Gillett feels letdown by British government
With only two weeks remaining before the December 9 deadline set by F1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone, the British event's future continues to hang in the balance although, with Silverstone bosses saying that a deal is 'close', Gillett stresses the importance of the Grand Prix as a whole.
"To me, it's essential," he said of the race, be it at in Leicestershire or Northamptonshire. "Personally, I think we should have a British Grand Prix and it's a shame that other people within the UK don't agree on that."
Does the ex marine feel that London should provide a lump sum for the F1 race? "No-one is ever looking for a free handout from government but there certainly should be more support from central resources to make sure we have a Grand Prix," Gillett continued. "It's criminal when you see Wembley (Stadium, London) receiving 140 million pounds of free money from the government, for what is a very rich man's sport, but they'll not give a penny to the British Grand Prix, whether it's Donington or Silverstone – they won't come near the sport, which is a real shame."
Although one now looks to Silverstone to salvage the race, Gillett has already said this week that Donington – which continues to search for investors – is not completely out of the running. "The minute you say you are looking for finance, everyone looks to the Middle East and assumes it's from a Saudi prince," the DVLL head added, "but ours has come predominantly from mainland Europe and the UK itself."