Donington Park says ‘absolutely not’ to Brit GP

Editor

Donington Park has ruled out the possibility of taking over the British Grand Prix should Silverstone break their contract to host the race.

Last week the British Racing Drivers’ Club, which owns the Silverstone circuit, cast doubt over the future of the British Grand Prix.

BRDC chairman John Grant warned the clubs’ members that the “board is considering whether we should give notice before the 2017 British Grand Prix (as required) of our intention to exercise the break clause in the contract at the end of 2019.”

This has raised questions about which of the Britain’s circuits could take over hosting the race with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone revealing that “two other tracks have contacted us” already.

Donington Park is not one of those.

Asked if Donington would consider the possibility, circuit managing director Christopher Tate told Autosport: “Absolutely not.

“We’ve set a very clear target of keeping the trace of the circuit as it is.

“We’ve no interest in hosting modern, high-speed single-seaters because we’d have to completely change Donington Park.”

Tate also hit at the way the Formula 1 messes around with the calendar, saying he hopes new owners Liberty Media will have a better understanding of what the circuits need from the sport.

“The business model makes no sense to anyone and all the messing around with the F1 calendar has a terrible impact on the rest of motorsport.

“Hopefully there will be a totally different business model, and Liberty has made all the right noises about heritage events [such as the British GP].

“I do think the new owners will understand where it all fits in because they are media savvy. It can’t continue on the basis it is.”