After activating a buyout clause in the contract with Bernie Ecclestone in 2017, due to the 5% annual increase in the price of the rights, a new five-year agreement was signed for Silverstone with Liberty Media in 2019.
Right now, the relationship with F1 owners is “much more collaborative”, and circuit CEO Stuart Pringle is now “prepared to join hands and be on his way down the aisle for a long time”, following the wake of Albert Park , who recently finalized a decade-long contract.
To bolster Silverstone’s offering alongside the successful Miami GP and the inaugural Las Vegas race, due to arrive in 2023, the Northamptonshire circuit is working on two fronts at the same time.
It’s about turning the British GP into a ‘festival’ while improving its green credentials.
Pringle explained this apparent paradox to Motorsport.com: “With Miami and with the arrival of Las Vegas, there is an expectation of a certain level of entertainment that is something that has not been seen before at Silverstone.”
“It’s becoming a different sport. There’s a whole new bunch of people getting into it,” he said. “The challenge I put to our team here at Silverstone is how can we keep up with that pace? How do we do it in our own style?”
“How do we do it our way without becoming a homogeneous product based on the United States, but maintaining the unique identity of the British Grand Prix?” he questioned. “The answer is that we made it a British summer festival.”
“You are going to see the quality of musical performances increase considerably in the coming years.”
El escenario 360 Amphitheatre de Austin (EE.UU.)
As part of this first staging, Sam Ryder, who came second in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, will perform the national anthem ahead of the 2022 British GP.
A pseudo-music festival will help keep fans on-site to reduce commuting, helping to achieve Silverstone’s sustainability goals.
Pringle continued: “We are also going to address the other really important concern of F1, which has to do with the sustainability of the championship.
“We’re going to be, if not the most sustainable event that the Great Circus goes to, we’re going to be in the top two or three. I think we’re probably going to be the most sustainable.”
The fact that seven of F1’s 10 ten teams are based in the UK, in addition to the series’ operations being based in Biggin Hill, will reduce emissions from travel.
Also, a robust service of 238 buses, as well as chartered trains, will boost public transport for the estimated 400,000 fans who will flock to the circuit over the weekend.
Silverstone’s owner, the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), will also increase its total investment in 2,700 solar panels to £2.8m (more than €3.2m) to ensure that between 25 and 30% of the circuit’s annual energy needs are generated on-site.
Pringle seems to be in favor of this initiative: “There are numerous examples of why the innovation of Formula 1 is great for this country, but there are people who do not understand it. They think that we are creating CO 2 for fun.”
“I am determined to address this issue. It is a very deliberate and very visible statement. We are doing our best to move this business,” he said.
The Belgian GP organizers are also expected to follow the same entertainment concept, amid questions about the race’s future on the F1 calendar.
