Stewart calls for 'UK plc' backing

In a long interview with Sue Mott in the Daily Telegraph, Sir Jackie, president of the Silverstone-owning BRDC said: "We have to ensure the continuity of the Grand Prix because it is constantly being threatened by Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone, who had the commercial rights given to him for a hundred years by Mr Mosley. Quite unusual, wouldn't you say?"

Stewart added: "Max and Bernie have an agenda. We, the BRDC, don't know what it is, but they have an agenda. Whether they want to own the track, we don't know. But members of the BRDC have ring-fenced the track, so they can't have that.

"But it's terribly important, that's why we have asked the government to help. The economics of the sport are unbalanced. Most of the money goes in one direction - to Mr Ecclestone's companies.

"We need better restaurants, facilities and lower ticket prices. We know that, but the money isn't there to pay for it because there's no money filtering back. There is a perception that this is a rich man's sport, but the reality is that there are 19 licensed race tracks in this country and almost all of them have financial problems.

"The real money has to come from UK plc. In other words, the government. And Ecclestone. But he puts very little back."