Silvertone V Bernie, round ?
Discussion
Yet again Silverstone(BRDC) and Bernie are squabling about staging the Grand Prix.
The organisers of the British Grand Prix, the BRDC, did not reject positive on Ecclestone's proposal to share the Formula One race with the French. Ecclestone said he put the plan to the BRDC to share the F1 race every other year with the organisers at Magny-Cours.
The French organisers replied positive on Ecclestone's proposal. "We've given them the opportunity and Magny-Cours agreed," Ecclestone told The Times. "Silverstone had the opportunity and said they didn't want to. Silverstone stays where they are. We respect our contracts and we'll see what happens when the contract runs out."
If Silverstone wants to keep F1 they will need to carry out a number of improvements, mainly their facilities. "We offered a ten-year alternating deal . . . and all the work they are promising to do, they wouldn't have to do probably for four years," said Ecclestone.
But BRDC's chairman Stuart Rolt told the Times: "We were not able to see how a grand prix every second year works financially — we have to keep the place in a suitable condition for a grand prix — and in terms of staffing. You may be able to let some staff go temporarily and hire them back, but that's a difficult way to run a business."
But Rolt offered the British racing fans a bit of comfort though. "I really can't reassure them after 2009. To me there is a danger that we cannot, or we are somehow unable to, find a way to fund the improvements or there may be a point where the amount of money we have to pay for hosting the Grand Prix becomes untenable."
With so many of the teams on the grid being based so that Silverstone is their local race, and with the race being such a corporate/sponsor event from said teams, you would have thought they would step in and help out a little, and/or maybe like in other countries, the government ploughing in some form of money. Seems that the promises and threats are an annual spat between the 2, but with no real assurances from either. Plans keep getting proposed to modernise the circuit and facilities, additional contracts with Bernie keep getting negotiated, yet the promised work does not really happen at the circuit, saying they dont have the money, yet it is still the most expensive race to attend.
f1racing.net said:
The organisers of the British Grand Prix, the BRDC, did not reject positive on Ecclestone's proposal to share the Formula One race with the French. Ecclestone said he put the plan to the BRDC to share the F1 race every other year with the organisers at Magny-Cours.
The French organisers replied positive on Ecclestone's proposal. "We've given them the opportunity and Magny-Cours agreed," Ecclestone told The Times. "Silverstone had the opportunity and said they didn't want to. Silverstone stays where they are. We respect our contracts and we'll see what happens when the contract runs out."
If Silverstone wants to keep F1 they will need to carry out a number of improvements, mainly their facilities. "We offered a ten-year alternating deal . . . and all the work they are promising to do, they wouldn't have to do probably for four years," said Ecclestone.
But BRDC's chairman Stuart Rolt told the Times: "We were not able to see how a grand prix every second year works financially — we have to keep the place in a suitable condition for a grand prix — and in terms of staffing. You may be able to let some staff go temporarily and hire them back, but that's a difficult way to run a business."
But Rolt offered the British racing fans a bit of comfort though. "I really can't reassure them after 2009. To me there is a danger that we cannot, or we are somehow unable to, find a way to fund the improvements or there may be a point where the amount of money we have to pay for hosting the Grand Prix becomes untenable."
With so many of the teams on the grid being based so that Silverstone is their local race, and with the race being such a corporate/sponsor event from said teams, you would have thought they would step in and help out a little, and/or maybe like in other countries, the government ploughing in some form of money. Seems that the promises and threats are an annual spat between the 2, but with no real assurances from either. Plans keep getting proposed to modernise the circuit and facilities, additional contracts with Bernie keep getting negotiated, yet the promised work does not really happen at the circuit, saying they dont have the money, yet it is still the most expensive race to attend.
I'm not surprised they are considering alternating Grands Prix every other year. There are lots of countries who want to get into F1 with their own race, and there are only so many races they can fit on the calendar. I wouldn't mind if, for example, the European GP moved around the continent, perhaps making a stop at Brands one year.
It's good for F1 to go to more varied circuits, in more locations and conditions. I'd like to see the British Grand Prix on there every year, but if other countries are investing in circuits with superior facilities, it's unfair to keep them off the calendar.
The real problem is, other countries' governments see the benefit of funding a world-class motorsport venue. Ours just leaves it to rot, then tags along for a nice junket where they can walk around the grid and 'show their support' every year.
It's good for F1 to go to more varied circuits, in more locations and conditions. I'd like to see the British Grand Prix on there every year, but if other countries are investing in circuits with superior facilities, it's unfair to keep them off the calendar.
The real problem is, other countries' governments see the benefit of funding a world-class motorsport venue. Ours just leaves it to rot, then tags along for a nice junket where they can walk around the grid and 'show their support' every year.
