Donington | FerrariChat

Donington

Discussion in 'F1' started by brian.s, Oct 22, 2009.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. brian.s

    brian.s F1 Rookie
    Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,806
    Midwest
    Full Name:
    Brian
    Looks like another "Windsorism", trying to solicit funding for finishing the non existant finished project!

    Maybe Mr E should look at alternating Brands and Silverstone like the good ol days.
     
  2. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    I'm afraid Brands would be a no go as it would need even more money than Donington to bring it up to date and that sort of money is not easy to find (as Donington have found out).

    It's My belief that Donington were suckered into a plan by Bernie to put more leverage on Silverstone, and sadly they fell for it and it's cost them big time. They've lost the Moto GP, They're about to lose F1 and they owe money for the work already carried out.

    For years Bernie has threatened to take the race away from Silverstone but it never happened and Silverstone weren't convinced it would happen.

    Suddenly Donington came along and Bernie thought: "Right, I'll give the race to Donington, that way I've carried out My threat. There's no chance of them getting it sorted in time so I'll tell Silverstone that the only way to save the British Grand Prix for the future is to improve their facilities, then they can have the race back".

    It's a win-win for Bernie. If Donington fail to get themselves sorted in time, well they knew what was required so not Bernies fault.

    If Silverstone don't improve their facilities then again, not Bernies fault, He gave them a chance and they didn't want it.

    If Silverstone do improve their facilities, Bernie finally gets what he's wanted for all these years and the race is saved.

    As for Donington, I think some business men got over ambitous and thought they found a way of making millions for themselves and it's backfired big time. Eventually they'll drop the dream of F1, rebuild the circuit to something like it was and try to get Moto GP back.

    There again, what do I know?, I'm just a dumb country Boy! :D
     
  3. sambomydog

    sambomydog Guest

    May 23, 2009
    1,380
    Donnys final deadline is on Monday 26th. Dam shame they seemed to have failed. But there again it may have failed anyway even if the GP was there. Many things stacked up against them. One such thing i did not like was the park and ride scheme they had in mind to get to the circuit. They do not want any cars driving to and parking at the circuit. They want you to park in carparks miles away and catch buses in to the circuit. That would not have worked IMO.
     
  4. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Donington is DOA.

    Pitty.
     
  5. brian.s

    brian.s F1 Rookie
    Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,806
    Midwest
    Full Name:
    Brian
    I wonder if Tom W is amused?

    hope the cheques they gave him were good.
     
  6. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    Not really. It wasn't ever viable.
    Bernie's been around long enough and good enough with numbers to know they could never make it.
     
  7. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

    May 12, 2007
    26,826
    England North West
    Full Name:
    Steve
    Yes I go along with that...ruthless Hecklestone.
     
  8. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    The latest instalment (from http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79728) :



    Ecclestone warns Silverstone over deal

    By Jon Noble Saturday, October 24th 2009, 11:28 GMT

    Bernie Ecclestone, 2009Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has warned that he is not prepared to offer Silverstone a cut-price deal for the British Grand Prix just to guarantee the race a future.

    With Donington Park's plans for the British GP close to failure, with the track having until midday on Monday to get its finances sorted, Silverstone has already opened talks with Ecclestone about a contract.

    However, as AUTOSPORT revealed on Friday, the terms that have been offered to Silverstone are similar to those that the track rejected 18 months ago as commercially unviable.

    That means that unless Ecclestone is willing to compromise on the finances, the race may not happen.

    And Ecclestone told the Daily Express that it was not vital that the British GP was on the calendar in 2010.

    "Silverstone have a contract in front of them," he said. "We've no commercial arrangement in place for a British Grand Prix for next year. That is why the race has an asterisk beside it on the 2010 calendar.

    "If they can't make it work then don't do it. If that happens, there won't be a British Grand Prix. Simple as that.

    "No-one is forcing them to take it. This is business. We have offered them a deal."

    When asked if Silverstone could expect a discount just to keep the British GP on the calendar, Ecclestone said: "The contract they have is the contract we like. We are not prepared to charge less. Do we need a British Grand Prix? No.

    "I want a British Grand Prix, of course, but we are not going to do special rates for Britain."



    Wow!, pretty much as I was saying!, and before anyone doubts My predictive skills, this story was put up after My post and I won the lottery last night! :D ( to be fair it was only £20 but a wins a win! :) )
     
  9. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    When I read your previous post I assumed that you had read this already.
    Yup you pretty much nailed it.
     
  10. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    VIZSLA: I thought some might think that, but that news story was put up shortly after I had posted (quite a coincidence though!).

    Anyway, here's the latest instalment and surprise!, surprise!, the last deadline has passed and Donington have now dropped the 2010 British Grand Prix information from their website.

    Taken from: ( http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79777)


    Final deadline passes for Donington

    By Pablo Elizalde Monday, October 26th 2009, 16:06 GMT

    The Donington Park circuit appeared to move further away from its plans to host the 2010 British Grand Prix after the final deadline to sort its financial planning passed on Monday.

    The circuit had until midday today to solve the financial situation after admitting on Friday that efforts to raise a £135 million bond had failed. The deadline passed without news from the circuit.

    However, the 2010 British Grand Prix was dropped from the official Donington website.

    Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is already in talks with Silverstone in order to reach a deal for the British race to be on the calendar next year.

    BRDC president Damon Hill said on Monday that he was optimistic an agreement would be reached, but he made it clear Silverstone would not accept a deal that would hurt the track.

    "I'm confident a deal can be worked out. The contract can be of any combination of years, but it has to be affordable," Hill told the BBC.

    "There's a huge desire to get the deal done, but we're not prepared to put [Silverstone] at risk financially."



    So now we have to wait to see what Silverstone decide to do.

    It seems like Bernies "Mr Burns" style plan is coming together just as he'd planned ( "Smithers!, release the hounds!")
     
  11. brian.s

    brian.s F1 Rookie
    Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,806
    Midwest
    Full Name:
    Brian
    +1.

    Maybe Mr E will own Silverstone soon to go alongside PR. Man I miss that track, actually the beaches in Bandol!
     
  12. Anthony_Ferrari

    Anthony_Ferrari Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2003
    2,278
    Sheffield, UK
    Full Name:
    Anthony Currie
    Dear God, it never ends!
     
  13. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    Can't see it being reported anywhere else at the moment so we'll have to wait for confirmation by the looks of it.

    After all the messing around that Gillete and Doningtons done, and all the missed deadlines, I'd be very surprised if Ecclestone lets Donington have it now.
     
  14. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

    May 12, 2007
    26,826
    England North West
    Full Name:
    Steve
    Well all I know is that when Bernie was questioned on the grid a while back, IIRC it was at Silverstone for what it's worth:

    Interviewer.. "will there be a British GP in 2010"

    Hecklestone "yes"
     
  15. Alex1015

    Alex1015 Formula Junior

    Sep 1, 2005
    949
    USA
    Donington didn't have much of a chance honestly. Back in July it was still very much under construction and IMO didn't look like it would be ready. It has always been a case of Bernie vs the BRDC and he's tired of them being one of the few groups that would stand up to his outrageous prices.

    The BRDC believed that Bernie would never take away the British GP and that gave them leverage but they didn't think he'd move over to Max's friend Johnathon Palmer and Motorsport Vision.

    Bernie doesn't admit that, instead he plays it off as the facilities at Silverstone are insufficient. This is an utter lie. If there's a track on the calender with facilities not up to par it's Hockenheim. The access to the track is poor (especially if you're driving a lorry) there aren't many nearby accommodations etc. Yet Bernie has always said it's Silverstone's facilities that are its weakness.

    Politics as always :)
     
  16. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    If you're up against Bernie be sure to wear your cup.
     
  17. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    And how does Interlagos survive?, great track, diabolical facilities!.

    I'd say be sure to wear a full NFL approved Football kit including helmet because you don't know where the hits going to come from! :D
     
  18. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    You protect your head and I'll protect what's important:)
     
  19. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    I wouldn't play against Bernie!. Even when you think you've won, you eventually find out you lost! (and can't figure out how it happened).

    When it comes to deals, he's like a chess grandmaster! (there's a reason he's sacrificing that knight but you see why!). :)
     
  20. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    Seriously, one of Bernie's secrets of success is that he makes other people money too.
     
  21. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    He's not done badly for a second hand car salesman!
     
  22. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    The lessons learned in youth...
     
  23. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    Sadly I went down the path of the follies of youth and discovered that it didn't pay anything like as much!
     
  24. Rubino

    Rubino Formula Junior

    May 24, 2005
    646
    Charlotte Area
    Full Name:
    Bob Curtis
    Anyone know the basic terms offered to Silverstone? How much does Bernie want?
     
  25. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    #25 4rePhill, Oct 29, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2009
    The latest news and just on the radio as well (from http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79826 ):


    Ecclestone: Donington hopes are over

    By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde Thursday, October 29th 2009, 15:16 GMT

    Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed Donington's hopes of hosting the British Grand Prix next year are over after the circuit failed to raise the funds to complete its redevelopment plans.

    Donington had until last Monday to sort the financial situation, having failed to raise a £135 million bond last week.

    "There's no Donington. They've missed the deadline which we kept extending for them," Ecclestone told reporters in Abu Dhabi.

    "It's unfortunate for them, to be honest with you. It was the credit crunch that caused them to be in trouble because their intentions were good, that's for sure.

    "It's bad for Tom (Wheatcroft) because he's been an old friend for a long time."

    Ecclestone insisted he is still in talks with Silverstone to reach a deal for the 2010 race and suggested the ball was on the British track's court.

    "We're talking. A deal can be done if they want to," he said, adding there were no differences of opinion over contract details.

    "There isn't actually. As far as I'm concerned, no problems."

    The F1 boss also praised Abu Dhabi officials for their work with the state-of-the-art Yas Marina circuit that is hosting its first race this weekend.

    "What they've done is unbelievable. It was in April 2006 I saw and spoke to the crown prince, and at that time we didn't start to discuss a race.

    "But during dinner we came up with the idea that maybe we should have a race here, and it's magic what they've done.

    "I never thought it would be finished like this. I thought bits and pieces would be done. I said to them 'I hope we're not going to be racing on a building site.'

    "But no one is going to top this... although I'll be happy if someone does the same."
     

Share This Page