Attendees at this year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone were drawn by celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the British Racing Driver’s Club and the 60th anniversary of Silverstone Circuit, but on the eve of the race the mood changed. A new ten-year agreement was announced, securing the future of the Grand Prix, but the contract was with Donington Ventures Leisure Limited, owners of the Donington Park racing circuit, and not the BRDC, owners of Silverstone.
Ongoing negotiations between the BRDC and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone had produced little, but the news still came as a shock. BRDC President Damon Hill said, “The timing of this announcement is disappointing, and a blow to the excellent and hard-working staff of Silverstone, and to the local and national government authorities who have supported us in our development plans to deliver the demanded improvements from FOM (Formula One Management).”
In a joint statement on the Donington Web site, Circuit owners and joint CEOs, Simon Gillett and Lee Gill said: “We are naturally delighted and extremely proud to have acquired the rights to bring Formula One back to Donington Park from 2010. At the beginning of last year, when we acquired the circuit and its substantial lands, we made clear our commitment toward realizing the full potential of the Park by making the necessary investments in current and future events that will see Donington revitalized as one of the most iconic racing circuits in the world.
“Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd. has worked closely with the local and national authorities in consideration of the planning requirements that are necessary to provide a first-class facility for the hosting of F1 in 2010. The details of this and the Donington Park master plan that outlines a five-year investment program of some 100 million pounds will be provided at a future date. The investment will be led by a private investor who is also a large shareholder.”
Many, however, believe the story will not end there, as an element of fluidity surrounds the announcement. Donington Park presently falls very short of the FOM requirements itself, lacking the infrastructure to accommodate the thousands of fans who will flock to the event. Further, that influx may create severe congestion on the one of the UK’s busiest motorways, the nearby M1.
Donington is no stranger to Grand Prix racing, having been the venue for such events in the 1930s, races well remembered for their domination by the German Auto Union “Silver Arrows” of Bernd Rosemeyer and Tazio Nuvolari. A memorable European Grand Prix was also held there in 1993, with Ayrton Senna producing what’s considered to be one of his greatest drives to win in appalling weather conditions.
By Mike Jiggle
