Ecclestone denies Donington extension
Ecclestone has accused Simon Gillett of being in breach of his contract
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By Matthew Champion. |  |
Tuesday, 13, Oct 2009 04:19
By Adam Leveridge.
Bernie Ecclestone has denied granting Donington Park bosses a two-week extension to demonstrate they have the necessary funding to host the 2010 British grand prix.
In a statement on Monday, Donington boss Simon Gillett stated that he had been given yet another extension on his deadline to prove he has the necessary funding to develop the circuit in time to host the race in July 2010.
"We can confirm that Donington Ventures Leisure Limited (DVLL) has another two weeks from today to further demonstrate our credentials for hosting the British formula one grand prix and to provide full information regarding our financial backing and construction timescales," said Gillett.
However, Ecclestone has denied granting a two-week extension and has accused Gillett of being in breach of his contract.
"We haven't decided to give Gillett another deadline at all," Ecclestone told the Telegraph newspaper.
"We have informed him he is in breach of contract.
"The contract which we have gives him 14 days to remedy the breach. Most business contracts are like that."
Ecclestone believes the misunderstanding over the deadline 'extension' comes from Gillett misreading a discussion between the two men, and played down any suggestions it could cause a rift.
"People interpret things the way they want to interpret them," the F1 supremo continued.
"It would be hard if you were standing in a court today arguing what he said was wrong.
"But he hasn't been given another deadline at all. He has been given, like the contract says, another two weeks to remedy the breach. No deadline has changed."
Ecclestone went on to warn Gillett that the deal with Donington would be finished if he didn't put right the situation in the next two weeks.
"I've been thinking he's going to come through all the way along because he's sort of led me to believe it's all OK," Ecclestone said.
"But I have no reason to discuss anything with him. He's either going to remedy the breach or he isn't.
"If he isn't then that's the end of the story. If he is then we're going to have to make sure that he does all the other things that the contract provides for."
Despite fears over Donington's readiness, Gillett says the circuit has "made great strides in recent weeks" and backed his team to be ready by the two-week deadline.
"We greatly appreciate the additional time allowed to us to finalise the information for public distribution in what has been a much more difficult than anticipated economic climate," he continued.
"We appreciate the British public's growing frustration with regard to uncertainty that has been cast over the country's largest and most successful motorsport event, but remain committed to delivering on the promises that we made at the start of this process and have the interests of the sport and its fans at heart."