BRDC won't give up on GP

Speaking exclusively to autosport.com about the latest development in the ongoing battle to save Silverstone from F1 exile, Alex Hooton, the chief executive of the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC), said that he still believed the race would take place in 2005 despite the latest setback. A decision about the BRDC's response to the latest situation will be made at a board meeting of the club on Thursday.

"We don't believe it is necessarily the end," he said about where Ecclestone's stance left talks about the race's future. "One has to accept that at the moment, with Bernie going off to Brazil and making public the contents of the letter we sent on Monday, that there does not seem to be any point of contact right now.

"Having said that, we have got a board meeting tomorrow and we are going to be considering the position and whether there are any avenues for re-opening negotiations. We know the government is doing the same and we also know that nothing particularly in F1 is over until it's over."

Hooton's comments came after Ecclestone told the media on Wednesday morning that he had lost patience with the BRDC in the fight to conclude a deal to safeguard the race.

Although money was no longer believed to be an issue, Ecclestone was unwilling to compromise on his insistence on a one-year deal with six-year option, while the BRDC wanted a two-year contract with talks to then begin on a five-year extension.

Ecclestone said: "We have to admit defeat and end the discussions. It looks certain there will not be a British GP in 2005. We have been unable to reach agreement on the length of the commitment or the financial terms."

The decision by Ecclestone to break off talks was also met with disappointment by BRDC president Jackie Stewart - who suggested that a two-year deal was actually close to being agreed.

He said: "Mr Ecclestone's unilateral decision to cancel the Grand Prix is bad news for Britain. We were hopeful that a two-year deal for keeping the grand prix at Silverstone was close to agreement, and we believe that Mr Ecclestone had committed for 2005/2006 to Sports Minister Richard Caborn, MP. Fine details of the deal could have been agreed.

"Whilst we understand that Mr. Ecclestone can get more money from new-entry countries and foreign governments, than either BRDC can afford or the British government is prepared to support, the end of the British Grand Prix will have serious consequences.

"Mr Ecclestone has delivered a severe body blow to the sport, industry and economy in the UK and to the hundreds of thousands of loyal British fans."

Hooton also expressed his disappointment at comments from Ecclestone that the BRDC did not actually 'want the race' because of its apparent unwillingness to compromise in the talks.

He said: "We are doing everything that we can, and some would say more than we should, to try and have the race here next and the year after and hopefully for the long term future as well. It is simply not true to say that we are kind of unwilling."

When asked about his gut feeling about whether Silverstone would host the British Grand Prix in 2005, Hooton explained: "I was asked earlier today whether I thought there would be a grand prix next year, and I said yes I do. I still think there will be. That is my read on the situation, but I don't think anybody should under-estimate how serious this situation is."