Silverstone axe no 'bluff'

(GMM) Cynicism was a plentiful emotion in the Silverstone paddock on Friday, but Bernie Ecclestone scoffed at claims that Donington is unlikely to host the British grand prix in the future.

Paddock cynics pointed at Donington's immense challenge to find the time and money to overhaul its archaic venue in time for 2010, wondering instead if Friday's news was a typical piece of F1 smoke-and-mirrors.

"It's not a bluff," he said at Silverstone, scheduled to host its last F1 race next year.

"A contract is signed," the F1 chief executive added.

"The plans, what has been put to me by Donington, is elaborate and nice. It's what we want and what we need."

He said Silverstone's owner and promoter, the BRDC, pleaded for two more weeks beyond this weekend's deadline.

"If they haven't got anything done in five years they are not going to make it happen in a fortnight," Ecclestone insisted.

"They don't know what they are doing. The problem is that they don't do anything in a business-like way," he added.

"I always said to them that the British grand prix was the deadline and they weren't ready.

"It's not personal — do the job and we have a British grand prix. Now there is, definitely — 100 per cent."