Regardless of the outcome of the unseemly row about budget caps and the 2010 Formula One entry list, this weekend is set to be one of the saddest in the history of Formula One. For Silverstone, the place where the Formula One World Championship began back in 1950, is set to host its final race in the series.The maddening thing is that this is really one of the great Formula One circuits. I have personally attended four British Grands Prix and I can say that I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Certainly, other classic tracks such as Monaco and Spa, both of which I have visited for GP events at one stage or another, have their individual charm, but there’s no place better than Silverstone for a real grand prix race.
However the obdurate Bernie Ecclestone, who once got lost when having to make his way in through the gates after his helicopter was unable to land in the infield, and described the venue as “a country fair”, thinks otherwise. He has opted for Donington, which, despite the economic crisis that is quoted as the reason for Max Mosley’s “budget cap”, will have to be developed at huge expense. If the buildings at Silverstone are a little “shabby genteel”, the same cannot be said for the superb track, which is one of the finest in F1. No redevelopment needed here…
The irony of the current money wrangle hasn’t been lost on Glen Crompton, a correspondent for the website pitpass.com. I quote from a blog he put up today:
“Ummm, I must be dumb because I’m getting confused. Silverstone, which has proven that it is perfectly capable of hosting a grand prix has lost the event because they did not spend enough money and the event has been awarded to a new venue which has to spend a lot of money to bring it up to standard. But the teams have to agree to go racing on vastly reduced budgets that are subject to capping and auditing (and) are being compelled to spend a lot less money because spending lots of money is a threat to the very future of Formula One.” Exactly.
And, by the way, it’s not only the Anglophone world that is lamenting the demise of Silverstone. Michael Schmidt, Auto motor und sport’s brilliant GP correspondent, writes (I translate roughly):
“OK, the pits and buildings could be slightly more modern, but this is of little interest to the fans. The circuit, after something like ten revisions over the years, has spectacular sections. The super-quick right-hander at Copse… taken at 270 km/h. The twisty section (culminating in) Becketts, taken between 220 and 250. Or Bridge Corner, a breathtaking right-hander…
“It is a great shame that this classic circuit is to breathe its last as an F1 venue this weekend. This is the death of a race track associated intimately with great names of the GP circus such as Ferrari, Williams and McLaren. New showcase tracks are all well and good, but the older images are what count. Silverstone ranks with Monte Carlo, Monza and Spa as a member of the ‘Grand Slam’ of Formula One.”
And Christian Pasquet of French sports paper l’Equipe has similar sentiments. Again, I translate:
“Bernie Ecclestone has decreed it should be this way… Much to the displeasure of English drivers for whom Silverstone always was THE race track. Mansell often spoke of this place with emotion. Damon Hill has been coming here since his early childhood. Hamilton feels at home here. This old aerodrome dating from the second world war has hosted F1 since 1950. Nowadays, all the drivers, without exception, praise the circuit, which is fast and very technical at the same time. Yet on Sunday the gates will be closed for the final time… for F1.
“Certainly, Silverstone is not the easiest place in the world to get to, even though the road upgrades of recent years have improved the situation dramatically. And the facilities are not as impressive as those of newer circuits. But Silverstone has a soul, an atmosphere that is incomparable. Whether it rains, whether it’s windy, whether it snows or whether the sun comes out, Silverstone is one of the grand meetings of the season.
“In the future, there’s Donington, a quality track, but one whose infrastructure still has to be rebuilt. If it is not operational in time, Bernie Ecclestone explains that we’ll miss out the British Grand Prix for a season. However, we would like to return to Silverstone over and over, because this circuit brings together the most passionate fans, as well as a general public that is very well informed. Decidedly, the whole of F1 is very upset.”
‘Nuff said. But Bernie and Max aren’t really interested in folks who love this sport and its tradition, are they?
