Record ticket sales at Silverstone
Race organisers are sure the fans will still pack out Silverstone in 2010
Also In The News
|
By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Tuesday, 08, Dec 2009 02:26
By Adam Leveridge
The British grand prix race organisers are "overwhelmed" by the response from fans since tickets went on sale for the 2010 event at the beginning of the week.
On Monday, the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) announced it had secured the future of formula one in the UK by signing a 17-year deal with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
But, despite ticket sales being put on hold until a deal had been brokered, Silverstone's managing director Richard Phillips remained confident the event would be a sell-out as it usually is and early reports from the circuit suggest his bullishness was justified with the Silverstone booking office having sold over 6500 tickets to fans in just 24 hours, bringing in a revenue of over £1.2 million.
"We have been overwhelmed by the early level of interest for tickets for next year's event - we're very fortunate that Silverstone and F1 enjoy fantastic support from the fans," said Phillips.
"With two world champions, a British team and a British grand prix secured for the long term, there is a lot to be optimistic about.
"We're committed to delivering a fantastic experience for the fans, offering real value for money, with an array of on and off-track entertainment. With MotoGP and F1 at Silverstone next year, we're looking forward to a busy and exciting year."
Phillips had previously expressed confidence that next year's British grand prix would be a sell-out, despite the fact that tickets had gone on sale later than usual.
"It was a shame that we could not have gone on sale earlier, but we had to do the right deal," said Phillips.
"A 17-year deal is the right time frame and, if we had rushed to get on sale too quickly it would probably have been the wrong thing to do. But we have got a good team and we have got a great circuit and great fans."
The Northamptonshire circuit resumed the rights to host the event after Donington Park's owners failed to raise the necessary funding by the deadline set by Ecclestone.
And Phillips added: "The whole Donington saga was a difficult time for us.
"When it happened on the Friday of Silverstone in 2008, it was probably one of the worst days of my life to be honest, and it has been very difficult.
"They did fall over, and I wish they had not done it the way they did it.
"I wish they had a circuit up there that was like the original circuit, because there was no real reason for them to kill the business."