Bernie Ecclestone doubts that next year's British grand prix will be held at Donington Park as the circuit continues to struggle with funding issues.
Donington had been given until the end of last week to prove it had the funds to complete its substantial redevelopment of the circuit required to host a Formula One grand prix.
Ecclestone hinted that a decision on the circuit's future and the future of the British GP would be revealed today, with Silverstone waiting in the wings to hold the race could Donington not be ready in time.
"It's not good, is it?" said Ecclestone when asked about the Donington situation. "Even if they get the money, I cannot see how it will all be ready in time to go.
"It is very disappointing because we thought it would happen, but they cannot go on missing deadlines.
"They could still come to us saying they have the money, but there is no way the circuit would be ready at this late stage. It looks as though we will have to start planning again."
Donington has a 17-year contract to hold the British GP, with next year's event provisionally slated in for 9-11 July.
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Re: Bernie: Donington GP hopes fading
If I, and plenty other people who are not "in the know",could see from the beginning that this scheme could never work, why couldn`t Bernie? Maybe he could, and thought that when it failed he would then have a good excuse for getting rid of the British GP.
Re: Bernie: Donington GP hopes fading
All this talk of cost cutting, when is Bernie going to cut his costs and make holding a Grand Prix affordable? In this economic climate, the Donnington scheme was never viable, but bernie wants his cash and seems prepared to bleed people dry . then all we get is boring Tilke designed tracks.... He should bite the bullets and put a multi-year deal together with Silverstone. Thousands of jobs in the UK rely on motorsport, if there is no GP they will bleed away, never to be replaced.
Re: Bernie: Donington GP hopes fading
One look at that picture of Ari Vatanen and Bernie tells you why Jean Todt will get the FIA job and Ari won't...