British GP at Donington from 2010! CANCELLED!

[AndyL]

Silverstone or Donington? I was on about Silverstone.

Sorry I thought you were referring to Donington.

[turneroptics]

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/British-Grand-Prix-visitors-face-90-minute-hike/article-1333036-detail/article.html

The detailed and environmentally friendly access plan is beginning to become clear!

You want to go the circuit? You walk!

First GP in years I have no intention of going to.

[Dave B]

What's the difference between the Donington management and an Airfix model with no adhesive?

One's a glueless kit...

[SGWilko]

What's the difference between the Donington management and an Airfix model with no adhesive?

One's a glueless kit...

I'll raise my manbag to that one!!!!!!!!

[UltimateDanGTR]

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/British-Grand-Prix-visitors-face-90-minute-hike/article-1333036-detail/article.html

The detailed and environmentally friendly access plan is beginning to become clear!

You want to go the circuit? You walk!

First GP in years I have no intention of going to.

this is one place that tilke dromes have an advantage.........

[SGWilko]

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/British-Grand-Prix-visitors-face-90-minute-hike/article-1333036-detail/article.html

The detailed and environmentally friendly access plan is beginning to become clear!

You want to go the circuit? You walk!

First GP in years I have no intention of going to.

So Bernie spends years banging on at Silverstone about road access, and he goes and does a deal with a track a thousand times worse.

Show me the money. :laugh:

[Knock-on]

Personally I don't care.

It's one weekend a year and if it means I have to get a bus right to the entrance reather than queue in traffic for an hour to get in and then walk half a mile from the car park to get in, then I'm not bothered.

Lets just see how it goes and judge it after but at the moment, I've got my fingers crossed for just about the best circuit in the country.

[Dave B]

Lets just see how it goes and judge it after but at the moment, I've got my fingers crossed for just about the best circuit in the country.
Oulton Park? :confused: :p

[Knock-on]

Oulton Park? :confused: :p

Might have to speak with the farmers about the run-off areas.

However, being woken up with a hangover by a McLaren roaring down towards Lodge, 3 meters from your tent, would be something else :D

[blito]

hehe in which case just try to imagine the same car at cadwell ! man that place is SCARY :D

[ArrowsFA1]

Donington Park chiefs have been given until the end of next week to get their British Grand Prix plans in order, after Bernie Ecclestone agreed to extend an original deadline he had laid down for the track.
Ecclestone told circuit chiefs last month that they had until the end of September to prove they had the funding in place to keep hold of the race, but he has now handed them a few extra days to sort things out.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78810

[Sonic]

Yet another deadline that doesn't do what it says; either you've got the cash or you don't. I reaally wish Bernie would put his finger out and get the GP's venue sorted!

Either that or we end up a Lydden Hill ;)

[Sonic]

Yet another deadline that doesn't do what it says; either you've got the cash or you don't. I reaally wish Bernie would put his finger out and get the GP's venue sorted!

Either that or we end up a Lydden Hill ;)

[Sonic]

So the deadline was today. Anyone heard anything?

[acorn]

"Ecclestone told the Press Association on Friday: "The deadline is this weekend, and we will see what happens on Monday." "

[Sonic]

"Ecclestone told the Press Association on Friday: "The deadline is this weekend, and we will see what happens on Monday." "

I don't know why he's bothering! Even Bernie says if they get the funding together there is no way to get the track built.

[Robinho]

I don't know why he's bothering! Even Bernie says if they get the funding together there is no way to get the track built.

i think that bodes well for Donington, nothing Bernie ever says in the press actually happens! he's not a builder or an engineer and i doubt he has any idea how long things take.

i have to admit it doesn't look good though

[Mark]

Apparently Bernie is now looking to sue Donington. And he's negotiating a new deal with Silverstone. Pitpass reckons, Hill is pushing for a new 10 year deal.

[christophulus]

Donington has ANOTHER two weeks to show it has the money. Surely this can't go on indefinitely...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79404

[UltimateDanGTR]

This Bernie being generous business-err, different. But i think enough is enough now, donny has had so much time already, they have come up with diddly squat and so IMO i think silverstone next year is a certainty now, and the sooner bernie gives up this fruitless time extension the better really, for everyone involved. Promis donny a grand prix in 2011 when funding is secured, but for next year we head back to the home of the british grand prix............

