Stewart: Share F1 wealth

"It has to be readjusted because currently it is only going in one direction - I'm talking about Kirch/Formula One Management. A large percentage of the TV revenue goes there, the circuit advertising goes there, as well as the event title sponsorship revenue, corporate hospitality revenue, etcetera.

"The track owners and the promoters are getting very little out of it and short of the USA and UK, all of them have to be supported by governments, either federal, state or regional, before they can afford to put on a grand prix."

Stewart pointed at Brazil as a particularly good example.

"The conditions are appalling and would simply not be allowed in any other part of the world, " Stewart said. "The president of the FIA has stated that the reason they are in is because there is only one South American Grand Prix, but it's so bad that it's at the point where I'm not sure they can afford it. They do not have the revenues to reinvest and make it better."

Then, alluding to BRDC-run Silverstone, Stewart elaborated: "If David Coulthard, in April, is leading the world championship, advance sales will be high and if it's a really good weekend they might make £1 million out of an immense investment. But if it's a bad weekend and there is no British driver up front, then they will almost certainly lose money. Now, how can you lose money when there's 250,000 people coming to the track over three days?"