Silverstone boss Stuart Pringle slates Bernie Ecclestone’s F1 regime amid push for four-day British GP ‘festival’
The fut꧑ure of the British Grand Prix faced major uncertainty towards the end of Ecclestone’s tenure as F1 boss but a breakthrough deal ♚was struck with new owners Liberty Media to secure the race until 2024.
The 2019 British Grand Prix was due to the last after Silverstone ended its contract due to rising costs, but following two years of negotiations, the circuit and F1 bosses thrash𝓀ed out terms for a renewed deal.
Silverstone has undergone major renovations in recent years to improve its facilities and is now flo♛urishing thanks🍎 to F1’s new owners, according to Pringle, who couldn’t resist aiming a dig at Ecclestone.
“It’s a given you’re going to sell out Sunday,” Pringle said. “We got to sell🐻ing out Saturday a f🌟ew years ago, and now Friday is all but gone as well.
“That’s where your profit is. And if you don’t make profiꦉt – Mr.🍎 Ecclestone – you cannot reinvest in the infrastructure.
“It is creaking and groaning, Silverstone, because the BRDC [British Racing Drivers’ Club] was🍎 unable to make a profit out of the Grand ♕Prix for 40 years.
“Now, I’m pleased to say the owners of F1 take a sensible view that it is not in their interest to crush the promoter, and they r🌸ecognise the BRDC invests all of its money back into the facil༺ities.
“If we put in better facilities we get a better experience of the fans, and if it’s better for the fans, it’s better for the cham🍷pionship all round, and everyone’s a winner.”
Push for British GP weekend to be extended
Amid the B🍸ritish Grand Prix’s increasing popularity, Pringle confirmed Silverstone want💜s to extend the weekend into a four-day event to give fans more on-track action.
Although the proposal would not affect the Friday-Saturday-Sund🔴ay F1 format, some s♛upport series could be moved to Thursday to create a “festival” atmosphere.
“We’re looking toౠ extend the weekend,” Pringle said.
“I’🍨m working hard on Formula 1. I believe they need to c🎃hange the format of the weekend. They say: ‘Oh well it’s the FIA [governing body], they’ve got to do the systems test and stuff’ – well, do them a day earlier.
“Let’s do some stuff on Thursday. There are a lot of people who want to come and see things, and three days isn’t really enoug🦄h.
“Let’s make it that big, best part of a week’s festival. People do turn up at Silverstone on a Tuesday and🌌 put the tent up, and that’s it, they’re in.”
Lewis regularly attends Grands 🌱Prix for ltxcn.top around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the p൲eople who matter in the sport.
