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Bernie Ecclestone has a soft spot for the British Grand Prix? I doubt it. He may have a soft spot for the money involved in keeping the event going, though.

i wouldnt mind if the grand pix wasnt at donnington, i dont rate the track at all and i believe silverstone is a better track and has a great history with the sport.

@joebobf1: Donington's a much more interesting and exciting track for the spectator, as it's bowl-like layout means you can see most of the track from many points, unlike the flat and windy aerodrome at Silverstone. But that isn't what this post is about - and, as much as I hate to admit it, I can hardly see the Donington plan pulling through as the legal issues pile up. It's a real shame.

I do, however, think Bernie will grant a reprieve: he's done so many times before, so why not now? Unless another Mid-East country is really keen on hosting a bland, undersupported procession that is.

Bernie Eccleston could give the money if he wished.
If he wants the gp at Donnington it will happen.

Whats with the love fest for Silverstone.
Its dated, its facilities rated as bad as Brazil.
I think Bernie will go to Wheatcroft and propose something, he wants the Money, like we would let it go down the tube knowing that he is no back up for 2010.
Bernie wanted it at Donington, and he will get it even if the headlines seem to think its the end.

Get a grip!! Has anyone ever been to Donnington? It is certainly a great circuit for spectators, but to host an F1 race I don't think so. I was there in 1993 when the legendary Ayrton Senna won in appalling conditions. (fantastic drive)! The facilities were awful. To imagine that the circuit could be ready for a G.P by next year is just a pipe dream. Mr.E. should get his house in order and put the race back where it belongs, Silverstone.

Donnington and Silverstone are both great circuits. I've been to Donnington many times, and Silverstone a few.

While I love Donnington, there is no chance of the race happening there next year.

I don't see what all the fuss is about with Silverstone - I was at the BGP last year, as an ordinary fan, and the facilities seemed really good to me.

I agree with zoonyx, I've been going to Silverstone for many years and I don't think there is anything wrong with the faciltites. I go to watch a motor race and couldn't really give two hoots if it hasn't got the grandest facilites. There are plently of tolilets, loads of burger vans and bars, and of course a superb race track. I've also been to Monza, now their facilties are awful and their road network is just non existent.

If Donington can't stage the BGP 2010, then Bernie needs to hand it back to Silverstone.

silverstone is run by the old raceing drivers how think thay have the god given right to stage the race as silverstone as it was the home of motor sport.
silverstone is crap to old like the owners how maney chances dose s
silverstone want for crise sake.
it is sadley the death of the british race but there may be a glimer of hope so sort it out donington*

p.s brands is the home of british motor sport

@f1petrolhead Isn't that the point of the redevelopment? The circuit currently isn't fit to host F1, so it's all being upgraded.

The simple solution for this is for Bernie to pay Wheatcroft the money owed on behalf of Gillett, and enter some sort of deal with Gillett to skim off profit made at the circuit to get his money back. Wheatcroft can then sign the documents, and Bernie would have a vested interest in the circuit being a success.

If Bernie really wants there to be a British GP, there will be. But I think the only way it will go back to Silverstone is if they get rid of the old stuffy ex-drivers running the BRDC.

If Ecclestone wants the GP at Donington then he can afford to put up some cash to move it there. I'm not mad keen on Donington but if the redevelopment is successful I see no reason why it couldn't host the F1 grand prix.

I agree with lordmotorsportnut, though, the real home of British motor sport is Brands Hatch and it's such a shame we can't see the F1 grand prix return there.

One of the major problems with Silverstone is the road network to get there. I'm not familiar with Donnington, but from comments above I'm guessing it's not much better.

On the other hand, one of the problems with Ecclestone is he's too greedy. He's never going to get the sums from the British GP that he gets from places like Bahrain, so he may as well accept it.

Regarding the Donington versus Silverstone debate.... I have to say I think Donington is a far more interesting circuit - in my opinion Silverstone is too flat and the undulating track at Donington is far better for spectators. However, Donington really does lack the facilities, and, unfortunately, I think it's going to take a lot more than £100m to get it up to scratch.
Last weekend I was at the Bahrain GP, and the circuit really does put ours to shame - the stands are magnificant, the circuit layout brilliant for spectators. This all supposedly cost $150m - incredible considering the circuit was built from scratch. The problem we face is that the Middle East countries can employ cheap labour from countries such as India to bring costs down. We, rightly so, have a minimum wage which stops exploitation, but adds to our costs... The only way I can see round this is for the government to intervene with some funds to give us a more level-playing field with the new circuits.