D-Angle said:
I wouldn't mind if, for example, the European GP moved around the continent, perhaps making a stop at Brands one year.
You really don't want F1 anywhere near Brands. The changes demanded by DTM (Bloody Fences !!!) are bad enough but bringing it up to F1 standard would turn it into another fence-city like Silverstone and cost a bloody fortune which Dr P would claw back by raising prices all round.
As for Bernie. Give it a rest you odious little gnome, the tune is getting boring.
there doesn't seem to be a sense of history in modern F1.
to me there should a core of countries that are historically involved in F1, that should be allowed to have a F1 race no matter what. you could then spread the other races around the world.
either that or have a european F1 championship, run in conjunction with the world championship.
to me there should a core of countries that are historically involved in F1, that should be allowed to have a F1 race no matter what. you could then spread the other races around the world.
either that or have a european F1 championship, run in conjunction with the world championship.
Absolutely eccles.
F1 sold its soul many years ago - and it is currently selling its heartland and birthright down the river. Go ahead Bernie, take your circus to the highest bidders. Most of us are losing interest anyway. I'm not worried if 1 billion Chinese tune into some Far Eastern version of F1 - it won't have any connection with the F1 I grew up with or the legacy of Grand Prix reacing which dates back to 1906.
F1 sold its soul many years ago - and it is currently selling its heartland and birthright down the river. Go ahead Bernie, take your circus to the highest bidders. Most of us are losing interest anyway. I'm not worried if 1 billion Chinese tune into some Far Eastern version of F1 - it won't have any connection with the F1 I grew up with or the legacy of Grand Prix reacing which dates back to 1906.
monkeyhanger said:
D-Angle said:
I wouldn't mind if, for example, the European GP moved around the continent, perhaps making a stop at Brands one year.
You really don't want F1 anywhere near Brands. The changes demanded by DTM (Bloody Fences !!!) are bad enough but bringing it up to F1 standard would turn it into another fence-city like Silverstone and cost a bloody fortune which Dr P would claw back by raising prices all round.
As for Bernie. Give it a rest you odious little gnome, the tune is getting boring.
The pit paddock size requirement for the current F1 circus would require such a huge re-construction of the circuit it isn't a financial viability. Having the main paddock on the outside of the track is a complication for non-F1 users and wouldn't work or be accepted for F1. look how they have recently re-modelled the Monaco pit complex to take the pit requirement up to size and avoid the need for additional off track areas. This is using real estate in what must be one of the most expensive plots of land in the world, but the city-state recognises how much the race does to keep Monaco in the publics eye - and they are not short of a bob or two.
At Brands, Cooper Straight would need to be moved right up to the south bank (aka the knife edge), destroying the exit from Druids, all of Graham Hill & Surtees corners etc. Effectively the Indy circuit as we know and love it would have to be re-modelled for one race a decade.
What would be a beter scenario would be GP Masters at Brands - now that would be worth the entry price.
I would prefer F1 (in its current guise) to sod off. It marches around the world ORDERING tracks to change to suit their needs and then, when the circuit has spent millions complying with Bernie's wishes, buggers off to some other venue leaving the track operators bankrupt (Spa, the A1 Ring and Hockenheim spring to mind) . From what I can see, F1 is now now having a destructive, cancerous effect on motorsport in general and most countries, from a general motor sport point of view, are better off without Bernie and his circus.
waynepixel said:
I have to admit that I am with Bernie on this one. Sivertone is stuck in the 1960s, the grandstand and pit area are just plain bad. If they cannot find the funds to improve there facilities then maybe F1 would be more suited at Brands Hatch. I now I would like to see F1 back there.
....and who pays for the improvements at Brands? there is no way Brands could hold a GP without some major money being spent on it. everything would need a major overhaul from the pits to the safety barriers through the woods.
bernie has silverstone over a barrel. Silverstone have to comply because if they dont, there is no GP in Britain.
not athat it really matters in F1 these days, but all things considered, where could an F1 car overtake at Brands?!?
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 23 November 12:16
I have to be honest - of all the circuits I've visited in the UK, Silverstone feels the most anodyne and sanitised. If that's what F1 does, then definitely keep it away from Brands.
Plus the viewing (National circuit certainly) isn't that great - there is nowhere you can see any great stretch of the circuit from.
Would I care if the British GP was cancelled? No, as I don't much care about F1 anymore. And THAT is predominantly down to Bernie and Moseley continually mucking about with the sport.
Plus the viewing (National circuit certainly) isn't that great - there is nowhere you can see any great stretch of the circuit from.
Would I care if the British GP was cancelled? No, as I don't much care about F1 anymore. And THAT is predominantly down to Bernie and Moseley continually mucking about with the sport.
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