Donington promoter Simon Gillet claims that Bernie Ecclestone has given the 'green light' to the circuit hosting the 2010 British Grand Prix after meeting up with the F1 supremo at Spa at the weekend.

Gillet claims he visited the Belgian Grand Prix in order to personally assure Ecclestone that McAlpine, one of the UK's biggest construction companies, has begun work on the circuit's £100m upgrade.

"It has been difficult with the global financial markets the way they were but things are very positive now," Gillett told the Express. "Now McAlpine are on site and a huge amount of work is going on."

While the FIA has set April 2010 as the deadline by which time the new pit and garage complex must be complete, Ecclestone has given Donington until the end of this month to get work underway and have the necessary funding in place.

While the construction work has begun, Gillet must now concentrate on the really difficult task, that of selling the thousands of debentures that will bring the money in.

"There is not much I can say at present but soon we will be in a position to go public," said Gillett. "All I can say is that we look forward to having a great British Grand Prix and welcoming F1 to Donington next year."

Emphasising that the September deadline is still in place, Ecclestone told the Express: "We met up and Simon says things are fine. He just needs to get on with the work now to be ready in time."

If things are "fine", the news will come as a bitter blow to Silverstone which held out hope that if it all went pear-shaped at Donington the British round of the World Championship would remain at the Northamptonshire track.

Only last week, members of the British Racing Drivers' Club, which owns Silverstone, voted to allow their board cart blanche in terms of the management of the circuit, a move which many believe will result in foreign investment and a possible name change.