Finally All Is Well For BRDC, FIA And Silverstone
At last we are to witness the next Grand Prix scheduled to be staged at the Silverstone circuit next weekend. The past few years had been very critical and crucial for this, one of the oldest circuits of the world as the Formula One President Bernie Ecclestone and the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) had their long list of disputes. After all the controversies that have kept boiling in the past few years, all is settled for good as Silverstone is back on calendar with all its glory and class.
The Formula one caravan has covered half of its season. After the spectacular race event at the Valencia track, Spain last month, the cars head towards one of their oldest haven, The Great Britain. The next race is scheduled to take place at the Silverstone track which is also known as “the home of British motor racing”. It lies equally divided between Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, England and had been named after a beautiful village of Northamptonshire. Being one of the oldest circuits, it hosted its first race in the year 1948. It also carries the crown of hosting the first Formula One World Championship in the year 1950. Following the race that was staged here in the year 1987, there had not been a single year when the circuit did not entertain the race lovers.
It had been time and again that the track has survived the severe controversies claiming that the track would not host further races however every time all such claims had been nullified. Previously it was in the year 2004 that BRDC’s president Jackie Stewart announced that the next Grand Prix calendar would not add British Grand Prix and in any case if it does, Silverstone circuit would not host it. However, after several rounds of talks and discussions finally the Formula One supremo, Bernie Ecclestone was able to have the agreement signed with BRDC to keep the races going on with the same old rendezvous of Formula One and mutually it was settled that till the year 2009 races would be hosted on the same track. Moreover, it was also settled that after the 2009 season the next Grand Prix would be staged in Donington Park.
Well, this year again it is again the Silverstone that is going to host the race. The Donington Park leaseholders were already suffering from economic problems and finally the idea of shifting the race to that track was dropped once again. This time the agreement signed between BRDC and Bernie Ecclestone is for another seventeen years, so it is around two decades that the track is safe from more fate uncertainties.
The continuous threats to the track had several reasons behind it, which were proclaimed by FIA time and again. The circuit was an old one and needed to be renovated, over the years some minor changes were done but some major improvements were required to bring it up to the mark as compared to the other newly built circuits, which are not only technically much more advanced but also they offer more security as well as challenge to the drivers. FIA also demanded to build new pit and paddock complex, which they thought was essential before conducting any further races at the place.
Another major issue faced here every year was the traffic jam during the race days. To fix this problem the A43 bypass had been built which has helped a little to resolve the issue. Also the track could not be utilised during rainy days as the spectators’ parking lot turns into mud baths after rains causing a lot of chaos for the race viewers.
Moreover, Ecclestone stated in 2009 that he wanted BRDC to give up their role as promoter of the event and only then the FIA would be able to take up any further agreement. However, BRDC has stayed there only some renovations had been done in the track and the agreement is already signed.
At the end of the day all one can say is that ‘all is well that ends well’. After all the discussions and accusations it is the same FIA, Bernie Ecclestone and BRDC are together again hailing the next grand prix starting 9th of July, on the revamped circuit of Silverstone.
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