Donington loses 2010 British GP

The Formula One commercial rights boss Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that the Donington circuit had missed a deadline and will not host the 2010 British Grand Prix. Ecclestone told reporters in Abu Dhabi for the final Grand Prix of the season that Donington had failed to raise enough money to complete the work required to redevelop the circuit for the race. "They missed the deadline and really that's all there is to it. We kept extending that deadline to give them a chance, but they missed it. It's a pity, to be honest," he said.

The plan had been to move the race from the Silverstone circuit, which has hosted every British Grand Prix since 1987 to Donington, better-known as the host track for the MotoGp and which last held a Formula One race in 1993 with the European Grand Prix. Ecclestone said that it was now up to the owners of Silverstone to make sure the race takes place next year and beyond that. "We're talking," he said. "A deal can be done if they [Silverstone] want to."

* AFP