Last British GP ?

GXH · 16 Jul 2003, 16:32 (Ref:662997)

Since it looks like it will be raining this weekend, Bernie will be able to use this again to attack the way the British GP is run, its clear he does not want this race in the calender as he is not making as much money from it as he will from a new host country...
So do we think its the last British GP we will ever have on British soil???

ASCII Man · 16 Jul 2003, 16:36 (Ref:663001)

I don't care.

garcon · 16 Jul 2003, 16:47 (Ref:663014)

You misunderstand him. Bernie very much wants an F1 GP to run in the UK. Never imagine that just cos he's made a packet out of it, Bernie doesn't care for F1. It's in his blood, and being British he believes absolutely that the home of F1 is here, and that there should always be a GP here.

He's just sick of the recent half-arsed attempts to run it properly by the incumbent bunch of witless amateurs.

**Asp** · 16 Jul 2003, 16:53 (Ref:663020)

I've said no, but that's more out of hope than anything else - most of us would have said the same about Spa

garcon - I think that's harsh on JAckie Stewart and all. They've made massive improvements on as much as they can - the drivers are incredibly supportive: but still Bernie & Max complain. OK, it's still not perfect, but witless amateurs? I doubt it.

garcon · 16 Jul 2003, 17:04 (Ref:663028)

Harsh maybe - but perhaps I'm playing the same game as Bernie there...

Yes they've made some improvements, but nothing close to what's needed - what happened to the grand plans to completely redevelop Silverstone, move the pits to Hangar etc? Nothing short of that scale of change will be enough to keep F1 at Silverstone, and I really believe it needs professionals used to designing and building a venue for the benefit of the spectators and competitors alike rather than a bunch of cronies belonging to a body that exists for the benefit of its members.

I am not for one moment belittling the huge amount of work that Jackie Stewart has done for F1 as a whole (and I know Bernie would agree with that), but it does not follow that I have to blindly back everything he and the BRDC have done at Silverstone.

What's the capacity for the GP this weekend? - I'd heard it had been dramtically cut (and that tickets were still hard to sell)... 60,000 ain't gonna be a true test of the "improvements" now, is it?

Silverstone needs to be able to accommodate 120,000+ with the same ease (and at a similar price!) as the Nurburgring manages to accommodate 150,000+. Otherwise we may aswell forget it and sit back to watch the Chinese, Russian, Bahrain, Indonesia and Bangladeshi Grands Prix on telly...

Lee Janotta · 16 Jul 2003, 17:57 (Ref:663069)

If that hack job Tilke cooked up is what's needed to keep the GP at Silverstone, Bernie can bend over and shove it!

Muttley · 16 Jul 2003, 18:37 (Ref:663126)

Quote:

Originally posted by garcon
.....He's just sick of the recent half-arsed attempts to run it properly by the incumbent bunch of witless amateurs.

Hmm, and could you do better? There is a lot of work that goes on that you would not believe in running any meeting, let alone a Grand Prix.

As for the plans for the revised circuit, there are planning commissions that need to agree to the plans, it's ok to release plans but they do need council approvement.

ASCII Man · 16 Jul 2003, 18:45 (Ref:663136)

I don't mind about Tilke only if he sticks to designing facilities and stays the hell away from the track.

chriswhitt · 16 Jul 2003, 18:47 (Ref:663138)

Remember that they had ample opportunity the other year to switch to Donington, with things built virtually to their specs. I do not understand why they would give it to Silverstone for the forseeable, and then almost immediately start to run it down again. I don't particularly like Silverstone, it's flat with a very restricted view, and on a note that the organisers can't fix, I much preferred it when there was a plethora of stalls of all types and descriptions, rather than each mechandising plot being a clone of the one you passed 10 minutes ago.
They really started to lay into Silverstone after the debacle in April a few years back. Whilst it was a truely atrocious affair, and I was there from Thursday to Sunday, it was the FIA who switched, at very short notice to April. It does not take much of a genius to know the probable forcast at that time of year, and the effect it would have on the car parks and camp sites.
I am left to wonder if the denegration of the BGP is simply a means to an end, with the end being a far more profitable race in the middle or far East, with tobacco advertising welcome.
Or am I being cynical?

steve nielsen · 16 Jul 2003, 19:17 (Ref:663184)

there will always be a british GP, 6 of the ten teams are based in Brittain, it may move somewhere else though, I for one would like to see F1 race at Donnington.

