Share

Silverstone tells F1: Cut fees or lose British GP

England - The heartland of Formula 1 will lose its home race from 2020 unless Silverstone is handed a cheaper deal to stage the British Grand Prix.

Despite seven of the 10 teams being based in Britain and Silverstone attracting the biggest crowds in the sport, the circuit has told F1 owner Liberty Media that escalating race fees have made the historic race unsustainable.

Silverstone on Tuesday activated a break clause in the contract that was signed in 2009 when the British GP was last under threat, providing two years' notice of its intention to walk away from F1.

British GP: Could London host an F1 street race?

Losing Silverstone would deprive the series of a huge dose of its heritage, given that the former airfield first staged an F1 race in 1948 and the opened the inaugural world championship season two years later.

"We don't have infinite resources to keep on subsidizing the Grand Prix and it's wrong to do that," British Racing Drivers' Club chairman John Grant told The Associated Press as the circuit was being prepared for Sunday's race.

"We only have one opportunity to bring it to a stop, legally. We have this one opportunity to exercise the break clause and we have to do it today."

The BRDC reported losses in 2015 of £2.8-million and £4.8-million in 2016. Race fees rise 5% and will hit £16.2-million for this weekend's race. The race organizers said the fee will have leapt to £25-million by 2026 — the last year of the current contract.


Brands hatch, City of London...Where do you think F1 should host the British GP? Email us.
 F1 came under new ownership earlier this year when US sports and entertainment firm Liberty bought out investment fund CVC Capital Partners. Liberty said Tuesday it is focused on preserving the race and promised to "carry on negotiating with the promoter in good faith and in private to reach a fair and equitable solution."

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was less diplomatic, saying he was "amazed" the break clause had been triggered and questioning the circuit's leadership.

Horner, whose team is based nearby in Milton Keynes, said: "They have now realized that they can't afford it despite having a full house every year. They either should not have signed it in the first place or they got their maths wrong. Silverstone gets favorable rates anyway."

Horner seized on the uncertainty over the future of Silverstone as a chance to criticize the layout of the central England circuit.

Horner said: "They spent a fortune on the pits and they put them in the wrong place. They have created a paddock with zero atmosphere at one of the most historic race tracks in the UK, so there has been some serious misjudgment and mismanagement."

The BRDC claims that Silverstone is the most popular stop on the F1 calendar, with 350 000 attending a race weekend. Grant hopes that Liberty recognizes that the F1 brand is underpinned by the traditional races.

Grant said: "You can't just go to a bunch of new video game circuits and pretend the fans are going to remain interested and pay." 

Many newer circuits benefit from government funding, including in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Silverstone would be keen on similar financial support given the status of the race. Grant said the British GP was the "halo" of a British motorsport industry he said is worth Grant said £10.5-billion a year, employs 45 000 people and exports more than 75% of its output.

Grant said: "We think there is a great national interest in preserving (the race). It will continue to create wealth for the UK, so there are arguments we could demand support but the government has to come to its own conclusion on that."

The government's focus is currently on preparing for the country's planned exit from the European Union in 2019 - the last year Silverstone will stage a race unless a new deal is cut.

For Grant, the event just the type of "big flag carrier for the UK" that government is trying to promote to attract investment post-Brexit.

Grant said"At this particular time I think it is important to demonstrate that we are doing things the UK is really good at, and this is one. I wouldn't want to get into Brexit politics but absolutely the timing is right to reinforce the message about Silverstone."

Check out the infographic below: 


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()