Interesting idea on how to fund the British GP ;)

[skeggysteve]

I can't be the only person on here that reads Joe Saward's blog?

I can't link to the entry because of the way the blog software works but on 18th Nov Joe wrote a bit titled "Fun and games with a calculator".

Basically he was saying, with tounge in cheek, that if Ross Brawn, Nick Fry and the 3 other Brawn shareholders have pocketed a big wad of cash from Merc.
Then the British Government will taxed them and that tax income would be enough to make the British Grand Prix happen.

Alright, it was a bit of fun but I wonder how far away from the truth it is.

Please don't reply if all you want to say is that the Government shouldn't pay for the BGP - that's for another thread.

[BarnatosGhost]

if the British GP isn't paying for itself there's something very awry with the finances. It should be a huge cash-cow for everyone. Every other major sporting enterprise generates big returns.

[Alex97]

BarnatosGhost said:

if the British GP isn't paying for itself there's something very awry with the finances. It should be a huge cash-cow for everyone. Every other major sporting enterprise generates big returns.

Yes there is something awry, the fact Bernie asks for so much cash in order to host a GP

[BarnatosGhost]

Alex97 said:

BarnatosGhost said:

if the British GP isn't paying for itself there's something very awry with the finances. It should be a huge cash-cow for everyone. Every other major sporting enterprise generates big returns.

Yes there is something awry, the fact Bernie asks for so much cash in order to host a GP

Well, its Bernie's ball, and if he doesn't get to be Roman Abramovic, he can take it home.

And if we don't want to play with Bernie, we don't have to.

Such a shame that A1GP didn't realise it's early promise.

[andyps]

BarnatosGhost said:

Alex97 said:

BarnatosGhost said:

if the British GP isn't paying for itself there's something very awry with the finances. It should be a huge cash-cow for everyone. Every other major sporting enterprise generates big returns.

Yes there is something awry, the fact Bernie asks for so much cash in order to host a GP

Well, its Bernie's ball, and if he doesn't get to be Roman Abramovic, he can take it home.

And if we don't want to play with Bernie, we don't have to.

Such a shame that A1GP didn't realise it's early promise.

We don't have to play with Bernie (what a horrible image that creates) but unfortunately, as the representative of CVC who hold the commercial rights to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship is there is to be a British GP it is Bernie who will award it. He has no obligation to hold a Grand Prix in Britain, he has an obligation to maximise the return on behalf of CVC which means negotiating a deal for the British GP in a competitive environment.

Not saying I think that is they way I think it should be, but it is the reality we have.

Interesting idea by Joe Saward, a similar argument to that which was probably put forward by car manufacturers in relation to the scrappage scheme which is at worst revenue neutral for the government in terms of VAT. Can Silverstone do the same?

[zac510]

Bernie is talking about a 17 year contract for Silverstone is he not? I doubt you could convince the broke Govt to sign up for funding for 17 years. One, maybe, but 17?

[BarnatosGhost]

Sadly F1 has more in common with the X-Factor than it does with world-class sports.

Its one man's possession, and he can do whatever he wants with it.

[Rollcage]

BarnatosGhost said:

if the British GP isn't paying for itself there's something very awry with the finances. It should be a huge cash-cow for everyone. Every other major sporting enterprise generates big returns.

I think there are only two people/organisations that have made significant money from the British GP, and one of them was not the hosting circuit, and has not been for many, many years.

(Didnt Tom Wheatcroft reckon he lost £3 million by holding the European GP at Donny?)

Edited by Rollcage on Saturday 21st November 23:20