[Sonic]

ARGGGHHH! *Runs out of house. Gets in car. Drives to the top of the nearest mountain. Gets out. Screams till hoarse. Comes home. Bangs head on keyboard* :mad:

[Robinho]

they must be showing Bernie something of merit or he would just take his ball home to Silverstone, that or Donington have got a strong enough contract that Bernie hasn't yet wriggled out of it.

as i see it they probably can't get the money without Bernie saying definitaley yes, and he won't give that yes withoutr proof of the money - i still hope that they can pull it off as i belive the circuit could be something spectacular and that would be good for the future

[wedge]

This Bernie being generous business-err, different. But i think enough is enough now, donny has had so much time already, they have come up with diddly squat and so IMO i think silverstone next year is a certainty now, and the sooner bernie gives up this fruitless time extension the better really, for everyone involved. Promis donny a grand prix in 2011 when funding is secured, but for next year we head back to the home of the british grand prix............

Gillet is becoming more and more of a joke.

Bernie trying to save face from the BRDC

[Mark]

they must be showing Bernie something of merit or he would just take his ball home to Silverstone, that or Donington have got a strong enough contract that Bernie hasn't yet wriggled out of it.


I think Bernie wants to go to Silverstone in 2010 and then to Donington in 2011, but Damon Hill is saying no, they won't accept a one year deal.

[Sonic]

I think Bernie wants to go to Silverstone in 2010 and then to Donington in 2011, but Damon Hill is saying no, they won't accept a one year deal.

And quite right too. Why should Damon Hill, Silverstone and the whole team bend over for Bernard when he has spent the last decade bashing Silverstone. Come on Bernie, accept for once in your life, that you were wrong and give the GP to the only track in the UK worthy of a GP.

Give Silverstone a ten year deal and be done with it.

[I am evil Homer]

Agreed...has to be a Silverstone. The new facilities and pits will be great and you can actually get to the track unlike Donny.

[ArrowsFA1]

Bernie Ecclestone has denied having given Donington a further extension to its deadline, and says the circuit's boss Simon Gillett is breaching his contract.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79409

[Sonic]

Hmmmm. I hope Bernie and Damon are sitting round a table as we speak trashing out a long term deal for Silverstone, ready to be made public in 13 days time.

[Robinho]

right, so Donington do have 14 days, only because thats what the contract says, if they fail then they are in breach and the whole thing goes up in smoke and back to Silverstone we go.

i personally don't rate silverstone as an F1 race track, its too fast, no overtaking oppotuniites unless it rains, but it could be a superb venue - however i'd rather Donington got the work done and we had 2 tracks and venues that were world class and both capable of staging the GP, if that means alternating or maybe 5yrs at a time so be it, but i do think it would be a great shame if Donington are unable to carry out there plans

[BDunnell]

The notion that Ecclestone or anyone else seriously believed that Gillett and co would ever deliver is just beyond me. I cannot think of any fellow F1 enthusiast who shared that optimism.

[Robinho]

The notion that Ecclestone or anyone else seriously believed that Gillett and co would ever deliver is just beyond me. I cannot think of any fellow F1 enthusiast who shared that optimism.

which is a typical sentiment - if it was any other country in the world it would have been done, but this has been driven to the ground by the fans, the media, the sport etc from day one - i honestly thought that they would overcome that, but you don't go about giving out 17yr contracts willy nilly, so the plan was more than feasible, and like so many construction projects fell foul of funding problems due to the credit crunch and subsequent recession - did you know that construction activity is around 5% of what it was 2-3 years ago in the UK.

i am becoming more and more sick of the "can't do" mentality of this country and the laziness of the general populous who'd rather sit on their arses and claim than try to work - this just seems to be another element of this - people would rather read in the Sun that the project has failed and say "i knew it" rather than get behind anything (this isn't directed at your BD)

