The owners of Silverstone have "stepped in to save the British round of the MotoGP world championship" with a deal announced on Wednesday, according to Kevin Eason of the LONDON TIMES. After Donington "dramatically walked away from a hosting agreement" on Tuesday, leaving the future of "motorcycling’s showpiece in this country hanging by a thread," it was announced that Silverstone would "take over the deal and run the event for two years." The rescheduled race will be on Aug. 30 on the "familiar old track that staged last season's grand prix." The deal is a boost for the Circuit of Wales, "as doubts swirl around the viability of a project to construct a purpose-built racetrack on a greenfield site outside Ebbw Vale." The investment of £280M ($427M) will be the "biggest in motorsport in Europe, if it comes off." Work on the site to have a track ready for '16 is "yet to start and the developers face a public inquiry next month" (LONDON TIMES, 2/11). REUTERS' Alan Baldwin reported Donington announced on Tuesday "the
termination of an agreement with the Circuit of Wales because they said
payment deadlines had not been met." The
Circuit of Wales disputed that, saying it had been unwilling to
provide "significant funding" to upgrade the Donington track. Silverstone Managing Dir Patrick
Allen said it had been "devastating" for his circuit to lose the race
contract last year and he welcomed the return. Allen: "Two-wheel
racing is as much a part of Silverstone's heritage as four-wheel racing
and I am obviously delighted to be in a position to announce we are
hosting both the F1 and MotoGP Grands Prix in 2015" (REUTERS, 2/11).
BATHURST EYEING MOTOGP: In Melbourne, Peter Rolfe reported Melbourne "famously stole" Adelaide's F1 Grand Prix and now NSW is "trying to poach two of Victoria's major sporting events." The NSW town of Bathurst has "hatched a bold bid to steal the MotoGP and World Superbikes from Victoria's iconic Phillip Island." Bathurst Mayor Gary Rush has declared his interest in "luring them to town to compliment its famous car race at Mount Panorama." Rush: "We are very keen to get our hands on both of those events." Australian Grand Prix CEO Andrew Westacott said the events were "going nowhere soon but conceded bids to lure them elsewhere had to be taken seriously" (HERALD SUN, 2/11).
