British GP Preview: Brawn GP

The British Grand Prix, Round eight of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, and Brawn GP’s home race, takes place this weekend at the Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire, just eight miles from the team’s factory in Brackley and 20 miles from Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth.

British GP Preview: Force India

The British Grand Prix from 19 – 21 June marks the halfway point in the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship. The race is held at the historic Silverstone circuit in the heart of England, right opposite Force India’s HQ. As such, the British Grand Prix is seen by many personnel as the team’s ‘home’ race.

Donington may have to share British GP

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has warned that if the Donington circuit fails to get its funding in place to host the British Grand Prix next year, it may have to share the race with its current home, Silverstone.

Rent row puts British GP in doubt

The future of the British grand prix was hanging in the balance last night after it emerged that the company holding the contract to stage the race at Donington Park from 2010 is being sued for almost £2.5m in outstanding rent.Even more seriously, the circuit owners – Wheatcroft and Son, a building developer – are seeking as part of the legal action started at Derby County Court yesterday to cancel the 150-year lease they granted to the track operators, Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd.DVL last summer signed a long-term contract with Bernie Ecclestone, the formula one commercial rights holder, to stage the race, but the operator has been denied vital revenue after events had to be cancelled because the track was not given a safety certificate and plans to raise funds through a debenture scheme were put on hold last month by the chief executive, Simon Gillett.Work to upgrade the circuit in anticipation of a formal FIA track inspection later in the year has been in progress for months, but the latest developments cast doubt on Donington's ability to host the race. Ecclestone has said that if the event does not take place at Donington, the British grand prix will be struck from the calendar and that returning to Silverstone was not an option. However, Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion who is president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, the owners of Silverstone, hinted that the Northamptonshire track would not write off the possibility of the race returning."Our position is that the BRDC are very interested in the future of the British grand prix," he said. "If Donington Park can fulfil that role, we are very supportive of that. If they cannot, then we are open to using Silverstone if necessary."Ecclestone said he was unhappy at the latest turn of events but insisted he was not worried: "I don't worry about anything to be honest with you," he said. But the championship leader, Jenson Button, is concerned about the possible loss of his home grand prix. "I don't live in the UK, I live in Monaco, but I'm very British and very patriotic and it would be a disaster," the Brawn driver said.Kevin Wheatcroft, of Wheatcroft and Son, said: "Donington Ventures Leisure has owed us nearly £2.5m in rent dating back to September 2008. Despite receiving numerous assurances over a number of months they have consistently failed to meet their financial obligations under the terms of the lease. We have held off taking legal action as long as possible but have been left with no choice."Formula oneMotor sportguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

British GP Preview: Ferrari

Maranello, 16th June 2009 - The trip to the British Grand Prix will be tinged with nostalgia, as the 2009 version could well be the final F1 World Championship round to be staged at Silverstone, at least for the foreseeable future.

Hamilton to wear modified helmet at British GP

Jun.18 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton will wear a special helmet livery to mark his return to Silverstone as the defending winner of his home British grand prix.