[BDunnell]

which is a typical sentiment - if it was any other country in the world it would have been done, but this has been driven to the ground by the fans, the media, the sport etc from day one - i honestly thought that they would overcome that, but you don't go about giving out 17yr contracts willy nilly, so the plan was more than feasible, and like so many construction projects fell foul of funding problems due to the credit crunch and subsequent recession - did you know that construction activity is around 5% of what it was 2-3 years ago in the UK.

i am becoming more and more sick of the "can't do" mentality of this country and the laziness of the general populous who'd rather sit on their arses and claim than try to work - this just seems to be another element of this - people would rather read in the Sun that the project has failed and say "i knew it" rather than get behind anything (this isn't directed at your BD)

I can't say I agree with your views here. The specifics of the Donington plan were always unrealistic — right from the start, the timescales were too short, the funding was uncertain and the motivation behind the project, i.e. Bernie's hatred of Silverstone and the BRDC, was wrong.

[Sonic]

I can't say I agree with your views here. The specifics of the Donington plan were always unrealistic — right from the start, the timescales were too short, the funding was uncertain and the motivation behind the project, i.e. Bernie's hatred of Silverstone and the BRDC, was wrong.

I'm with you. The motivation to get out of Silverstone was never about the track or facilities, Bernie just had a grudge for some reason.

The timescale was crazy and surely you need to have funding in place before you go and pitch for the GP??

[wedge]

I can't say I agree with your views here. The specifics of the Donington plan were always unrealistic — right from the start, the timescales were too short, the funding was uncertain and the motivation behind the project, i.e. Bernie's hatred of Silverstone and the BRDC, was wrong.

It's the finances that annoys me.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I can't say I agree with your views here. The specifics of the Donington plan were always unrealistic — right from the start, the timescales were too short, the funding was uncertain and the motivation behind the project, i.e. Bernie's hatred of Silverstone and the BRDC, was wrong.

I don't follow f1 as religiously as I used to, but I have followed the fate of the British GP as I have seen the Bernie act go on far too long. His desire to get out of Silverstone was just irrational. Now he has handed the race to a venue that may not carry it off....looks good on him, even if it is a shame for Donington, which is a place and track that deserved more respect over time than it got.

[AndyRAC]

I don't follow f1 as religiously as I used to, but I have followed the fate of the British GP as I have seen the Bernie act go on far too long. His desire to get out of Silverstone was just irrational. Now he has handed the race to a venue that may not carry it off....looks good on him, even if it is a shame for Donington, which is a place and track that deserved more respect over time than it got.

I'm a bit similar to be honest. As long as Bernie is in charge of the promotion/making money side of the sport - the sporting side will suffer. Classic tracks ditched in favour of bland and boring Tilke-droms, in countries who will pay zillions to get a race, all in front of 3 men and a goat!

[harsha]

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/6985866.stm

Change the date from 2007 to 2010, and "Renault World Series" to "Formula One", and you'll have a glipse into the future if Donington pull this off.

interesting but Dave,don't Donington also host rock concerts....isn't there a traffic problem with the rock concerts too

[Mark]

Well the likes of Japan seems to be ok with alternating so I don't see why we can't have it in Britain too. Having one year at Silverstone and the other at Donny would be ideal IMO.

[harsha]

I wouldn't mind an f1 race @ brands hatch to be honest...that was always my fav track at toca 2 :D

[Sonic]

I wouldn't mind an f1 race @ brands hatch to be honest...that was always my fav track at toca 2 :D

No no no no no no. Thats a hundred kinds of wrong.

[MrJan]

I can't say I agree with your views here. The specifics of the Donington plan were always unrealistic — right from the start, the timescales were too short, the funding was uncertain and the motivation behind the project, i.e. Bernie's hatred of Silverstone and the BRDC, was wrong.

Not strictly true. If there had been sufficient funding it's easy to get things built quickly, it just comes at a premium. The problem with timescale comes when you need to keep redesigning and altering specifications to suit a budget. Then you have to keep checking with all parties to make sure everyone is happy, it takes stupid time.

