Mosley: Silverstone is Least Impressive Venue

The president of motor racing's ruling body says facilities at the Silverstone circuit which hosts the British Formula One Grand Prix are "shaming".

FIA President Max Mosley said that unless the circuit was substantially improved it could still be removed from next year's calendar.

Organisers were heavily criticised in April when the British Grand Prix, having been moved from its usual July date, was marred by heavy rain which turned spectator car parks into quagmires, causing traffic chaos throughout the weekend.

"I think Silverstone were unlucky that they had completely record levels of rainfall, but also it must be said the way the traffic was organised between the circuit and police was simply not adequate," Mosley told BBC radio.

"That's why we're waiting now in order to confirm them on the calendar for 2001, they've got to produce a very convincing plan."

He added: "It is surprising...that Britain is the home of at least the teams and very much the home of technology in Formula One, yet we do not have a world class racing facility.

"In fact probably Silverstone is the least impressive of all the venues for the world championship. I find that rather shaming.

"If somebody said 'Look we'd like to run the Olympic Games in England but sorry we've got one little stadium and it's down the end of a track and you can't really get there, it takes six hours to get in,' they'd be laughed at and yet we're expected to have a Formula One world championship there," Mosley said on Tuesday night.

Last month in Warsaw, Silverstone organisers agreed to implement FIA improvements at the circuit by October 4. The rival Brands Hatch circuit in Kent is trying to obtain planning permission to develop its circuit in order to be able to host the British Grand Prix from 2002. However, several Formula One teams, including Williams, Arrows and British American Racing, have said they will oppose any move from Silverstone.