Lewis Hamilton believes that the sporting world ‘would erupt’ if the British Grand Prix was lost from the calendar and says he thinks the event will survive.
The future of the race at Silverstone has come into doubt after the BRDC activated an escape clause in their contract this week to cease hosting the event beyond 2019.
Speaking after taking his third consecutive pole position around the Silverstone circuit, Hamilton says he does not believe the British Grand Prix will be permanantly lost from the calendar.
“I don’t believe for a second that we will lose the British Grand Prix because the world would erupt, I think. The world of sport,” says Hamilton.
“I’ve said it many times, I feel like this is the home of motorsport. We’ve obviously got lots of teams here. You see the crowd that we have every grand prix There’s no reason to not have a grand prix.
I could understand if there was no one turning up and it was costing a lot, but the fans save up and spend so much money on these weekends. I think it would be a real shame to lose it.”
Beyond simply keeping the event, Hamilton believes Formula One should consider having multiple races in Britain.
“We do have a lot of great circuits in the UK. It would be great to be able to utilise this one and another one,” explains Hamilton.
“We used to have two grands prix in Spain – the second one wasn’t any good, the track – so it would be kind of cool to use another great one here, maybe. Who knows?”
2017 British Grand Prix
- 2017 British Grand Prix Predictions Championship results
- Dominant Hamilton wins Driver of the Weekend
- British GP rates below its average despite late-race drama
- 2017 British Grand Prix team radio transcript
- 2017 British Grand Prix Star Performers
JohnH (@johnrkh)
15th July 2017, 22:02
If the British GP goes that would be bad news as it’s a good circuit. But like most everything else it can be replaced.
invisiblekid
15th July 2017, 23:50
Not in the UK it can’t. Not without £10m’s being spent and no other course will do that. I doubt Liberty would help with easing any repayments due to that over and above resigning a contract with Silverstone.
That said, I’m fairly certain Liberty will be far easier/cheaper to deal with than BE so any new circuit will have a far easier time than before.
Loup Garou (@loup-garou)
15th July 2017, 22:05
I don’t know about the “world erupting” hyperbole but Silverstone is an important and iconic track and its loss would take away a track with character, even though some of it was lost after the 2010 changes. My ideal Silverstone track would be approximately one after the 1991 addition of the Becketts twist (with the G-forces in play) and the 1997-2009 Brooklands-Luffield complex and of course without the 2010 new layout.
Markp
16th July 2017, 9:54
British Motorsport will suffer but outside the UK no one will really care.
johnm
16th July 2017, 14:17
British motorsport is crucial to F1 itself. It’s daft to pretend it’s just another track and country.
Dom (@3dom)
16th July 2017, 10:41
I agree with it being iconic @loup-garou, but I’m torn re the layout. I’m at silverstone right now, sat at Abbey and you can walk the old track towards the F1Zone, through bridge, it feels so nostalgic to stand on the track that so many heroes have raced in anger on. But I like the technical challenge of the new abbey and the loop. The reprofiled Brooklands into Luffield is still a great challenge, and gives an extra potential overtaking spot. I kinda like both
erikje
15th July 2017, 22:13
Well, Lewis.. just cover the losses. it’s only penny money for you!
Go for it.
erikje
15th July 2017, 22:14
pocket (strange autocorrect)
Lancer033 (@lancer033)
15th July 2017, 22:18
Silverstone isn’t going anywhere, they’re just renegotiating the terms. Relax people this is barely even worthy of being news.
Loen (@loen)
15th July 2017, 23:01
I agree @lancer033, these are the opening deal tactics…..first the scare talk, then the bid process,
then the poker game. The fact that Silverstone needs some serious revamps involving serious money
is all part of that game. Nevertheless, I like Hamilton’s idea of more than one UK F1 circuit.
UK is still the centre of the F1 universe and the fan base is huge. Donington and Brands Hatch
are great circuits, for example. Though in the case of Brands Hatch I’m quite aware of the massive
local opposition to all the crowds and noise a huge international race meeting involves.
