Mane Engineering Issue 8 - September 2017 | Page 12

12 | MANE AUTOMOTIVE, F1 & MOTORSPORT | SEPTEMBER 2017

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British Grand Prix to Leave Silverstone?

ilverstone could host its final British Grand Prix in 2019 as the circuit’s owners, the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), are opting out of their contract due to rising costs of hosting the annual

event. The current deal in place is to run until 2026 however, Silverstone has been losing money after staging each event even with an attendance of nearly 140,000. In 2016, the track lost £4.8m. President of the BRDC, Derek Warwick, is hoping to sign a new contract with the new F1 owners after the end of the 2017 racing season. If a deal cannot be reached at Silverstone and if alternative track arrangements cannot be made, come 2020 the British Grand Prix may cease to exist altogether. Silverstone is currently the only UK circuit with the classification to host F1 races.

There has, however, been interest to host the Grand Prix in other places. McLaren’s executive director, Zack Brown, believes that F1 owners, Liberty, should purchase the Silverstone Circuit to ensure the British Grand Prix stays at Silverstone. If a deal of that kind cannot be made, McLaren has revealed plans for a brand new F1 circuit in the heart its home town of Woking. The plans are for the Woking International Circuit that would see F1 cars tearing the streets of Woking. No formal proposal has been submitted for the event yet, but Woking Council welcomed the idea. McLaren has stated that the plans for the circuit would require many roads and local landmarks in Woking to be reconstructed, which would be costly. Jonathan Neale, chief operating officer of McLaren, joked: “Obviously, aside from the huge social and financial commitment needed to set up the infrastructure, re-profile roads, re-lay Tarmac, fit miles of Armco, build grandstands, pay for race-hosting fees and gain approval and sign-off from the FIA, we don’t see any barriers to our vision.”

If the ambitious Woking International Circuit plans don’t pan out, there is another location that may host the British Grand Prix. In April, Ministers gave the go ahead for an F1 circuit on the streets of London after a recent law change now allows Motorsport races will be allowed on public roads across England. The proposed circuit would run the streets of London with Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the London Eye as magnificent backdrops that would rival many of the leading circuits worldwide.

It’s likely that the new F1 owners and the British Racing Drivers’ Club will come to a new deal to continue the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. If a deal cannot be reached, it will be the first F1 season without a British F1 race since 1950. With a large number of F1 teams based out of the UK, it would be a sad affair to not have a British event after the 2019 season.