I'm currently working on a job that is costing less that 50k but due to residents arguements and a lack of budget it's taken 2 years of meetings between architects etc. to sort it out and final get to a company starting on site. Even the tender figure has been chopped in half as they couldn't afford most of it and now we're just doing external decs and a bit of velux alterations/replacement rather than the internal decorations they had intended to bring up to standard. If decoration of some flats takes 2 years to organise (even if it was a special case) and squeeze into a budget then it was obvious that, without serious income, the Donnington project was doomed. If only Roman Abramovich liked F1 it'd have been sorted last June.

[Sonic]

So what the hell is this???



Donington Park has launched the financial scheme which it intends to fund much of the massive revamp it is carrying out in preparation for hosting the British Grand Prix.
The Leicestershire circuit has secured the rights to hold the race for 17 years from 2010, but must first complete a comprehensive rebuild of its facilities.
"Donington Holdings Plc, the parent company of Donington Ventures Leisure Limited that operates the Donington Park motor racing circuit, has launched an offering of £135,000,000 aggregate principal amount of first priority senior secured notes due 2016," said a statement from the circuit.
"The Notes are expected to be issued at a discount to the principal amount thereof. Purchasers of Notes will also be able to subscribe for warrants for no additional consideration.
"The offering of the Notes and the Warrants is being made solely by means of a confidential offering memorandum.
"The net proceeds of the offering of Notes, together with a concurrent offering of preference shares, will be used in large part to fund the redevelopment of Donington Park in preparation for the hosting of the Formula One British Grand Prix in 2010."


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79420

I'm no financial expert but the way I read this is "We haven't got the funds...but we're good for them Mr E."

Can anyone shed some light??

[ArrowsFA1]

Can anyone shed some light??
No idea, but this all reminds me of the Mastercard scheme that promised funds for Lola's F1 effort all those years ago :dozey:

[Sonic]

And we all know how well that ended! :rolleyes:

[Sonic]

Having pondered this for a few more minutes this is clearly a knee jerk reaction.

If this was there plan all along, why not go public months ago? Why all the missed deadlines? My feeling is that they have been chasing investment all these months and failed miserably and they've bunged together this scheme in about 20 minutes to try and hold Bernie at bay.

[Mark]

This looks like a rights issue then?

[SGWilko]

This looks like a rights issue then?

Not quite. A rights issue just sells more shares, effectively diluting existing shareholders stock.

What Gillet is doing is effectively hanging a rope round his neck. If he pulls this off, he will notch up interest on the bonds of 15%, plus the addistional 5% bonus. It is the last ditch move of a desperate man.

[Sonic]

What Gillet is doing is effectively hanging a rope round his neck.

An image I'm enjoying.... :p :

[patnicholls]

Not strictly true. If there had been sufficient funding it's easy to get things built quickly, it just comes at a premium. The problem with timescale comes when you need to keep redesigning and altering specifications to suit a budget. Then you have to keep checking with all parties to make sure everyone is happy, it takes stupid time.

I'm currently working on a job that is costing less that 50k but due to residents arguements and a lack of budget it's taken 2 years of meetings between architects etc. to sort it out and final get to a company starting on site. Even the tender figure has been chopped in half as they couldn't afford most of it and now we're just doing external decs and a bit of velux alterations/replacement rather than the internal decorations they had intended to bring up to standard. If decoration of some flats takes 2 years to organise (even if it was a special case) and squeeze into a budget then it was obvious that, without serious income, the Donnington project was doomed. If only Roman Abramovich liked F1 it'd have been sorted last June.

Sounds very familiar Jan (I worked designing Building Services for three years).

I don't think the timescale was particularly unreasonable - Portimao went from nothing to complete [as one of the world's best circuits] in under ten months although admittedly it's easier when you're starting from scratch rather than modifying an existing facility, there aren't any events to get in the way of construction and you've got an awful lot of money to do it with as the Parkalgar organisation have. Physically, it could have been/could be done at Donington.

There are clearly many things wrong though, like the lack of money (why do anything before you've got funding if you know you can't or are unlikely to complete?), public cynicism and armchair punditry (I now win a hypocrite's award!) etc being amongst those.

