Silverstone Promises No Indy Repeat

With sources suggesting that worried fans had called up Silverstone to ask about whether this year's race was at risk of a repeat of the mass withdrawal of the Michelin teams, the circuit issued a statement claiming that there was no chance of next month's event being affected.

Alex  Hooton,  chief  executive  of  Silverstone's owners the  BRDC, said: "We have been advised that the tyre problems experienced by a number of Michelin shod Formula One teams at the United States Grand Prix were due to a combination of the track surface and the unique high speed configuration of the banked and walled Indianapolis circuit.  

"The banked corners are a feature of the Indianapolis circuit and are a one-off in Formula One. The problems that arose as a direct result of the banking at turn 13 should not be experienced at any other circuit.

"While Silverstone is one of the fastest circuits in the world, the configuration of the Grand Prix circuit does not place the tyres under the pressure levels they had to withstand in Indianapolis."

Silverstone has just 1,500 tickets remaining for the British Grand Prix and fans who still have not decided on attending have been urged to buy theirs quickly to avoid disappointment.

"We're expecting the event to sell-out at the end of this, or the beginning of next week, so for the second year running the drivers can look forward to racing on one of the best racing circuits in the world, in front of 100,000 fans," added Hooton.

Silverstone's statement has come after French Grand Prix organisers issued their own statement declaring confidence that their event would not be affected by tyre problems.