Comments on: Silverstone given until tomorrow to accept Ecclestone’s £370m offer

By: Angus

Angus — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:46:08 +0000

Silverstone should not mortgage its future for the benefit of staging a once per year event, Let BE/CVC take their race to another desert camp, the world fans would loose interest and Circuits like Silverstone would eventually be reinstated.

Silverstone should say: NO thank you, wish BE/CVC well and Good bye!

By: Angus

Angus — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:38:00 +0000

Agreed!

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:03:07 +0000

Do we know any more yet?

I need to know……..

By: Martin

Martin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:52:25 +0000

I would offer Bernie and CVC/FOM half of that iwth no increase per year and say to them take it or leave it. Silvestone doesnt need F1 but F1 does need Silverstone.
Tracks like Silverstone , Spa, Monza, Imola, and a few others are the backbone and the sould of F1.

By: Camilo

Camilo — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:38:17 +0000

I was wandering the same.

Anyone know about some kind of Bernie’s successor?

Darth Vader?

By: A Sceptic

A Sceptic — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:42:04 +0000

Let’s face it; none of this wrangling is about what’s good for F1, or for the British Grand Prix. This is only about what’s good for Bernie Ecclestone. If it was, Silverstone would have been off the calendar a long time ago in favour of much more interesting tracks like Donnington or Brands.

By: jonsands

jonsands — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:11:38 +0000

we all Mr ECCLESTONE that F1 STARTED in Britain & if there is no British G.P then there should be no G.P,s at all

By: LC Coelho

LC Coelho — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:56:15 +0000

How did this story finish? One day is over..

By: maiesky

maiesky — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:53:58 +0000

I am not from UK (Poland) and have to admit you are lucky to have several champions, now back-to-back.
You have several racing track within UK and it is quite easy to attend F1 race for you.
Now you are in danger that f1 will withdraw from UK.

The hell he must be crazy to request £370m !!!
I wish FOTA will withdraw from $$BernieF1 circus.
Don’t get on your knees and do not accept this offer from that *******!

By: Leaf

Leaf — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:52:41 +0000

BTW, Monco is free. They don’t get charged. Bernie has stated that, “Monaco brings much more to us than we bring to Monaco.” Go figure. Who says he doesn’t have a soft spot!

By: Jonty

Jonty — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:25:40 +0000

The BRDC is (as far as I know) a members club and therefore must have trustees who are responsible for safeguarding the members’ financial interests.

It could be argued that it would actually be criminal for them to agree a deal that would probably bankrupt the club in a few year’s time. If they sign and try to back out after a few years they would be sued by Bernie etc. for millions and millions.

What we actually need is more good motorsport on television, not necessarily F1. Most other racing is much more exciting than F1 except that we have not learnt who the drivers are and so do not know who to support!

Who’s going to promote some other dividion properly?

By: GeorgeK

GeorgeK — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:08:22 +0000

Time to draw the line in the sand. Better to have no race then be held hostage to extortionate fee demands. I have confidence that the BRDC will do the right thing and tell Bernie to stick his contract proposal where the sun doesn’t shine.

By: James Bolton

James Bolton — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:08:28 +0000

No good races at Monza? I have to disagree. Monza has had some great races, 2007 was an all time classic.
Monza 1999 was good, as was the Italian GP where the Ferrari’s started on the wrong tyres and had to fight back, maybe that one was 2003??
1995 was a clsssic too, Gerhard Burger was so unlucky.

By: Adam

Adam — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:11:49 +0000

You only say two years is better than none because you’re only thinking of this from a fan’s perspective. Silverstone is turning a profit, so they are in no danger of closing shop if the Grand Prix leaves. The amount of money they would lose each year under this contract is far larger than their entire annual profit. So they would be risking their entire existence to hold these races. The choice facing the track is 1) sign the contract and likely put the entire track being lost to insolvency, or 2) refuse to sign the contract and risk losing the Grand Prix but keep the track and continue to operate it for other types of motorsport. Its hardly a difficult decision from a business stand point. The ONLY reason they might even think of signing the contract is because of the emotional factor of wanting to hold the Grand Prix. In the end I just don’t see them making a reckless decision just to say they held onto the GP.

By: MarkS

MarkS — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:47:17 +0000

Some extra figures:

Whilst inflation is currently low the financial markets aren’t expecting it to remain low. Using figures on the Bank Of England’s website the markets expect inflation over the new 17 years to be average 3.5% per annum – so 7% is high but not as bad as you might expect. Using the figures from the bank of england then the I reckon the real value (ie. allowing for future inflation) is around £269m or £15.8m a year – still high but maybe not terrible.

If you view the whole lot as an investment in government bonds (often said to be a risk free investment) then the present value is around £249.5m or around £14.7m a year.

I’m not saying the contact is cheap. However, if we ignore the future inflation (or investment returns) then it will definitely look expensive.

By: TimmyA

TimmyA — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:26:40 +0000

He just taking too much money from the sport. I remember a while ago the teams wanted more money from the cvc but bernie said no. Cause he taking almost 70% of the profit from F1. He is just as bad as the Ceo of the corporations like Enron and tyco.

By: TimmyA

TimmyA — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:46:23 +0000

I think they should talk the deal for now. Cause most likely in 8 to 10 years bernie will keel over and then the rip off is over and then formula 1 is saved.

By: amtrak

amtrak — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:46:21 +0000

spot on.

By: alan

alan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:09:39 +0000

Well Bernie strikes again – amazing – its a pity another contract wasnt put forward – its the little guy glasses – £50,000 in readies ok? – and when? – only kidding Keith – he’s the biggest shark in the pond and would scare any other gangster.

By: BrokenBaculum

BrokenBaculum — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:49:51 +0000

Having read many of the above comments, I am seriously hoping that Slverstone and the BRDC don’t sign. There are many good events that it can host without making a loss, such as Moto GP, BTCC, and they could possibly spend some of their F1 expenditure in attracting IndyCars to Britain. That would gain a massive crowd too.

I care about what’s best for Silverstone, not F1. I am sick and tired of Bernie ripping us off, and the French, and the Germans, and the Belgians, and the Americans, and the Canadians, and the Australians, and the Italians.

Those who seem not to be bothered are the Spanish, Monegasque, Malaysians, Bahrainians and the Abu Dhabites (?).

The sooner Ecclestone and CVC Capital Partners are out of the equation the better. Unfortuantely that won’t be until a very long time.

The repercussions of not having a Britsh GP will be huge: I suspect the teams will boycott many races, drivers may strike, and I reckon someone like Martin Brundle would quit in protest. It really is a sad state of affairs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOm2U6zjQGQ&feature=related