Bernie ratchets up British GP rhetoric, sets ‘deadline’ for talks
November 22, 2009 by SJ Skid
Filed under People & Events, Top Story
Bernie Ecclestone as set Dec. 9 as the deadline for negotiations between him and the owners of Silverstone if there is to be a British GP in 2010.
As we reported last week, why should Bernie be working hard to ensure a race in the UK? It isn’t as though Britain has a team with the last two drivers’ champs, who are both British.
Multiple media are on this story today, the BBC, Times of London and the Telegraph:
Plans to switch the race from Silverstone to Donington have fallen through, and talks with circuit owners to try to keep the grand prix at Silverstone have stalled.
Ecclestone, Formula One’s chief executive, said: “They had a contract in place that they could have signed if they’d wanted to but they haven’t. At the moment there is no British Grand Prix.
“I think December 9 is when the Formula 1 commission meet so that’s when it will be taken off the calendar. If there’s no contract in place there won’t be a British Grand Prix.”
It isn’t as though Bernie has been under a rock and doesn’t realize F1 now has an all-British champ team:
Ecclestone also revealed he was surprised at world champion Jenson Button’s switch to join Lewis Hamilton at McLaren next season in an all-British team.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme, Ecclestone said: “He (Button) obviously knows what he’s doing and he must be satisfied with the arrangements he’s got in hand. I must confess I was a little surprised to see it happening.
“I suppose he feels confident enough to take on Lewis and that’s it. It’s a bit of a task to take on, that’s all.”
Ecclestone believes the two Britons can work well together, with the faster one becoming the team’s number one.
“I think it will work,” said Ecclestone. “They’re both English guys and understand each other. I don’t see a problem at all.
“Lewis isn’t the sort of guy that needs pushing so I don’t see how it will benefit the team other than they’ve got two world champions and two super drivers on board.“I suppose the number one will be the guy that is the quickest.”
Got to love that Bernie: The No. 1 guy will be the quickest. That’s classic.
Finally, Bernie tosses a little water on the pretty small fire that is the “Michael Schumacher to Mercedes” talks.
Ecclestone, however, dampened down expectation that German legend Michael Schumacher was about to return to the sport with Mercedes, who have taken over the Brawn team.
He said: “I would think it’s most unlikely. I don’t see any reason why he should. I would be very doubtful it would happen.”
And there is your Bernie zig and zag for this Sunday.
Should we start a betting line on whether there’s a British GP next year?
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Why is Bernie’s contract supposed to be baseline and the BRDC evil for not signing the contract? The BRDC is not saying, “well, we gave Bernie out contract stipulations and he’s had them for some time but has chosen not to sign it”.
this is the guy who tried to smack the BRDC by going to Donny and when that didn’t work out he has the attachments to start giving deadlines to Silverstone. Very clever bernie…very clever.