According to an unsubstantiated report in the Sunday Express, Bernie Ecclestone has given Donington five weeks in which to find the required £80m funding it needs to update the circuit or face losing the British Grand Prix.

Almost since Ecclestone announced the decision to move the race to Donington - announced deliberately on the Friday of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 2008 - there has been serious concern as to how Simon Gillett's Donington Park Ventures would come up with the money... and that was before the recession.

Despite Gillet's constant claims that all is well, however, the sceptics have insisted that the Donington venture is doomed to failure and always was.

Now, Ecclestone, concerned that time is rapidly running out if Britain is to host a Grand Prix next year, is said to have given Gillet one month to secure the necessary financing.

In the meantime the infighting at Silverstone continues, ahead of an Extraordinary General Meeting on Tuesday (25th August) of the British Racing Drivers' Club when members are to be asked to pass a resolution that will give the directors of the Company carte blanche in 'disposing' of the circuit, either by long lease or sale, without any ratification from the members.

As previously reported on Pitpass, it has been claimed that a deal is allegedly already in place which would almost certainly see a Middle Eastern wealth fund take control of Silverstone for allegedly little financial benefit to the BRDC.

There are some who say that such a deal would not only have the blessing of, but has all the hallmarks of, a certain gentleman short in stature but big in terms of power and influence.