Silverstone Would Welcome Breakaway Series

The president of the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) and former Formula One champion Damon Hill admitted that Silverstone would be open to hosting a race set up by the potential breakaway series formed by the current F1 manufacturers. While arguing that the circuit cannot win the battle with governmental funded venues – as wished by Bernie Ecclestone – Hill suggested that Silverstone will not step aside should the opportunity to be part of a breakaway series arise in 2010.

“We value our relationship with formula one and we want that tradition to continue. But we're a business, too. So if another event came along, clearly there would have to be discussions,” Hill was quoted as saying by London's Evening Standard.

In addition, he said that he doesn't agree with Ecclestone's view of making world governments part of the sport – through their funding or patronage of Formula One events – as Silverstone is and will continue to be a commercial operation for the BRDC.

“My belief is that it is the ambition of Formula One to be funded by governments wherever it goes, to have state funding. If that is the case, a commercial operation (like Silverstone) doesn't fulfill that ambition,” said the 1996 F1 champion.

Earlier this week, when FOTA Vice-President John Howett himself revealed that plans for a breakaway series have been thoroughly discussed by the F1 manufacturers for some time, it surfaced that the alternative series would use all the historic venues of Formula One to hit into their calendar. Silverstone, Canada, Magny Cours and Kyalami were only a few names rumored to be taken into account.