03/07/2007
NEWS STORY
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Just days before the Formula One 'circus' pays its annual visit to Silverstone - host of the first ever World Championship Formula One Grand Prix in 1950 - FIA President Max Mosley has given his strongest warning yet that the Northamptonshire venue is in danger of losing its place on the calendar.
Talking to Caroline Reid of the Daily Express, Mosley warned that the club's owner's - the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) - must find the necessary funding to bring the circuit and its facilities up to date, or risk losing the race.
"Either business, or the government, puts the money in or they will lose the Grand Prix," he said. "I don't think there's any doubt they will lose it if they don't."
At present the track has a contract until 2009, but after that it is entirely possible that unless the circuit meets the demands of Formula One Management the track could follow the way of Imola, Suzuka and Magny-Cours. With no viable alternative track - at least at present - there is every likelihood that Britain could lose its round of the World Championship for the first time since 1950. Ironically, this comes at a time when British youngster Lewis Hamilton is leading the World Championship.
Like F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Mosley feels that the stumbling block is the BRDC, which Ecclestone effectively sees as a bunch of 'old boys in blazers', unable - or unwilling - to come to terms with the demands of the sport in the 21st century. Like Ecclestone, Mosley feels that change is needed.
"The BRDC should have sold the rights to somebody commercial and let them get on with it," he said. "But getting a lot of old gentlemen running it, it's a nice idea but it doesn't work."
The war of words has existed for some time, and in all honesty some have long grown tired of the constant sniping. That said, the threat to the future of the race is real, and without the Grand Prix - as we have seen at other circuits - it is doubtful whether Silverstone could survive. Then again, many feel that it is wrong for a business to focus much of its effort and resources on one annual event.
Despite talk of takeovers, masterplans and government subsidies, that has all it has remained, talk, and now Ecclestone and CVC, who have numerous other countries eager to join the F1 calendar, are turning up the heat.
If Silverstone is to retain its place on the calendar the money has to be in place and work on the circuit underway, before Ecclestone will even think of discussing a new deal beyond 2009.
Like Ecclestone, who has had great success persuading (mainly eastern) governments to finance their nations' F1 dream, Mosley believes that the British government should provide financial support for Silverstone - which will probably lead to a raft of politicians doing feasibility studies (also known as junkets) at this weekend's big race.
"It's a traditional thing in most western European countries that the government provides sporting facilities," said Mosley," clearly not having checked out the state of Britain's (dwindling) sporting facilities.
"Sorting out the British Grand Prix would cost a fraction of one per cent of the Olympic Games," he added.
In comments exclusive to Pitpass, Mosley warned that the threat to the future of F1 in Britain is real, even though a majority of the teams and their suppliers are based here.
"The UK has no right to a Grand Prix," he said. "You can't have everything running to a certain standard and then one country that's not at that standard, particularly the country which has probably got a greater connection at the moment with Formula One than any other country.
"If the World Championship Grand Prix is not worth to the United Kingdom, one percent of the value of the Olympic Games, then there are a lot of other countries in the world where it is and that's where we will go.
"The world moves on," he added, before making a comment that will surely hit a raw nerve with many in Britain. "The UK lost its car industry and now the Japanese have come in and revitalised it. If you can't keep up you get left behind."
Fact is, despite the enthusiasm from some quarters, not everyone in the UK was supportive of London getting the 2012 Olympics, and with every day that passes many more come to realise that the games are an event that Britain cannot afford for a variety of reasons.
In addition to the fact that costs for the Olympics are now almost five times the original estimate, and rising, there is the fact that the political landscape has changed drastically since the London bid was first made. The games will become the number one target for terrorists in a country which is already at the highest state of alert. The Olympics is not a good yardstick by which to measure the need for investment in a sport which is still seen as elitist and is only currently enjoying mainstream support in the UK thanks to the efforts of one driver.
Finally, and again exclusive to Pitpass, Mosley gave his thought on the idea of expanding the F1 calendar.
"I've always been in favour of 20 races," he said. "If you have too many you start to lose something but where that point comes, I don't think anybody knows. I don't think anybody is talking about any more than 20."