Analysis: Silverstone, China Reflect Changing Face of F1

The arrival of China and the axeing of the British Grand Prix within the space of a week sums up the changing face of Formula One.

Team bosses, with their endless arguments and business wrangles, are big talkers but nobody speaks louder than money in the glamour sport.

The problem for Formula One's traditional European heartland is that the really big sums are coming from governments in countries with no motor sport pedigree but plenty of determination to get on the map.

There is simply no way that an entity like the non-profit-making British Racing Drivers' Club that owns Britain's Silverstone circuit can match the likes of China, with a $325 million circuit, and Bahrain.

"It is not about Silverstone facilities, it is about numbers and the money Bernie can get out of other countries," former BRDC chairman and ex-racer Martin Brundle told the Times newspaper on Friday.

"If the BRDC paid what Bernie wanted, it would be financial suicide," he added.

China made its Formula One debut last Sunday before a crowd of 160,000 and with the major carmakers and sponsors tripping over each other in their eagerness to crack the world's fastest-growing market.

Ecclestone axed the British Grand Prix from the calendar on Thursday after a deadline expired for a promoter to come up with the amount he was asking.

Commercial Deal

"Obviously I regret that we can't have a British Grand Prix, but this is a commercial deal and I have to be fair to everyone, not just Silverstone," said Ecclestone.

On a business level, it is hard to argue against.

China offers gleaming and spacious facilities, with no restrictions on the cigarette advertising that funds half the teams, while ageing Silverstone has a roofless grandstand and a ban on tobacco.

Even if Silverstone did host the first Grand Prix in 1950, Formula One has always followed the money with sentiment following a long way behind. France, another historic fixture on the calendar, could follow Silverstone out of the door while Turkey makes its debut.

The only truly historic circuits remaining now are Spa, Monza and Monaco with the Nurburgring and Hockenheim in Germany changed beyond recognition.

"I think the British Grand Prix has got a legitimate claim to a special place in motor racing history, but the business aspect is the priority these days," said Britain's 1996 champion Damon Hill.

The loss for Britain will be significant.

"It will inflict serious damage to the pre-eminence of the sport and industry in the United Kingdom which may be irrecoverable," the BRDC warned on Friday.

According to the Motorsport Industry Association, 4,000 companies are involved in Britain's motor sport industry, generating some 4.6 billion pounds a year and employing some 40,000 people. The race itself is worth $53 million a year to the region around Silverstone.

Uncertain Future

Three teams, the British-based Jaguar, Jordan and Minardi, face an uncertain future already.

There will however remain a suspicion that, in a sport where nothing is quite as it seems, Ecclestone may yet have a twist or two up his sleeve.

The 73-year-old Briton threw out a lifeline on Thursday when he said there was still a slim chance Silverstone could host a race next year if the teams agreed an 18-race season.

That happened already this year, with Canada reprieved after compensating teams.

Seven of the 10 teams are British-based and the race is also important for carmakers. Ecclestone will be chuckling all the way to the bank if he can get them to pay for it.

"It would be a shame if the race at the home of British motor sport did not take place, but I hope that for the good of motorsport a solution can be found," Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn told the Guardian newspaper.