I'd also say that at a base level the plans for what they want to do look(ed) ridiculous - it's a tight facility with hills in the middle of it that basically would need to be leveled to build the new loop, removing an enormous spectator bank on the inside of the circuit looking down over the Craner Curves (the best bit). About five or six years ago I read an article where Neil Hodgson (2003 World Superbike Champion) was give free reign on what he'd hypothetically do to redesign the end of the Donington lap to make it better and the idea he came up with was both better and a lot more physically do-able than the scheme they came up with (he made the Melbourne Loop longer and faster, outside the confines of the current circuit but only using about half a square mile of what is currently flat grassy car park).

Personally, I don't know what happens next but some end to this needs to be found. The likelihood is I'll be hunting down Simon Gillett with a big stick, though.

[Dave B]

Lottery tickets would be a safer investment.

Photocopied fake lottery tickets, printed with invisible ink, bearing the words "specimen, this is not a lottery ticket, Mr Banker do not honour", that self-destructed Mission: Impossible style as soon as you read them.

[SGWilko]

Lottery tickets would be a safer investment.

Photocopied fake lottery tickets, printed with invisible ink, bearing the words "specimen, this is not a lottery ticket, Mr Banker do not honour", that self-destructed Mission: Impossible style as soon as you read them.

Or a DoDo stud!

[Dave B]

They think it's all over....




Donington Park's hopes of staging the British Grand Prix from 2010 look to be over after the operators' latest fund-raising attempts fell through.

Earlier this month Donington launched a bond issue in an attempt to raise £135m, but that has now been withdrawn.

Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8300268.stm

[SGWilko]

They think it's all over....



Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8300268.stm

Are some of the crowd on the pitch?

[christophulus]

About time for Bernie to crawl back to Silverstone then! Real shame they couldn't pull it off though, sounded very promising.

[Alfa Fan]

It leaves Donington absolutely f*cked though doesn't it? Presumabely no more racing.

[ArrowsFA1]

Well, Donington Park had until midday today to sort out its financial planning for the British Grand Prix...

[Dave B]

They'd better not be granted yet another deadline extension - we need this sorted out one way or another immediately. It's not fair on Silverstone, and it's not fair on race fans who wish to plan ahead.

[Mark]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8300268.stm

Looks like time is up!

[philipbain]

An interesting development regarding the future of Donnington (which is pretty much a building site) is that it seems likely now that the company leasing the circuit will default on the lease (as happened earlier on in the season) and control will be handed back to the Wheatcroft family. As for the half finished excavations on the infield, one would assume that this will have to be sorted out, but by whom will no doubt be in the small print of the lease deal. Personally i'd like to see the track restored to how it was before this whole sorry saga happened, the Dunlop bridge put back up and the infield restored to the large spectator areas that offer great views of the track.

[Mark]

It's looking like it'll be a complete disaster for Donington. I wonder if they'll end up going bust over this?

Perhaps they will and be sold off by the creditors, to Silverstone :D

[UltimateDanGTR]

bernie says F1 doesnt need a british grand prix, but that is totally wrong IMO. Like France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and to some extent Brazil, Its a main stay grand prix that should not be taken away! Ever!

but hopefully a deal will be done and we go back to silverstone, hopefully the BRDC will do us brits proud!

[AndyL]

Perhaps they will and be sold off by the creditors, to Silverstone :D

More likely MSV, I bet Jonathan Palmer would like to have Donington in his stable.

[Dave B]

More likely MSV, I bet Jonathan Palmer would like to have Donington in his stable.
I'd like that too. Dr P has a track record (ha ha, track, geddit? :p : ) of investing properly in his circuits. If the Donington management go bust and can't pay their rent to the Wheatcrofts then I can't think of a better person to step in.

[Somebody]

Thing is, how much work (read: money) will it take to make Donington raceable again now? Not even the deluxe upgrade package required to host an F1 race, just repairs enough to get things going again.

[ArrowsFA1]

Just a day after it seemed Donington Park's hopes of hosting the British GP were dead in the water, it now appears that all is not lost after Simon Gillett managed to raise the necessary funds.

