British GP not yet safe says Ecclestone

Formula One supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, has said that redevelopment works on the Silverstone circuit will not guarantee that the British Grand Prix will remain on the F1 calendar beyond next season. Yesterday the news came that the local council agreed to an outline brief for the redevelopment.

But this is not enough for Mr. E. Unless the BDRC is willing to pay the going rate to organise a GP, any improvements count for nothing.

Ecclestone said in the British newspaper 'The Daily Telegraph': "Assume the facilities are built and we like it. The next problem is the commercial agreement for us to be there.

"This has not been discussed other than the guy from the BRDC who came to see me some time ago saying there is no way we could pay you even what we have paid you in the past.

"So there are two things to overcome. First they need to build the facilities, then they need to pay the market rate. There is no sentiment in this from my point of view. I want only what we do in any other country, no more, no less.

"I sincerely hope they are in a position to deliver what they know they have to carry out to get the grand prix in 2010."