at Lydden Hill if the distance bothers you.
I hope this track gets the go ahead - the concept is far better than many of the flat featureless airfield perimeters that constitute "racetracks" in England.
Edited by FWDRacer on Friday 15th August 12:19
Megaflow said:
I'll believe Moto GP has gone to Wales when the first GP bike rolls out the pit lane onto the circuit...
Lets assume the 2016 date is similar to the 2014 date. That gives them 2 years to build an international specification circuit from scratch.
I'm wondering how long it took to build The Circuit of the Americas. Would that be a reasonable comparison?Lets assume the 2016 date is similar to the 2014 date. That gives them 2 years to build an international specification circuit from scratch.
Munter said:
I'm wondering how long it took to build The Circuit of the Americas. Would that be a reasonable comparison?
According to wiki they broke ground on 2 January 2011 and it was ready 21 October 2012, what's that 21 months, and a deeply impressive time frame. So they need to have started construction by November, and even then, need to pull off an impressively fast build.Megaflow said:
Munter said:
I'm wondering how long it took to build The Circuit of the Americas. Would that be a reasonable comparison?
According to wiki they broke ground on 2 January 2011 and it was ready 21 October 2012, what's that 21 months, and a deeply impressive time frame. So they need to have started construction by November, and even then, need to pull off an impressively fast build.Wales is too much of a "but...H&S bulls
t" place for that to work.Megaflow said:
Apparently construction should have started just before Christmas last year, judging by the lack of news surrounding it, I think it's safe to say that didn't happen...
No work has started up there im of the opinion of I see it when I believe it although it would be brilliant to have a world class track 20 mins from my house.Oh and for the post above you about wales being to much h&s bulls
t that not wales its the uk as a whole.chrisgtx said:
It's in the news today the greenies are questioning the biodiversity,dragonflies etc.
So that's the whole thing buggered then!
Such a surprise was waiting for this to happen. Welsh greeny hippy types are just the worst. So that's the whole thing buggered then!
A good story to my home town was when the bypass around the town was built. Now this has been planned 20 years ago but ran out of money to do the final stretch. 6 years ago it started being built, but while in the process the nut jobs found a rare bat that apparently lives there only type in the country they camped up trees blocked machinery anything.
They were found out to be talking bull s
t and the local police along with locals that have been campaigning for the by pass to be built were very quick in getting rid of them. Suspect the same people to be involved with this.Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff