Silverstone secures the British Grand Prix for the next 17 years

[Haltech]

Filed under: Motorsports, UK

BRDC President Damon Hill and Silvestone Managing Director Richard Phillips announce the new deal

Following months of negotiations and uncertainty, the British Racing Drivers Club has signed a deal with the FIA and Formula One Management to keep the British Grand Prix at Silverstone for the next seventeen years, starting with next year's race.

The deal is struck for the same amount of time (with a cancellation clause after ten years) that rival circuit Donington Park had signed with Bernie Ecclestone. That deal fell through, however, and Donington has gone into bankruptcy. In order to meet Formula One's demands, Silverstone - which first hosted the event in 1948 and has hosted it every year since 1987 - will undertake a massive renovation project.

Included in the plans are new grandstands, a new paddock area with new pits, and a potential switch to a new track layout. The Arena circuit was carved out of sections of the existing grand prix circuit for use by MotoGP, which will also be racing at Silverstone in the coming year. By containing it within the main area, the Arena circuit offers spectators a better view of the action, and the BRDC (headed by 1996 World Champion Damon Hill) has submitted the layout for FIA approval. Press release after the jump.

[Source: Silverstone]Continue reading Silverstone secures the British Grand Prix for the next 17 years

Silverstone secures the British Grand Prix for the next 17 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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