Wondering what will hapen to Silverstone...

As Silverstone is the home of British motorsport, I just hope that Bernie Ecclestone (the head honcho of F1) will allow this circuit to stage the British F1 GP next July... I've been to the last four British GPs (2000 - 2004 inclusive) and have thoroughly enjoyed myself each time...

SILVERSTONE ROW HISTORY:

June 1998 - Bernie Ecclestone sells rights to British GP to US company Octagon

December 2000 - Octagon agrees 15-year lease of Silverstone to run British GP

March 2003 - Octagon pulls out of its motorsport business because of debts, leaving race needing new promoter

Sep 2004 - Britain omitted from provisional 2005 calendar because of lack of agreement on promoter

Oct 2004 British GP named on draft 2005 F1 calendar

This is what BBC on-line (http://www.bbc.co.uk) has to say about the affair:

Silverstone's owners say a deal must be in place by the end of October if the 2005 British Grand Prix is to go ahead. The dispute between the British Racing Drivers' Club and F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone rests on contract details.

BRDC chairman Ray Bellm told BBC Five Live: "The main bone of contention is that Bernie wants a one-year contract with a six-year extension.

"We want two years with a five-year extension. Our crunch point is the end of October."

The World Motor Sport Council meets on 10 December to finalise the 2005 calendar, but Bellm wants to finds a solution well before then to allow the BRDC the planning time required to stage the race.

The British GP has been given a date of 3 July on next year's draft schedule but a commercial deal must be agreed before the race is confirmed.

Ecclestone, however, has already warned the BRDC that his offer to save the race is not open to negotiation. "We can't negotiate any more on this," Ecclestone told the Daily Express.

"They are on the calendar for the moment but we have to have a decision on this soon."

Ecclestone prefers a one-year deal, with a six-year extension dependent on the progress of improvements made to the track and its surroundings.

The current negotiations are not thought to involve Brand Synergy, the company which includes Nigel Mansell as one of its backers. However, the group is still hopeful of persuading the BRDC to join forces to safeguard the future of the British Grand Prix.

France and San Marino were also given provisional dates by F1's governing body the FIA on Wednesday. Ecclestone is limited to 17 Grands Prix a year by contract with the teams and must trim his draft calendar of 19 if he is to avoid a costly pay-out.

This year he had a multi-million pound bill for paying the teams to participate in an 18th race.

I just hope that this is sorted out, otherwise British petrol heads will have to travel overseas to see what I personally consider to be the pinnacle of four-wheel motor sport.

Time to call it quits - I need to grab a bite for lunch.

Back later.

Karen.

Do spiders scream when they see a big fat hairy human in the bath?