Silverstone sees Ecclestone exit as British GP boost

Jan.31 - Silverstone is sounding more hopeful about a future on the F1 calendar, in the days after Bernie Ecclestone lost his job as the sport's chief executive.

Ecclestone was notoriously hard on struggling European promoters, and while his successor Chase Carey says new contract talks are not on the cards, he has made it clear that Britain should be part of the world championship.

Recently, the circuit-owning British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) has been warning it will shortly trigger an exit clause and stop hosting the race after 2019.

"We have to look at different revenue streams, we have to look at a different contract to the one we have at the moment to extend beyond 2019," said BRDC president Derek Warwick.

Carey has said London is an attractive potential F1 host city for the future, but at the same time stressed the importance of historic venues like Silverstone.

Warwick told the Guardian: "There will be a way, because Liberty don't want to lose Silverstone and the British grand prix and we don't want to lose it, there has to be middle ground for all of us."

Warwick suggested that his renewed confidence is because of Ecclestone's departure and the arrival of new F1 management, including Carey and also former F1 team boss Ross Brawn.

"We are excited by the change of management," said Warwick.

"We don't think our sanction fee will change, therefore we have to find a better way of increasing our revenue.

"It was probably the right time for Bernie to step aside. It's great we now have new opportunities and new energy to take us in a new direction.

"Maybe we can have more pit walks, bigger concerts, more sponsorship, maybe we can name corners. There are things we can change which we haven't been able to do under the current contract," he added.

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