So, life and work events force me offline for most of a week (thanks to those who missed me, and a **censored by our Civility and Decorum mandate** to those who didn’t notice), and what happens when I finally can check Formula 1 news again?
Bernie Ecclestone happens. Isn’t that how it always is?
This time around, he’s told the Times of London that he’d put money into a grand prix IN LONDON.
I repeat: IN LONDON.
Apparently, we can blame the London Olympics, in part. They’ve got this stadium, you see, and one possible option is to use it to hold a grand prix. But it gets better.
Santander, the British Grand Prix’s title sponsor, apparently this week will be showing off a CGI / mock version of a London race. Sounds like a three-mile circuit, including lots of London’s landmarks, and space for 120,000 spectators. (In other words, I think this is separate from using the stadium, but the stadium might have generated this idea.)
I’ll note that getting film together costs some time and money, people — and that just upped its likelihood a few fold. (Is it past the unlikely/likely tipping point? I’m not sure.)
The Times says there hasn’t been any serious discussion — I’m assuming just Bernie and London Mayor Boris Johnson yucking it up over a few pints and crisps (did I get that right?; also, talk about an awesome hair duo!) — but Bernie did say this:
“With the way things are, maybe we would front it and put the money up for it. If we got the okay and everything was fine, I think we could do that.
“Think what it would do for tourism. It would be fantastic, good for London, good for England – a lot better than the Olympics.”
Leave it to Bernie to take a shot (in mind, probably for once rightfully) at the Olympics. Where’d he get his medal idea, anyway?
Now, if you’re like me, your first thought was: Man, Bernie REALLY hates Silverstone. It sounds, though, like a London Grand Prix would have to happen as well as the British Grand Prix, which is scheduled by long-term contract at Silverstone. (Yes, we all know the value of contracts in F1). And so, I’d really suggest: Man, Bernie HATES Spa.
