Mosley Hints at British GP Reprieve

FIA president Max Mosley on Tuesday dropped the biggest hint that the British Grand Prix will receive a reprieve and retain its World Championship status for 2002.

A source close to Formula One's governing body suggested last week that the Silverstone event will be dropped from the calendar when the FIA World Council meet in Monaco on Friday. The World Council will examine a report by the Motorsport Association (MSA) into traffic problems at this year's event as well as proposed changes to the Silverstone circuit made by British Grand Prix organisers Octagon.

Mosley, however, revealed that the signs are good for the event and added that the provisional July 7 date is likely to be given the go-ahead following promises that Silverstone will get it right in 2002.

"It sounds encouraging and Octagon will have a full opportunity to show their plans on Friday," Mosley said.

An FIA source claimed that threats to take the British Grand Prix off the calendar and run it as a non-championship race have prompted swift and positive responses from Octagon. Octagon revised their £10.6 million (pounds) Masterplan on Monday in a bid to ensure the Grand Prix gets the go-ahead and the FIA source said that the odds are now staked in Silverstone's favour.

"We could give them a full Championship race in 2002, and then say: 'If you don't get it done then don't even bother applying for 2003,'" the source said. "It has gone from being evens to probably being reasonably in their favour. It is quite possible they will retain it. It looks like we have finally got their attention at last.

"It looks like at long last people are beginning to see the circuit has serious problems and that we are serious if they don't improve."

The British Grand Prix first came under scrutiny in 2000 after car parks were closed and spectators were forced to walk miles into Silverstone during a mud-hit debacle. The FIA source insisted that they have never had a problem with Silverstone's plans to improve the situation - just the fact that the improvements were never made.

"The biggest problem is not the plans, but convincing us they will actually do it," the source added. "They have said they would do things in the past, but have then not done them."