According to the Daily Express, Donington chief executive Gillett transferred the outstanding £12million they had to pay the Formula One management company before the deadline expired.
http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5656668,00.html

:crazy:

[MrJan]

So Gillett plucks £12m out of the air? Sounds fairly shady to me:


I understand. You found paradise in Donnington, you had a good idea, you made a good living. Bernie protected you and there were banks. And you didn't need a friend like me. But uh, now you come to me and you say - 'Don Corleone, give me money.' But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me Godfather. Instead, you come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married, and you, uh, ask me to bail you out

[I am evil Homer]

£12m with no guarantee of a GP either....shows how mad F1 has become

[UltimateDanGTR]

£12m with no guarantee of a GP either....shows how mad F1 has become

when was it not mad?

[Dave B]

I'll believe it when I see it. All this latest news does is buy Donington a few more weeks before they admit yet another failure, all the time scuppering Silverstone's chances and with it the fate of the British Grand Prix.

[ArrowsFA1]

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed Donington's hopes of hosting the British Grand Prix next year are over after the circuit failed to raise the funds to complete its redevelopment plans.

Ecclestone insisted he is still in talks with Silverstone to reach a deal for the 2010 race and suggested the ball was on the British track's court.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79826

[Dave B]

...it is now.

A shame, but at least everybody knows where they stand now and Silverstone can get on with hammering out a deal - hopefully.

[UltimateDanGTR]

...it is now.

A shame, but at least everybody knows where they stand now and Silverstone can get on with hammering out a deal - hopefully.

in theory. If there is no British GP next year, it will be a travesty. just like the travesty of no French or american grands prix....

But thats Bernie. :rolleyes: Hopefully, a deal will be done. and really, anyone surprised that Donnington isnt happening?

[Dave B]

I'd actually put up with there not being a 2010 British GP *if* it gave Silverstone some time to upgrade its facilities and put in place some solid financial guarantees so that it would keep the GP for the forseeable future.

Todt has pledged to look at the French GP situation (but please Jean, not Mangy Cours!), and hopefully he'd be willing to do the same for Silverstone if necessary.

[ArrowsFA1]

...anyone surprised that Donnington isnt happening?
Sadly, what's happened to Donington is what many predicted when the move was announced so tactfully at the British GP last year. There were doubts then that this wouldn't happen and hey presto...it won't be happening!

The worry is that Donington was simply used by Bernie as a stick to get Silverstone to agree to his terms, with the alternative being no British GP. We now have Bernie saying he wants a British GP and that a deal can be done with Silverstone. I certainly hope so.

[UltimateDanGTR]

Sadly, what's happened to Donington is what many predicted when the move was announced so tactfully at the British GP last year. There were doubts then that this wouldn't happen and hey presto...it won't be happening!

The worry is that Donington was simply used by Bernie as a stick to get Silverstone to agree to his terms, with the alternative being no British GP. We now have Bernie saying he wants a British GP and that a deal can be done with Silverstone. I certainly hope so.

i hope so to. and quite frankly, i hope Jean Todt will have a word to bernie about his money grabbing and stupid ways.

and hopefully like Dave said Jean will get involved with the French GP situation, most probably at the new circuit near paris which is currently in construction and the name of which i forget.

[Dave B]

I also hope that Donington hasn't been ruined for other series, but judging by the pictures here (http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/gallery.php?catID=4280)there's plenty of work to be done. :(

http://images.gpupdate.net/large/139577.jpg

[Dave B]

Bernie has just told the BBC's Theodore Slotover that Silverstone have already been offered a better deal than anybody else, and that it's up to them to find the money or not have the race.

[MrJan]

The worry is that Donington was simply used by Bernie as a stick to get Silverstone to agree to his terms...

That's virtually a given, Bernie is a shrewd little business man and I would have thought that the deal offered to Silverstone is lengthy but extremely harsh

[christophulus]

Oh god - I thought that was a Photoshop-ed picture! There's a lot of work to be done to get that ready for the touring cars.

Glad to see someone changed the thread name to be a bit more accurate. I seem to remember I put a question mark on the end originally.. quite appropriate it seems :)

[truefan72]

well I think given the curren economic climate, it is Bernie who has gambled and los. No British GP in 2010 is going to be a huge stain on F1 and hopefully a trunig pointin the ridivculous dealing sof Bernie. Perhaps the fIA will decide to negotiate the deal themsleves without Bernie.