And to be honest, I’ve never been excited by the idea of city races. Far too restrictive in my view.
pSynrg (@psynrg)
15th July 2017, 23:10
@loen So many Scottish greats in F1. Indeed, the greatest driver of all time, Jim Clark, was of course Scottish.
So, what do we have in Scotland? I’d say it’s about time, England has hogged the lot!
johnm
16th July 2017, 14:22
Scotland doesn’t have a track even remotely capable of hosting F1. And who would invest in a new track? Scotland is a poor country compared to England and their socialist government doesn’t help.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
15th July 2017, 23:12
It’s a tragedy to see genuine fans pushed aside. That goes for any well populated GP that is under threat or we have lost over the years. The whole world operates under a supply and demand basis, but in F1, thanks to the Bernie regime, we are in this terrible situation where the fans aren’t necessarily the facilitators of demand, it’s often rich governments or track owners. If a track is a sellout it should be a staple on the calendar. I’m sure Liberty will resolve this situation one way or another.
Johnny
15th July 2017, 23:12
As an American F1 fan I can only say this: Hahahahahaha
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
15th July 2017, 23:17
Nice guy
Philip (@philipgb)
15th July 2017, 23:34
The guy in charge explained the situation that continuing to run it as is will bankrupt them obviously not an option.
They shouldn’t be publicly subsidised, there is enough money in the sport without going cap in hand scrounging tax payers money.
And good on them for not just ramping ticket costs up and instead standing their ground. The rights holders business model is unsustainable.
Chip Hilton
15th July 2017, 23:41
I’m an American F1 fan and sincerely hope Johnny above isn’t an American. Besides taking an unnecessary shot, he should realize the U.S. could easily lose the Austin race. I hope the British race stays put. But as a relatively new fan (2012), I wish the announcers here would stop with the Maggots-Becketts complex, Copse (where there is no copse), Chapel (where there is no chapel that I can see), etc. I know the names are steeped in history, but it seems much easier to follow turns when they are numbered.
Lee1
16th July 2017, 0:18
The issue with numbers is that they change. For instance the start is in a different place to a few years ago and there are not corners on the track to corner 1 from a few years ago is not the same as corner 1 now. However copse is still copse regardless of where it is in the sequence of corners. It is also one of the most famous corners in Motorsport.
Lee1
16th July 2017, 0:19
Blimey it is late and my auto spell seems to have given up. My previous comment looks a little like gibberish but I am sure the point is still clear…?
George (@george)
16th July 2017, 0:22
Really? When Hamilton was talking about the turns in the lap time watch article I had no idea what he was talking about. Some of them are easier to remember than others, but you could say the same for numbered corners too. Hell, they can’t even decide how many corners there are at the Red Bull Ring.
Chip Hilton
16th July 2017, 0:38
I’m sure it’s a matter of familiarity. Obviously British announcers should call them by their customary names. But if you see one race there a year on television, the names can be confusing. Imagine watching the race at Baku and hearing the announcer say, “He tried to go flat-out at Minaret and couldn’t, then when he got to the Mosque-Flying Carpet complex he was completely out of sync.”
Phylyp (@phylyp)
16th July 2017, 4:00
“Flying Carpet complex” – ok, that gets my vote as a corner name that needs to be applied to Baku!
Tommy Scragend
16th July 2017, 11:00
I only see one race a year on TV at Spa. If someone told me that a driver had crashed at Turn 17 I wouldn’t know where that was. But say that a driver had crashed at Blanchimont and I’d know straight away.
As for Baku, I have no idea what number turn the narrow bit past the castle is, but if it was called Castle (or something) I’d be able to picture it straight away.
Chip Hilton
16th July 2017, 16:09
But that’s because there IS a castle. If there were a chapel or a copse I’d have no problem. With numbers at least I can tell how far into the lap a turn is.
jamiejay (@jamiejay995)
16th July 2017, 1:23
It would suck if it was taken out, but I don’t think it would erupt during the season only when they announce it. We have survived without a French GP for a while, we have survived without a German gp. I would say in my opinion that if we didn’t have an Italian gp the world would erupt