Ecclestone: Time running out for British GP
Silverstone has until the FIA's World Motor Sport Council heading on December 11th to sign a contract
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Friday, 20, Nov 2009 09:34
By Adam Leveridge
Formula one supremo Bernie Ecclestone has warned Silverstone that it has just a few weeks to sign a contract to save the British grand prix.
Talks between Ecclestone and the Northamptonshire circuit have been going on for weeks, however, a deal is yet to be signed, with the sport's commercial rights holder charging more than Silverstone is willing to pay.
On Friday Ecclestone announced that if the matter isn't resolved by the next FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) meeting on December 11th, the race will be dropped from the calendar.
"The World Council will meet and we will just pull it off - we will have to," Ecclestone told The Times.
"We'll have no other choice, if we don't have a contract. We shouldn't have anything on the calendar unless we have a contract in place.
"They are close and they know they are close.
"It's not the terms and conditions so much as whether the investors are prepared to bankroll them and take the risk."
Ecclestone restated that Silverstone is getting a better deal than other venues on the F1 calendar and that it would not be given any preferential treatment.
"Of course we want a British grand prix," said Ecclestone.
"I've been spending an awful lot of time trying to make sure it does happen, but there is no chance of an exceptional contract for Silverstone.
"Why should there be?"