Jump to content


Photo

Future Of British Grand Prix At Silverstone At Risk


  • Please log in to reply
21 replies to this topic

#1 mab01uk

mab01uk

    Moved Into The Garage

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 11,779 posts
  • Local Club: Mini Cooper Register

Posted 05 January 2017 - 11:05 PM

Future of British Grand Prix at Silverstone at risk over 'potentially ruinous' costs
"The last Grand Prix held at Silverstone in July 2016 attracted 139,000 fans to the circuit and was won in dramatic circumstances by a British driver, three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
It was an organisers' dream but the event still "fell short of budget". The same race in 2015 ended up costing Silverstone £2 million."
http://www.itv.com/n...-ruinous-costs/

A return to Brands Hatch  :mrcool:  ........or Donnington perhaps?

 

Bernie Ecclestone, chief executive of the Formula One Group which manages Formula One, said: "If they want to activate a break clause, there is nothing we can do.
"Two other tracks have contacted us and we are keen to keep a British Grand Prix, there is no doubt about it, we want to have one.
"As far as Silverstone is concerned, it's not in our hands."


Edited by mab01uk, 05 January 2017 - 11:09 PM.


#2 the.stroker

the.stroker

    TMF Admin

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 4,348 posts
  • Name: Dan
  • Location: Oxford

Posted 05 January 2017 - 11:26 PM

The only "ruinous costs" are the entry fee, camping fee and food!
Was cheaper for us to travel all the way to Spa for the weekend and camp than it was to travel 30 minutes down the road.

#3 neal

neal

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 318 posts
  • Location: Leicestershire

Posted 05 January 2017 - 11:55 PM

Perhaps if Silverstone has a rest and lets the likes of Brands Hatch and Donington have a go would have a positive effect?

 

Perhaps sharing the load, investments, track improvements, raising track profiles, British motorsport industry etc? I don't know, what do you think??



#4 mab01uk

mab01uk

    Moved Into The Garage

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 11,779 posts
  • Local Club: Mini Cooper Register

Posted 06 January 2017 - 07:11 AM

Brands Hatch is a much better circuit for spectator viewing (much of the circuit is set in a natural bowl) and used to take it in turns to host the Grand Prix with Silverstone on alternate years.



#5 mister bridger

mister bridger

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Traders
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 909 posts
  • Location: Hastings

Posted 06 January 2017 - 09:32 AM

I agree Brands is the best from a spectator point of view but it simply doesn't have the necessary run off areas for F1



#6 jamesmpi

jamesmpi

    Camshaft & Stage Two Head

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,940 posts
  • Location: Chichester
  • Local Club: Abingdon Mini Owners Club

Posted 06 January 2017 - 09:52 AM

Isn't there a plan for it to go to the new track in wales?

Edit - speak of the devil...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport/£425m-circuit-wales-project-back-track-extreme-partnership

Edited by jamesmpi, 06 January 2017 - 09:57 AM.


#7 Cooperman

Cooperman

    Uncle Cooperman, Voted Mr TMF 2011

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 23,014 posts
  • Location: Cambs.
  • Local Club: MCR, HAMOC, Chelmsford M.C.

Posted 06 January 2017 - 10:52 AM

I have a good friend who is a director of the BRDC who own the circuit. The amount Bernie and his buddies charge to have it is so high that for the circuit owners it makes a loss, but it's great for you Bernie, Max etc al.
Very sad but probably inevitable.

#8 Carlos W

Carlos W

    Mine is purple, but I have been told that's normal

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 10,110 posts
  • Location: Sittingbourne, Kent

Posted 06 January 2017 - 11:01 AM

I don't think Brands has the infrastructure.

It has a couple of grand stands but nothing like Silverstone and it certainly doesn't have parking for 50,000 cars

#9 jamesmpi

jamesmpi

    Camshaft & Stage Two Head

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,940 posts
  • Location: Chichester
  • Local Club: Abingdon Mini Owners Club

Posted 06 January 2017 - 12:18 PM

I don't think Brands has the infrastructure.