Sim_Da_BTCC_Man · 16 Jul 2003, 20:37 (Ref:663277)

the problem with Silverstone is, Bernie is still sore from the fact he couldn't land his helecopter there one year. Thats my theiory anyway.

garagegirl · 16 Jul 2003, 20:44 (Ref:663284)

i do not think this will be the last british grand prix by any means, but i think it would be nice to hold it at another british circuit instead

BMW V10 · 18 Jul 2003, 05:11 (Ref:664568)

Which British circuits would be good for hosting the GP? And what did Brands Hatch used to be like? I think I've heard a lot of current British drivers talking about how they used to watch GP's at Brands Hatch but please don't flame me if I'm wrong

Rob29 · 18 Jul 2003, 06:04 (Ref:664582)

Yes BMW V10, Brands Hatch is a much better circuit but also needs redevelopment to come up to Bernie's standards.The present situation arose because Brands(Octagon) bought the rights to the GP then could not get permission from the authorities for the redevelopment, so leased Silverstone instead.

Mark Webber · 18 Jul 2003, 10:45 (Ref:664751)

I don't care butif it stay's at least but it at Brands hatch as Silverstone blows

Mark Webber · 18 Jul 2003, 10:46 (Ref:664752)

sorry for the spelling as it is friday and I'm smashed as

Armco Bender · 18 Jul 2003, 10:52 (Ref:664755)

Hope your not driving?.

Mark Webber · 18 Jul 2003, 11:29 (Ref:664783)

gttouring · 18 Jul 2003, 14:29 (Ref:664976)

Why don't they try to run at donington Park?
it seems like a nice very fast circuit, with the big hairpin and the one before start finish, I think it could be a cracker...
the UK can not be with out a GP, F1 started and is based there isn't it (except those upstart Italians, and toytota in Deutchland)

climb · 18 Jul 2003, 14:58 (Ref:665000)

F1 without British GPs!!

Would be as senseless as:
- moving Rio de Janeiro carnival out of Brasil
- painting Ferrari blue and green
- holding snowboard world championships in Zaire
- writing Tour de France off the cycling schedule
- excluding marathon from greek olympics
- forbidding beer consumption in Germany

....

any other interesting comparison?

BMW V10 · 18 Jul 2003, 15:20 (Ref:665016)

- taking away the best circuit (spa) from the f1 calender

**Adam43** · 18 Jul 2003, 15:28 (Ref:665022)

Quote:

Originally posted by climb
- painting Ferrari blue and green

There have been several times when Ferrari haven't run in scarlet (or even red).

Surtees ran for the last two races in 1964. Enzo was having one of his disagreements with the governing body. The cars were run in white and blue of NART (North American Racing Team) - Ferrari's arm in America.

Surtees won the 1964 world championship.

**Asp** · 18 Jul 2003, 20:43 (Ref:665249)

The problem with using Donnington or Brands, besdies planning permission, is upgrading the track. The changes necessary would #1 be expensive and #2 destroy the track as it is: and them we'd all complain that the track is boring. I'd love to see F1 at Donnington again - but not at the expense of changing the track dramatically!

nameless · 18 Jul 2003, 20:57 (Ref:665259)

i cant see how it can be justified not having a british gp, most of the teams are british, there are more britsh drivers than any other nationality and britain has a large f1 fanbase. surely these things matter.

ASCII Man · 18 Jul 2003, 22:13 (Ref:665303)

What does Silverstone have more than Spa?

View Poll Results: Do you think this will be the last British GP
YES	1	2.56%
NO	28	71.79%
DO NOT CARE	10	25.64%
Voters: 39. You may not vote on this poll

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