Kevin Eason, Sports news correspondent
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A mystery investor has put up £100 million to help to seize the rights to
stage the British Grand Prix at Donington Park after a last-ditch appeal to
the Government failed to save the race for Silverstone.
Even as Formula One cars were hurtling around the historic Silverstone
circuit yesterday in practice for tomorrow’s race, Bernie Ecclestone, the
sport’s mercurial ringmaster, was making the surprise announcement that blew
out the candles on Silverstone’s 60th birthday celebrations.
Although Ecclestone had confirmed exclusively to The Times last month
that Donington, near Nottingham, had made a bid, few in the sport believed
that the race, which will attract 90,000 fans tomorrow, would leave the home
of British motor racing. Officials from the British Racing Drivers’ Club,
which owns Silverstone, were on their way back from a meeting with Gerry
Sutcliffe, the Sports Minister, at Westminster late on Thursday when
Ecclestone decided to ignore their pleas for a two-week reprieve and sign a
ten-year contract with Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd.
His decision is a severe blow to Silverstone, but it does mean that the
British race is safe until 2010 – provided that Donington can carry out a
huge reconstruction of the circuit. Developing Donington is fraught with
problems and the circuit is widely thought to be outdated. It also has poor
road access and is underneath the flight path of the neighbouring East
Midlands airport.
But Ecclestone is confident that it will be ready to stage a grand prix from
2010 after the promise of significant investment. “I have been trying to get
sense out of Silverstone for five years,” he said. “It was just too
frustrating. I always said the British Grand Prix was the deadline and they
weren’t ready. We have been talking about this for too long and I don’t want
to go on talking any more.”
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The governent has just spent a fortune of our money upgrading the A43 to Silverstone. Will we now be expected to foot the bill to upgrade access from the M1 to Donington (one N)? Will the GP then get moved to Brands?
Mark Shepherd, Lincoln, UK
people whinging about donnington being unsuitable to F1 are correct, thats why they are spending £100 million to bring it up to standard.
id rather us lose the GP all together, thank keep it at silverstone for a couple of extra years if it means being humiliated by places like shanghai and bahrain
will, grimsby, uk
I would like to think that money is not at the root of all this. The trouble is I can't convince myself that F1 is not ruled by greed!
Nick, Bedford,
You describe Silverstone as being "slap bang in the middle of England" (The Times, Saturday 5th July). Really? Last time I looked, it was a lot closer to London than to Leeds, Newcastle or Exeter. Let's base the argument of facts, please!
John, Manchester, UK
Grand Prix at Donnington how absurd, its a nightmare to get into on a club race day and some of the corners have less run off than Monaco.
s cronin, winchester, england
Don't know all the in's and outs of this and i doubt any of us ever will
But there is one thing i do remember ...........a few years ago the BRDC spent a few million on there new private club house.
Only time will tell if it's the right choice but Bernie didn't get where he is with wrong choices
Martin , Peterborough ,
'A' Road access to Donington from M1 will be improved. The track will be brought up to spec. It is very close to East Midlands Airport. Is well served by hotels and motorway access - within 'spitting' distance of the M1 and has fast links across country to the M6. I live near there - nuff said !
Dr. Jimmy, Nottingham, England
It is obvious that Mr Ecclestone has never visited Donington on a race day as an ordinary paying punter using the existing road network..mabe arriving in a helicopter???
..It's a nightmare along those blocked country roads
Richard Philpotts, stratford upon avon, warwickshire
Donington will certainly need that money in order to bring it up to spec. The fans of MotoGP have had to live with the appalling facilities for years. It really is typical that it takes an F1 race to get the circuit up to scratch.
I wonder how they-ll make Craner Curves safe enough for F1
Colin Gorton, Arbucies, Spain
could the mystery investor be Bernie and his QPR mates?
For the benefit of accuracy Donington is spelt correctly
roger, bridport,
I wonder if the mysterious investor is someone with the initials BE !!!
Scamp, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
excellent news. wonderful. donNington is a far better track than that flat boring airfield that they tried to mould into looking like brands. the problem here stems from john webb destroying brands hatch's chances of keeping the alternating gp in the 80's.
well done donNington
peter jones, moscow, russia
Dick from York,
Try spelling (one 'n') the name of the track right and then try and explain how it may be near the M1 but blessed with Mickey Mouse roads to said motorway. Purely political decision from Ecclestone.
Marc , Liverpool, UK
I presume anyone having been to East Midlands or Donnington knows it's actually on the M1 itself - bad road connections indeed. As for being on the flight path of East Midlands Airport I'm sure after arriving on a cheap flight most GP fans will not be annoyed by the noise!
Dick Berkeley, York, England
He has been complaining for a very long time. The access for spectators is horrendous and always has been so fair enough. Come on Donington !!!
Larry, Stratford upon Avon,
I am glad it is moving maybe no track in any country should host the F1 race in their country more than twice without it been hosted at other tracks that are capable of holding an F1 event.
Dean , Micklefield, United Kingdom