Brawn relieved after signing agreement: "Silverstone is indispensable"
F1 News
On Wednesday, Formula 1 announced a new deal to keep the sport at Silverstone until at least 2024. Ross Brawn, who was part of these negotiations, reveals his relief in getting the deal over the line. He believes the disappearance would have been unthinkable.
After the circuit owners used a clause in their contract due to financial reasons, the future of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone looked wobbly. Add in the two new circuits for the 2020 season, and it's understandable why doubts were raised. But it sounds like Brawn would have battled until he got a deal.
“Silverstone has played a key role in the history of Formula 1. This circuit exudes a very special atmosphere. The fans present are also irreplaceable, so from that point of view I am very happy that we have signed a new agreement," Brawn told Speedweek.
“It is essential for F1 that we maintain a diversity of race tracks. Silverstone is challenging for the drivers, they appreciate this. In addition, Silverstone guarantees exciting races in recent years; there are enough catch-up actions there," he continued.
“When Liberty Media came to the helm of F1, we jointly decided to focus on a broader world stage, by looking at opportunities in Asia and the United States. At the same time, we wanted to keep our roots. Those roots are of course in circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps, Monza, Monaco and Silverstone. These traditional circuits were responsible for the most exciting chapters in F1, so we want to stay active there for years," says Brawn.
Starting from the 2020 Formula 1 season, the circus will visit Vietnam for the first time ever. The sport will also make a return to Zandvoort for a Dutch Grand Prix. The Spanish and German races now look to be the most likely to fall off the schedule.