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Donington COO Gill steps down
Topic Started: Sep 5 2008, 05:57 PM (197 Views)
Rob
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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70292
Quote:
 
Donington Park's chief operating officer Lee Gill has ended his involvement with the circuit and the company that runs it, autosport.com has learned.

Just two months after it was announced that Donington Park had poached the British Grand Prix from Silverstone after agreeing a deal with Bernie Ecclestone, Gill has ended his partnership with chief executive officer Simon Gillett.

The reasons behind the departure are unknown. And although a Donington Park spokesman said that the matter would not affect the track's ongoing planning for the British Grand Prix, the development will only add to questions about whether the track has what it takes to be ready in time for 2010.
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Stoppemfloppen
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Got to say that this whole Donington thing looks mighty suspicious to me. I think Bernie's looking for a way to stitch up the British GP so that he can have an excuse to move that slot elsewhere.

I do hope they achieve 2010 but with the decision on planning not due till November it leaves them very tight time wise.

To see Bernie with egg on his face. Love it! He'd have to find yet another excuse to ditch the British GP then...oh I know, it's too expensive to get in!!!
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Red Andy
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Stoppemfloppen,Sep 6 2008
05:08 PM
Got to say that this whole Donington thing looks mighty suspicious to me. I think Bernie's looking for a way to stitch up the British GP so that he can have an excuse to move that slot elsewhere.

Actually, I think Bernie's motives are quite different.

He cashed in on Michael Schumacher's success by having two Grands Prix in Germany. He is cashing in on Fernando Alonso's success by having two Grands Prix in Spain. By having two F1-standard venues in Britain, he can later cash in on Lewis Hamilton's widely-predicted success by having two Grands Prix in Britain in a few years' time. Trouble is that no venue is going to develop their facilities to F1 standard unless they have a GP deal signed, so by granting Donington the British GP contract he can guarantee that they will have an F1-standard venue, while Silverstone is maintained for whatever obscurely titled Grand Prix Bernie decides upon after Hamilton is successful enough to justify two GPs in Britain.
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RJHSaints
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How about the North Atlantic Ocean Islands Grand Prix at Silverstone? <roflmao>

In seriousness, I could see a second British GP being the European GP in a rotation system with the Nurburgring and Valencia. That would be pretty cool I think, though personally I would prefer it to be Silverstone with a permanent place on the calendar and Donington as the rotational European GP.
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Red Andy
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The BRDC has made it quite clear in the last ten years or so that they don't want the British GP, so they can have the European GP instead.

I think naming the country's second GP after a nearby microstate might be a bit problematic (Cornish GP anyone? Welsh GP?), maybe we can do as Valencia is tipped to do (with the "Mediterranean GP") and name it after a sea instead.

Points for whoever can tell me the nearest sea to Silverstone....<dunce>
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dazzerjp
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RJHSaints,Sep 7 2008
02:00 AM
How about the North Atlantic Ocean Islands Grand Prix at Silverstone? <roflmao>


How about The Welsh GP?

Good observation there from Red Andy. Didnt think of that.

What I dont quite understand is why the BRDC is even concerned about the British GP. If memory serves me, they lose a great deal of money hosting it.
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Red Andy
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Possibly a case of prestige. Even though hosting the GP itself costs a lot of money, it also showcases Silverstone on the world stage, hence attracting other, paying series.

The only problem is that it isn't working at the moment, as Silverstone currently runs at a loss as I understand it.
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