Silverstone boss 'hopeful'

Date published : 27 Jul 2009 - 15:00:35

Silverstone managing director Richard Phillips is growing increasingly hopeful the circuit can retain the British Grand Prix after all. Last month's race was the last the Northamptonshire track was due to stage after Donington Park signed a 17-year contract to host the grand prix from next season. However, the Leicestershire track has long been bedevilled by financial problems and the long-held suggestion is that improvements needed to bring it up to the required standard will not be ready by 2010, if at all. Phillips confirmed last month that Silverstone was ready to step in and continue staging the race if given the opportunity, with F1 commercial rights controller Bernie Ecclestone softening his stance and saying it could yet stay put. The recent battle over the future of the sport between the FIA and the Formula One Teams' Association has not helped matters either as a provisional 2010 calendar should have been announced by now. But an optimistic Phillips said: "We are hopeful that we are going to retain the GP now. "They can't keep us holding on forever, but they can keep us holding on until December with the World (Motor Sport) Council meeting (when the calendar is ratified). That would be the latest. "Normally the calendar is released in June, but it hasn't appeared yet. We all know there is a lot of politics going on behind closed doors. "Ideally, we would like to know in the next four to six weeks because if it gets toward Christmas before we are putting tickets on sale, that will cause problems. "But we have been planning for next year's grand prix for three months now. "All our pricing is sorted, and we could put tickets on sale next month if required." Even so, Phillips admitted he would have to think long and hard should Donington be able to deliver in 2011, meaning Ecclestone only offered a one-year deal. "I wouldn't be happy. We would like a longer contract," he added. "If that sort of offer was on the table then I would have to think long and hard about it. "We had a big crowd here (last month), and people like Silverstone. All the feedback we get is excellent. "It must be one of the biggest crowds they get anywhere in the world, so why move? It doesn't make any sense."