By Andrew Benson
Motorsport editor at the Spanish GP |
 Ecclestone has strong views on the future of Silverstone |
Backing from a national government is vital for any race hoping to remain on the Formula One calendar, according to the sport's boss Bernie Ecclestone. But he said there was a "pretty slim" chance the British government would step in with financial support for Silverstone.
"Governments support the Olympics and World Cups. It wouldn't hurt if they wanted. They don't have to," he said.
Ecclestone said he "hoped" the doubts over the British GP would be removed.
The British Grand Prix may lose its place on the F1 calendar for 2005 after the promoter, the marketing giant Interpublic, gave up the rights to the race.
Interpublic paid $90.3m to get out of its commitment to put on the race because it realised that it could not make a profit while paying Ecclestone's Formula One Management company its fee.
 |  I run a company that is not used to losing money |
Ecclestone said he was "absolutely sure" a new promoter would be found.
"I think a promoter that's doing a good job could make it work and make a profit," he said, adding that he would guarantee the race's future until at least 2011 if someone took on the race.
But he also said that he would not promote the race himself because "I run a company that is not used to losing money."
Ecclestone has been heavily critical of the facilities at Silverstone and wants track owner the British Racing Drivers' Club to pay for them to be upgraded.
A deal had been agreed for Ecclestone, Interpublic and the BRDC to share the cost, but Ecclestone said that was now "way, way back" in the past and that the BRDC had to pay for the improvements.
Ecclestone said that the BRDC could use funds expects it to receive from Interpublic which now also wants to get out of its lease to run the track.
"I know the BRDC will be extracting a large amount of money from Interpublic," he said, "so they can do all the building work that they want.
"And I hope they can build something that is a lot better than has been proposed. The BRDC are going to take a bit of a bath on their rent. They've got a circuit that people were offering �40m to buy and they've been getting �10m a year rent. They'll have to have a think."
He said the BRDC had received all the outside financial help it could expect.
"We made a contribution to the car parks," Ecclestone said. "Super car parks. You could park tanks on those. They haven't really run things very efficiently from a business point of view, and the government have been good enough to put the roads in."
MMIX
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