The problem with Silverstone is not the road access. I have been there on a few occasions and the roads connecting it to the M40 are pretty much dual carriageway all the way nowadays. Donington, on the other hand is not so good from memory (only been there twice and not for a couple of years now).

The facilities at Silverstone are ok (as a standard ticket holder). Lots of muddy grass if it's wet and there always seemed to be a queue for the toilets, but that's par for the course isn't it at any such event?

No, what Bernie's complaining about when he talks of facilities isn't for the ordinary fan, it's for the corporate suits who don't really pay on an individual level to go. That's where the big money is and so that's where his interest lies. Sad, but a fact of most major sporting events.

All we have to look forward to at any future British GP is fewer general public tickets and more corporate seating/dinner/champagne areas blocking the view in order to pay good old Earnie his fee.

Any glimpse of hope of a chance that Bernie might just be thinking about a plan to save the British Grand Prix sounds like manna from heaven to me. Gillett's been living in a dream world ever since he signed the deal to host it if he ever really, really thought he could pull it off - whether he managed it or not had no real significance other than the risk to the future of Britain's Grand Prix.

Blue_Fox - The only thing Bernie is interested in is the cash. He doesn't care whether it's a bland procession in front of 50 brave souls and a marching band as long as he can see a large return. Obviously, a massively-popular event in front of a sell-out crowd in his own country isn't enough.

lordmotorsportnut - no-one thinks that Silverstone has a god-given right to hold a Grand Prix, but it's the best venue in the Britain to host one. I'd put Brands ahead of Donington with regards to the quality of the circuit and historical significance (as regards Formula One and the World Championship at least), but Brands is another circuit that won't be able to match Bernie's corporate hospitality requirements. Never mind the racing, it's the facilities that matter these days... :(

Messyhead - I don;t reckon there's anywhere near the money in it for Bernie to take a risk on bankrolling Donington. Silverstone has been struggling for years on the measly revenue he allows it to take from the biggest race in its calendar. The BRDC may be staffed by stuffy old ex racing drivers, but by and large they know one end of a balance sheet from another, which is why the GP has been at Silverstone for as long as it has without vast buckets of government money to keep it all rolling along.

Mrboggy - interesting comments about the Bahrain GP, I'm very jealous! :) But I dislike the Ecclestone-esque interest in facilities - the last time I could compare the facilities between Silverstone and Donington, I'd award the win hand down to Silverstone, some of the toilets at Donington were barely fit to be p****d in! But I don't go motor racing for a decent toilet, I go for the racing. That's not to say that I'd be happy to put up with terrible facilities, as long as they work and they're plentiful I'm a happy man.

Personally, I think there's little between Donington and Silverstone in terms of access. I've been to the British GP for the last 4 years, and since I live near Donington, I've been to many events there including the Renault World Series and British Touring Cars. If anything, I'd say Donington has a slight edge in that the site is very close to both the A42 and the M1... Silverstone needs to route traffic through country lanes to get traffic out of the GP. Both cause major jams though, and the problem we read about locally wih Donington is that it hinders people trying to get to East Midlands Airport (which is probably why the local authority is insisting on a traffic management plan).

Evening All
I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to F1 but am surprised how badly the Ferrari and McLaren teams are performing compared to last season.
I'm wondering how much this is down to their driver's ability or whether it's down to their cars.
What's your thoughts?
Enjoy your evening.
Cheers

mrboggy - it's been a while since I've been to Silverstone, but Donington struggles (badly) to shift the crowd after a MotoGP event, and most of them are on bikes. In all fairness, I've never really had a major problem sitting in queues to get out of big events, though - after all, there are tens of thousands of people trying to get out at the same time, queues are largely inevitable.

danfisher - largely down to their cars, I reckon. The drivers haven't changed much over the last few months, but the cars have. It's one of the reasons this is such a great season so far... :)

I think it's about time the British GP returned to Brands Hatch!!

