Octagon British GP

[John]

I see we have the usual story concerning the Brisish GPs future again, this time its because Octagon's parent company is selling off assets to cover debts.

The following is quoted from Eurosport:
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For Sale: British GP

The British Grand Prix is once again under threat after US marketing giant Interpublic, the company that owns Octagon Motorsports who in turn own the contract to run the race, has been forced to sell all of its motorsport business because of debts.

In order for the race to survive, a buyer must come forward and buy Octagon Motorsports, a move that Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone isn't immediately worried about.

"If someone buys Octagon, whatever its assets and liabilities are, they will assume them. So either Octagon will run the race or someone else will," he told the BBC Online. "It's a pity Octagon entered into an agreement not knowing what the commitments were, but I have no doubt they will honour those commitments."

However, Ecclestone confirmed that should Interpublic fail to find a buyer, then the future of Formula One's most traditional race is bleak, putting the blame firmly with Silverstone owners, the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC). "The contract is guaranteed by Interpublic. But if no-one wants to run the race, then there won't be a British Grand Prix."

BRDC chairman Martin Brundle however rejected Ecclestone's claims: "I know the numbers and what Bernie is saying is absolutely not correct," the former Grand Prix said. "The BRDC's rent, which gives Octagon 365 days per year revenue at Silverstone, pales into insignificance compared to the promotional and related costs Octagon need to pay to FOM [Ecclestone's promotional company] and others to operate the Grand Prix."

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Views??

[lauz]

they could always send the grand prix to rockingham. i mean if they can hold the cart race then they should be able to manage the grand prix.

[John]

They can hold a CART race at Brands but cant see the facilities coping with F1 at present.

Dunno what the infield part of Rockingham's like but would I be right in thinking those that have raced on it weren't that impressed? (Like the US GP infield - which was termed Mickey Mouse)

[lauz]

i dunno ive only been to rockingham for the ascar races.

[cos]

At the F3 races at Rockingham the cars were getting airborne at the chicanes - imagine the F1 cars doing that...

[Paul Rayner]

Could it go to Rockingham? Yes. The circuit's up to F1 standards, I think, and they could erect more grandstands to cope with the higher numbers. Rockingham really needs a big event like that if it's to reclaim the cost of building it.

The biggest problem I can see with Rockingham is the traffic - Silverstone now has the best access of any circuit in the country, it has a duel carriageway right up to its door. Rockingham would, without a VERY good traffic plan, encounter problems.

As for F3 cars taking off, Rockingham pretty much fixed this problem last year.

[Stuart]

The infield at Rockingham really is too stop / start.
A number of racers in our championship called it "a bit Mickey Mouse" and "fiddley" and thats just in little hatch backs.
As Paul says, traffic and spectator access would be the biggest issues. The paddock is also far too small for the F1 circus - just getting the transporters in would be a nightmare.
Unfortunately Brands Hatch is really too narrow for F1.
I doubt if anything will really change in terms of the venue for the Grand Prix for as long as there is a race in Britain.

[cos]

Originally posted by Stuart

A number of racers in our championship called it "a bit Mickey Mouse" and "fiddley" and thats just in little hatch backs.

Mickey Mouse and fiddly? Surely the ideal characteristics for an F1 circuit :p
Seriously, maybe Rockingham could get a one-off European GP status or something, why should Germany always get 2 Grands Prix a year.

[John]

Same reason Italy does! :mad:

Could be nice and cynical and say:
Germany - Schumacher
Italy - Ferrari
But I'll not! ;) :rolleyes:

[bramble]

i seem to recall that Rockingham would have to up its standards just to get an F1 testing licence. i expect the size of the paddock would be a problem.

[Paul Rayner]

Originally posted by Stuart
The infield at Rockingham really is too stop / start.
A number of racers in our championship called it "a bit Mickey Mouse" and "fiddley" and thats just in little hatch backs.
As Paul says, traffic and spectator access would be the biggest issues. The paddock is also far too small for the F1 circus - just getting the transporters in would be a nightmare.
Unfortunately Brands Hatch is really too narrow for F1.
I doubt if anything will really change in terms of the venue for the Grand Prix for as long as there is a race in Britain.
Rockingham is definitely no more mickey mouse than Indianapolis and, like there, it has some great overtaking opportunities. I don't think the paddock is too small, as the infield area is no smaller than that F1 uses at Silverstone, it's just a different shape, but the garages may not be big enough. Then there's media facilities, paddock club hospitality, access roads...

As for John's reasons for Germany & Italy having two GPs - they're completely right - you have plenty of interest in both places to hold two GPs. In the Mansell days of '92, you would have had the same in this country, hence why we got the Donington race in '93, but by then the interest had diminished. We need a major British star to get that back.

[Paul Rayner]

Originally posted by bramble
i seem to recall that Rockingham would have to up its standards just to get an F1 testing licence. i expect the size of the paddock would be a problem.
I think it's already got an F1 testing licence and F1 cars have tested there, there are just problems with locals complaining about the noise.

[tvgod]

Rockingham doesn't have an F1 testing licence.
...in fact other than Silverstone I don't think there's any circuit in the UK which does.

[Paul Rayner]

I stand corrected then. Perhaps I just heard that they'd applied for one then. Apart from Silverstone there is definitely no other circuit in Britain with an F1 licence.

[Racefan_uk]

I don't think Rockingham needs a 'license' for F1 cars to test there, F1 teams can test wherever they like, especially if it is a private test. McLaren used to test at Pembrey for god's sake!

As far as I know, Rockingham has FIA approved status as a test venue, which means it is up to a required standard.

As for F1 being held there for the race, why not, if they can use Indiannapolis in America (With the amount of decent circuits they have over there) why not Rockingham, it would definately be better from a spectator point of view.

[tvgod]

F1 teams can hold private tests wherever they want - so McLaren will test at Pembrey and Lydden Hill.
Jordan and BAR often test at Santa Pod.

But the FIA F1 test licence (which is one step up from the standard FIA test licence) is held by relatively few circuits - Estoril, Jerez, Paul Ricard, Valencia are the ones that I can think of off the top of my head, but there are others.