Donington wins F1 rights

Source: Agencies  |   2008-7-5  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

Felipe Massa's Ferrari is loaded on to a truck after crashing at the Silverstone race track yesterday. The Brazilian spun off the track and hit a wall during practice for the British GP but still set the fastest session time. More in photo gallery

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THE British Formula One Grand Prix will switch to Donington Park from Silverstone in 2010, the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said yesterday.

Also, the Australian Grand Prix will be held at twilight for the next seven years.

"Following discussions with Formula One Management, the FIA can confirm that the British Grand Prix will be retained on the Formula One World Championship calendar," the FIA said in a statement. "From 2010 the new home of the British Grand Prix will be Donington Park."

Donington Park's Website said the circuit's co-owners Simon Gillett and Lee Gill had signed a 10-year agreement that included an investment of 100 million pounds (US$198.4 million) over a five-year period.

The surprise decision, while securing the future of the race in Britain, represents a huge blow for the Silverstone circuit owned by the British Racing Drivers' Club, whose contract to host the race expires at the end of next year.

The BRDC have advanced plans to redevelop the pits and paddock complex to bring the circuit in line with other more modern facilities but they needed the guarantee of a grand prix to proceed.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, himself a Briton, has repeatedly threatened to remove the race from the calendar if Silverstone, which hosted the first championship grand prix in 1950, is not upgraded.

Privately-owned Donington, home of the British round of the MotoGP championship, hosted the European Formula One grand prix in 1993.

"Finally the uncertainty is over," Ecclestone said in the FIA statement handed out at the British Grand Prix. "A contract has been signed with Donington Park and the future of the British Grand Prix is now secure.

"We wanted a world class venue for Formula One in Britain, something that the teams and British F1 fans could be proud of," he added.

"The major development plans for Donington will give us exactly that. A venue that will put British motor sport back on the map.