Surtees: The Official Website

Silverstone Grand Prix

In some ways it was a bittersweet weekend for the British Racing Drivers’ Club. On the one hand, despite the weather, they were safeguarded because of the event having been a sell out and Lewis Hamilton excelled in what were atrocious conditions. But on the other, the Board of Directors and management they had elected had to swallow hard with the announcement that they had lost the Grand Prix from 2010.

Some tracks in Europe, and England in particular because of its heritage and motorsport industry, deserve to retain their Grand Prix. Donington has a longer history as a circuit than Silverstone. One immediately conjures up visions of those Silver Arrows of Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz duelling in the pre-war years. I had the privilege of being a commentator when Aryton Senna won on the one occasion that the circuit hosted a Grand Prix in recent years. It was a fantastic demonstration of car control in conditions reminiscent of Sunday at Silverstone. With the rolling countryside giving so much natural grandstand they have a wonderful opportunity of creating a world class venue. More, I would hope, along the lines of the Nurburgring than some of those completely over-the-top and so little used facilities that have been created in recent times.

John Surtees

10 July 2008