Ref. drivers and cars this year. All the top drivers are paid huge amounts of money each year. They will still get paid whether they win or come last. Perhaps if teams who are paying these huge fees were to pay drivers for results only we might see some more interesting racing.(Although this year has been rather interesting)!!!

Pondo1664 - Regarding the comment about Donington vs Silverstone about facilities, I completely agree with you. Donington's facilities are very poor at the moment, but presumably the development should address that to some degree (assuming it still goes ahead). You're right with the comment about going to see racing, and facilities are a secondary (but important) consideration. I think where circuits like Bahrain score though, is that because it's all new, the track layout and grandstands have been designed to give great, unobscured views of the track. I've sat in Copse B at Silverstone barely able to see a TV screen for the British GP. There are plenty of expensive seats at Silverstone where I think you'd struggle to see a screen. That didn't seem to be a problem at Bahrain, and not only could I see the track directly in front of me, I could see a part of the track which looped back in on itself.

Regarding traffic, I can't really comment on the MotoGP because I've never been, but the Renault World Series traffic was bad at Donington, but not particularly worse than Silverstone for the GP (although admittedly less people). I'm always baffled why Silverstone route some of the GP traffic through Silverstone village and one track roads - it seems to cause it to jam up more to me. Maybe it's done to avoid the traffic backing up onto the M1.

This may sound very controversial but personally I think Silverstone, facilities aside and I can't comment on them because I've only been there the odd few times, is a GP I never look forward to, the track is dull and boring, and one I've never really liked. Having said that I don't think much of Donington either, but was willing to see what they could come up with and sometimes it's time for a change. There are many tracks I see that should not be on the calendar because they are boring, but this is a different matter.
As far as I see it all the big countries have changed race track in the not so distant past, or rebuilt circuits, to keep up with corrupt Bernie's demands. For example, Adelaide went to Melbourne, who are now under threat, Nuburgring and Hockenheim rebuilds, Spa, Budapest etc. Maybe here we should concentrate on rebuilding one track, Silverstone or Donington, or a new venue, and follow Spa and possibly opt for a year out the championship, or have a substitute track for a year.
The British GP needs to stay, but for Bernie, he has no soft spot for the British, or for that matter any other GP, what he has a soft spot for is his bank balance. He doesn't care where races are, and really the majority believe he is using this Donington rebuild to say well you got your chance but we have to get rid of you. To me he doesn't want a British GP, and there is clear evidence he has total disregard for the top countries. Take Montreal for example, there was an outrage on that, from teams, drivers, fans just about anyone with any passion for the sport. But Bernie held firm just because they weren't able to offer him the cash he wanted. If he got his way, he would have a whole season in the single country that offered him the best deal per race. He is a disgrace to the sport, but unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it.

From the day the new Donington F1 contract was announced last year I have never believed it will really happen. Anyone can see it. No funding for the development needed, transport access a total nightmare, track too short, facilities ancient. Simon Gillet should forget all about this pipe dream fantasy. His posturing and ego convinces no one. It's never gonna happen. There is only one suitable venue for a British Grand Prix - and that's Silverstone. Brilliant track, ok - grandstands not great, but with time and investment they can be improved. Transport access - good now with the improvements made in recent years. It's Silverstone or nothing - end of story.

Just give it back to Silverstone and have done with it - it never should have been taken away from there in the first place.

What's this negativity for Donington. Ecclestone won't help the GP, Donington won't be ready and Silverstone compared to everywhere is else is rubbish so in any case there is no British GP. I want one and especially at Donington. Silverstone is getting boring and we need a new track especially at Britain.

I regularly go to Silverstone, and have attended the BGP for many years, and I can tell you that the roads there have improved significantly. Getting in is much easier, getting out of the fields remains a problem. That aside, I enjoy the racing, so it's a sacrifice i'm prepared to make.

I can't afford to go to more than one GP, and if it is not the BGP in the UK, I am concerned I may not get to see a GP because of the extra costs.

The biggest problem us fans face is that we may lose the BGP completely.

The truth is that Bernie does not care about the quality of the facilities, whether or not the races are exciting to watch or not or whether or not anybody actually turns up to watch the race. All that concerns him is that the circuit owner is able to provide him with the enormous wad of cash in advance which is the only true criteria considered in awarding GP staging rights.