First Canada gets to come back to the calendar at a reasonable rate, i suspect Silverstone will follow, and then the Germans will follow suit and negotiate a better rate.

The era of super-pricey, money squeezing, highly unreasonable, financially unreasonable F1 deals is coming to a close. If that means no F1 in England next year to drive home the point, then I can live with that. Just like FOTA, I think that many of these tracks need to organize some sort of association in order to position themselves stronger and finally make proper demands of Bernie's mads schemes.

This credit Bernie gets for making F1 a premiere series (again) has now run out.

[Dave B]

Bernie's given Silverstone 48 hours to put up or shut up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/nov/05/bernie-ecclestone-silverstone-2010

Tick, tock, Clarice...

[Mark]

So Silverstone is faced with having F1 and being financially crippled because of it. Or not having F1 in the UK at all. :mark:

[ArrowsFA1]

Bernie's given Silverstone 48 hours to put up or shut up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/nov/05/bernie-ecclestone-silverstone-2010

Tick, tock, Clarice...
A pretty typical Bernie-type stance :dozey: I'm guessing both F1 and Silverstone want this sorted from the point of view of the 2010 calendar and tickets.

From what Damon Hill was saying on the Beeb's red button after the race a comparatively small amount of money can make a big difference to whether the race is viable for Silverstone or not. I'm hoping a few quid doesn't break the deal!

[UltimateDanGTR]

bernie has built F1. no question. he has raised the profile of F1 significantly and made the whole thing better for the teams involved etc.

but, the silverstone debacle is proof he has gone too far. why should any track pay the ridiculous prices bernie charges? and then that HAS to be put on the fans to keep the tracks in business, which means lower attendances.

bernie has lost it. hes a hinderence. its one reason why we have ended up with dull tracks for dull races-most located in asia.

the collapse of F1 would certainly be no bad thing for grand prix racing.

[truefan72]

all this turmoil makes me wish that FOTa had stuck to their guns and formed a breakaway series.

With revenue sharing and transparent contracts, a nice mix of old an new tracks and a fan friendly reasonable rate for attendance to sells out every venue. As of right now we have a series that is too pricey for the fans, completely unbalanced in terms of revenues for the teams, secretive contracts, ever changing draconian regulations, and many self inflicted wounds that scare off major sponsors. ( both spy gate and crash gate were unnecessary investigations IMO). So now we are left with useless new entries that only got there on the cheap and through blackmail, and cars that inspire little and still don't promote overtaking.

Now we have tracks pulling out, the only tire supplier pulling out, 3 prestigious teams pulling out ( with maybe Renault joining them) and a driver asked to not drive for the sum of $45million. And a team that won the WDC and WCC by dubious methods.

[Dave B]

Quelle surprise :rolleyes: :



The company which held the lease over the Donington Park motor racing circuit has entered administration.

The affairs of Donington Ventures Leisure Limited (“DVLL&#8221 ;) are being handled by partners Nigel Price, John Kelly and James Martin from the Birmingham office of corporate recovery specialists Begbies Traynor.

...

Mr Price said Begbies Traynor was still assessing how much was owed to creditors.

Full story: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/donington-company-going-into-administration/

[slinkster]

I am gutted for Donnington. Seeing it bulldozed and empty... and now broke. I've been going to that track since I was tiny. I really hope it can be restored to it's former glory. It was a lovely, fan-friendly track and I have my fingers crossed all will come good in the end.

[ioan]

all this turmoil makes me wish that FOTa had stuck to their guns and formed a breakaway series.

Fully agree.

[Mark]

I am gutted for Donnington. Seeing it bulldozed and empty... and now broke. I've been going to that track since I was tiny. I really hope it can be restored to it's former glory. It was a lovely, fan-friendly track and I have my fingers crossed all will come good in the end.

Yeah, what a disaster! Hopefully someone like MSV will take over the track and bring it back to its former glory.

As you say it has always been quite a good place to spectate with the banking alongside the Craner curves giving an excellent view of the track. Even though when I was last there the road access and toilets were terrible!

