GPWC up their game

The group behind the proposed Grand Prix World Championship (GPWC) have taken a step closer to setting up the rival series to Formula One by 2008. It is understood that team principals have been invited to a meeting to before the start of the season on March 6 to view the blueprint for the GPWC series.

Under the current structure, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone hands over 23% of the sports revenue to the teams, whereas the GPWC is offering as much as 80%.

The rival series financed by BMW, Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes also includes more attractive offers to sponsors and broadcasters. Even fans would see ticket prices for the break away series cut to a fraction of the price for an F1 ticket.

“The GPWC racing series is not a dream, it is reality. It has already started.” said George Taylor the commercial head of the GPWC on a recent trip to London. His team have already met up with key circuit owners, including Silverstone, Monza, and the Nürburgring. However Ecclestone does have many of the circuits under long contracts, and this would mean that they would be unable to host a rival series without his permission.

The GPWC remain undeterred and see 2008 as a realistic target for the launch of the new series. “We are not here to criticise Bernie Ecclestone because he has done an unbelievable job with Formula One, but it doesn’t work as well as it could or should. There are a lot of things that are right, but there are increasingly a lot of things that are not right. We have to move quickly because, realistically, things need to be in place during 2005 if we are to be ready in time.” a spokesman said to the Times Online.
Source: HP racing