Silverstone Aims to be Permanent Home of British Grand Prix

04/19/96

United Press International reported that the Silverstone Course in Northhamptonshire, England has secured the rights to host the British Grand Prix until the year 2001. Additionally, the course owners have unveiled plans to make it the race's permanent home. The circuit has hosted the race since 1987. Other tracks in Britain that have hosted the country's Grand Prix--namely Brands Hatch and Donington--face costs that make meeting new safety standards prohibitive.

The British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC), owners of the circuit have invested about $150 million in improvements over the last ten years, and, according to club president Lord Hesketh, "the ambition of the BRDC is to make Silverstone the best circuit in the world." Following advice given by drivers after last year's race, the club has increased the speed and safety of the track. In the future, the club will expand the industrial estate housed in the 800-acre site in order to create a race technology park, which will meet all the needs of teams. The club's third priority is to ease the chronic traffic congestion which also affects the British Grand Prix each year. They plan to link the M40 and M1 motorways with a highway by the end of the century.

BRDC hopes that Jackie Stewart will house his new F1 team at Silverstone when he begins racing next year.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel