Overheat
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After much acrimony, a five-year deal has been signed between the British Racing Drivers' Club - owners of the Silverstone circuit - and Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone to secure the future of the British Grand Prix. The race will be hosted at Silverstone for at least the next five years, and it will appear in the official FIA calendar for 2005, to be ratified tomorrow by the FIA. The calendar will also include the threatened French Grand Prix, giving a total of 19 events next year.
BRDC chairman Ray Bellm said today: "The terms of the agreement will remain confidential, but the agreement entered into, I believe, is in the best interests of the Club, the circuit, its businesses and its future. Securing the promoter's rights to the Grand Prix will enable the Club to plan its future and future development of the circuit in an orderly and well-thought-out and planned basis. It has taken a great deal of time and effort from (the) president, CEO, myself and the board to achieve what I believe to be a solution that maintains the oldest Grand Prix in history on the calendar for the future."
Minister for Sports Richard Caborn added that keeping the Grand Prix in Britain would boost the UK motorsport industry, and particularly businesses in the Silverstone area; the BRDC is working with the government to establish a 'centre of excellence' for motorsport at Silverstone. "We have been working with the East Midlands Development Agency and the local authority to develop this industrial cluster at Silverstone", he said. "This should not only secure the long-term future of all the teams operating out of the UK but will give the opportunity for others to join."
BRDC chairman Ray Bellm said today: "The terms of the agreement will remain confidential, but the agreement entered into, I believe, is in the best interests of the Club, the circuit, its businesses and its future. Securing the promoter's rights to the Grand Prix will enable the Club to plan its future and future development of the circuit in an orderly and well-thought-out and planned basis. It has taken a great deal of time and effort from (the) president, CEO, myself and the board to achieve what I believe to be a solution that maintains the oldest Grand Prix in history on the calendar for the future."
Minister for Sports Richard Caborn added that keeping the Grand Prix in Britain would boost the UK motorsport industry, and particularly businesses in the Silverstone area; the BRDC is working with the government to establish a 'centre of excellence' for motorsport at Silverstone. "We have been working with the East Midlands Development Agency and the local authority to develop this industrial cluster at Silverstone", he said. "This should not only secure the long-term future of all the teams operating out of the UK but will give the opportunity for others to join."