Although I have to say, Silverstone is the proper home of Formula 1 in the UK, nowhere else is set up for it properly. Even Donington after the works wouldn't have been to the same standard as Silverstone, despite what Bernie thinks.

[gloomyDAY]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80238

Bernie is really getting on my nerves!

Damon Hill is right that Bernie could care less what happens to the financial stability of Silverstone. Look at how Donington is just one big mess! Legendary tracks are not safe and I'm not a fan of the new tracks either.

Stupid old goat. Here, Bernie, let me demonstrate what I mean:

Silverstone > Singabore
Spa > Dabu Dabi
Monza > Bah(gargling sound)rain
The Ring > Borelencia

[Dave B]

Someone (might have been Joe Saward) pointed out that assuming Ross Brawn and Nick Fry are liable for capital gains tax on the money they'd have made from the Mercedes deal, the money they'd be putting into the treasury would be enough to secure the British Grand Prix for several years to come.

Come on Gordon: you're going to lose anyway, you might as well at least make a few friends before you disappear!

[Dave B]

Give it up, Simon, give it up and go away.


Donington Park still has the potential to host next year's British grand prix, according to the circuit's leasing company's chief executive Simon Gillett.

Full story: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/nov/24/donington-british-grand-prix-simon-gillett

Encouragingly the story does indicate that Silverstone might be on the brink of a new 10-year deal :D

[Sonic]

Jesus H Christ Simon! Does schizophrenia run in the family? Donny is a muddy hole and its all your fault you blithering idiot!

[Dave B]

Monday is decision day, then:


The fate of the British Grand Prix will be announced on Monday, with Silverstone management and track owner the British Racing Drivers' Club scheduling a press conference about the future of the event.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80437

Fingers crossed.

[harsha]

hope silverstone gets it

[PSfan]

Well, looks like some people think its already a done deal:

http://www.singaporegp.org/formula-one/british-grand-prix-silverstone

But then again, that same site is also running a story with the line "It seems that Force India F1 owner Vijay Mallya is going on a hunt for F1 first ever woman driver." So make of it what you will...

[The Pits!]

hope silverstone gets it so they did - for the next 17 years...... hmmm, a bit like donington got it for 10? :)

[555-04Q2]

hope silverstone gets it

So do I :up: One of the top 5 F1 tracks IMO.

[ArrowsFA1]

http://www.donington-park.co.uk/

"The website you have requested is unavailable."

:(

[I am evil Homer]

Much like the track...

[Sonic]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80674

At least the lease now returns to the wheatcroft family - perhaps they can rebuild the circuit at least to allow national and club events next season.

[savage86]

What I am hoping is that no one wanted to deal with Gillet or give him a single penny. So hopefully now they have gone tits up people will be willing to take on the track and deal with the wheatcroft family again.

Bernie really should be the one to fix up the track the evil dwarf. If he was such a good freind of Tom's its the least he can do.

[wedge]

Simon Gillet is an utter 2@

I hope nobody ever does business with that man ever again

[christophulus]

Some good news, hopefully:



Donington Park's owning family has said it is committed to reopening the racetrack as soon as possible following the collapse of its Formula 1 bid and the lease-holding company.

"We have been assessing what is required to put things back as they were. We reckon this will cost in the region of about £600,000, but to get it up to grand prix standard you could add a couple of zeroes.

"We want to get the place operational again. Hopefully we can get up and running again as soon as possible."
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80753

[Mark]

Some good news, hopefully:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80753

Great news. Does anyone know what sort of changes have already been made? Presumably they aren't going to actually put things back 'as they were' but make good as best they can the works that have already been done.

Hopefully the likes of MSV will take it on.

[Sonic]

Glad to hear they are going to return the track to operational status asap - assuming finance xan be secured.

[wedge]

Green shoots for Donny

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/8455199.stm

[ArrowsFA1]

Not really F1-related anymore, but still... http://www.savedonington.co.uk/

[Sonic]

Not really F1-related anymore, but still... http://www.savedonington.co.uk/

An amazing effort to get Donny back to a fit state.

Anyone going to get up there?