It has a couple of grand stands but nothing like Silverstone and it certainly doesn't have parking for 50,000 cars


I agree. Look at how much flack silverstone got when the car parks flooded a few years a go. Brands, even though has the history, does not have infrastructure to handle the volume of people required to cover the costs of holding the event.

Plus Silverstone doesn't receive any subsidies from the government unlike other countries.

There was talk of a street track around London but I can't see that working either

#10 Carlos W

Carlos W

    Mine is purple, but I have been told that's normal

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 10,110 posts
  • Location: Sittingbourne, Kent

Posted 06 January 2017 - 12:30 PM

 

I don't think Brands has the infrastructure.

It has a couple of grand stands but nothing like Silverstone and it certainly doesn't have parking for 50,000 cars


I agree. Look at how much flack silverstone got when the car parks flooded a few years a go. Brands, even though has the history, does not have infrastructure to handle the volume of people required to cover the costs of holding the event.

Plus Silverstone doesn't receive any subsidies from the government unlike other countries.

There was talk of a street track around London but I can't see that working either

 

I went to BTCC at Brands last year, and it was a fantastic event, but we queued for over an hour to get out the car park. 



#11 mab01uk

mab01uk

    Moved Into The Garage

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 11,779 posts
  • Local Club: Mini Cooper Register

Posted 06 January 2017 - 12:58 PM

Looks like back in September Brands Hatch and MSV said they would like to bid for and take over control of the Silverstone circuit....

Brands Hatch owner on track for Silverstone bid

http://www.telegraph...ilverstone-bid/

BBC Sport news says....
"Silverstone - almost alone among grands prix - receives no government funding of any kind.
No other circuit in Britain is even remotely close to being able to replace it - so ignore any suggestions from F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to that end.
The solution lies in new F1 owner Liberty Media, which has made it abundantly clear it wants to retain and nurture the historic European races, home of the sport's core audience, as a bedrock of its new-look F1.
Liberty will complete its takeover deal before the end of the first quarter of this year. So expect some time between then and this year's British Grand Prix on 16 July a compromise deal that revises the terms of the contract and secures the race's future."
http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/38526002


Edited by mab01uk, 06 January 2017 - 12:58 PM.


#12 jamesmpi

jamesmpi

    Camshaft & Stage Two Head

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,940 posts
  • Location: Chichester
  • Local Club: Abingdon Mini Owners Club

Posted 06 January 2017 - 01:38 PM

And rightly so. The core enthusiasts that regularly watch F1 know that without key European circuits then F1 won't be worth watching like Spa, Silverstone, Monza, Monaco

#13 Orange-Phantom

Orange-Phantom

    Super Mini Mad

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 614 posts

Posted 06 January 2017 - 10:15 PM

I'd love to see the F1 back at Brands, unfortunately I'd suspect that the whole track would end up being changed to pander to the new breed of F1, the whole circuit would end up being sanitised and then it wouldn't be Brands Hatch.



#14 Mini ManannĂ¡n

Mini ManannĂ¡n

    Well I'll be buggered if I can find it

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,824 posts
  • Location: Middle of the Irish Sea
  • Local Club: man Estate

Posted 12 January 2017 - 01:13 PM

MSV have just 'acquired' Donnington: http://www.crash.net...ngton-park.html  No doubt JP will be pushing for F1 there.  Personally I can't wait, Silverstone is such a dull circuit, circuits need hills!



#15 Northernpower

Northernpower

    Mr. 7-Port

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,409 posts
  • Name: Graham
  • Location: North Yorkshire (God's County)
  • Local Club: Its out there somewhere

Posted 12 January 2017 - 03:47 PM

If ever F1 becomes competitive and entertaining again I'd like to see it at Donnington or Brands, anywhere other than Silverstone. Having seen plenty of racing at all three of these circuits it makes for much greater racing when there is elevation change and also it certainly helps with spectator viewing. Silverstone may have plenty of history but that doesn't make it better, just they had more money (or not, as it would appear) to host it.


Edited by Northernpower, 12 January 2017 - 03:48 PM.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users