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Ecclestone - 'No British GP in 2010'; here we go again.....
Topic Started: May 22 2008, 09:53 AM (432 Views)
u4coffee
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Bernie Ecclestone on Wednesday said there are currently no plans to stage a British Grand Prix in 2010.

Quoted by the Daily Telegraph newspaper, the F1 Chief Executive likened negotiations about a new contract for the Silverstone race, whose existing deal runs out next year, to a 'dead duck'.

It is reported that Grand Prix promoters the BRDC recently received a new contract from Ecclestone's office demanding an initial $22m per year race fee.

The British Racing Drivers' Club apparently returned the unsigned document asking for a discount.

Money, however, is not the only stumbling block, as 77-year-old Ecclestone is stalwartly also demanding that Silverstone rapidly begins its promised pit and paddock upgrade.

"I suppose they could come back to me," he said. "They could get the building done in six months. But I would not put any money on it.

"The BRDC know the terms. If they meet them, then we are in business. But at the moment they can't and therefore there is no race in 2010," Ecclestone added.


http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22052008/13/...sh-gp-2010.html
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AndyW76
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Oh dear, same old story. Bernie has had it in for Silverstone for year. It is time that he stopped holding venues to ransom.

Has anyone got 5 prostitutes and some Nazi uniforms handy? Oh and some of that drug that knocks people out? May be were could set bernie up and oust him.
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Red Andy
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Well, there's hardly a shortage of potential venues for races in 2010. Silverstone had better get their act together.
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AndyW76
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Yeah, it is all down to bernie's wallet after all. He knows that he can get more money from other venues and many countries' have tracks that are government supported so can swallow a financial loss. Silverstone is in the unfortunate position that it has to finance itself and Bernie's current system doesn't take account of that. That is why Brands Hatch doesn't put it's name up for a GP, because bernie would rip them off.
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Red Andy
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Silverstone pays much less than other venues to host a GP and its facilities are poorer than all of them (except possibly Interlagos). I think the figure of $22m would probably bring Silverstone into line with other venues, so in effect all Bernie is doing is removing the "golden ticket" Silverstone has had to a GP in previous years.
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AndyW76
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I think you forgot about Monza in the list of poor facilities, though Bernie wouldn't dare to threaten the Italian GP because of the massive back lash he'd receive from Ferrari.

I agree that Silverstone is somewhat behind the state of the art facilities but, having been to silvestone twice in the last 2 years, it isn't particularly bad. It could do with a lick of paint but, compared to the silvertone I visied back in 1996, it is a decent facility. I feel that it isn't so much down to what it costs bernie to put on a GP as much as greed. It is a very hypocritical situation. Bernie picks on tracks like Magny Cours and silverstone, yet leaves Monza and Interlagos alone, just because it benefits him in that way.

Besides, I guess that Bernie is trying to pave the way for a London Street race.
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FlutterBy
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I'd love to be a fly on the wall at discussions between Bernie and Boris..
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Norbert
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Quote:
 
The British Racing Drivers' Club apparently returned the unsigned document asking for a discount.


..rather than asking what they needed to do to bring the circuit in line with the expectations of the F1 circus. Real clever.

Why not ask Bernie for a discount by offering to spend the 'discount' on improving the facilities....?
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Red Andy
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AndyW76,May 22 2008
12:18 PM
I think you forgot about Monza in the list of poor facilities, though Bernie wouldn't dare to threaten the Italian GP because of the massive back lash he'd receive from Ferrari.

Monza has always puzzled me. The facilities are poor, the racing is crap year after year and there is no shortage of alternative venues in Italy - not least Imola, which upgraded its facilities for 2007 in order to save the GP but was dropped from the calendar anyway. Plus Imola is closer to Maranello, so moving the Italian GP there would hardly enrage the tifosi too much. I reckon Bernie could do worse than moving the Italian GP there.
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Norbert
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Red Andy,May 22 2008
12:31 PM
I reckon Bernie could do worse than moving the Italian GP there.

I do, the circuit is crap, post Senna. All crappy chicanes and twiddly bits. Monza remains because it is a bloody fast track, and has as much, if not more history than Silverstone. Anyone arguing that Silverstone should hold it;s place purely on merit of it's history couldn't disagree that Monza should be included on the same grounds.
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AndyW76
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True. My arguement is that if silverstone gets stick over it's facilities, so should Interlagos and Monza on the same grounds. Anyway, what is needed is for the original pre-91 silverstone layout to be restored. That was a real track with some excellent bends and rivalled Monza for speed.
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Rams
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Imola is the only track I rate worse than Barcelona, and that's saying something.
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Norbert
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AndyW76,May 22 2008
03:49 PM
True. My arguement is that if silverstone gets stick over it's facilities, so should Interlagos and Monza on the same grounds. Anyway, what is needed is for the original pre-91 silverstone layout to be restored. That was a real track with some excellent bends and rivalled Monza for speed.

Yes, but these days the FIA and the drivers don't like going fast because it might ruffle their hairdos, and the tracks and cars might need to be made safer......

I mean, could you imagine what one of the current nancies would say* if you plonked them in Rosberg's Williams and asked them to lap Silverstone at nearly 161 mph average in light rain???

<roflmao>


(*Other than 'paaaaarp')
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AndyW76
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Even Montoya whinged the other year and he was supposed to be one of the gutsy ones.
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Rob
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AndyW76,May 22 2008
06:18 AM
I think you forgot about Monza in the list of poor facilities, though Bernie wouldn't dare to threaten the Italian GP because of the massive back lash he'd receive from Ferrari.


Please. Bernie has no qualms about pissing off Ferrari, remember it was Bernie leading the charge to keep Alonso and Lewis in the WDC last year. Bernie is all about the money, and Monza gives him a lot of it.
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