British GP included on draft F1 calendar

The troubled British Grand Prix was listed provisionally on a 2005 Formula One calendar on Wednesday along with an inaugural Turkish race in...

The troubled British Grand Prix was listed provisionally on a 2005 Formula One calendar on Wednesday along with an inaugural Turkish race in August. The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) published a draft calendar with more races than ever — an unprecedented 19 — after intense speculation about the fate of the British round.

Silverstone hosted the first Formula One Grand Prix in 1950, and the country has been on the calendar every year since then, but the circuit’s owners have yet to agree a deal with commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone.

France and the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, both races also shrouded in uncertainty, were listed with an asterisk against them. The final calendar, likely to be issued in December, could see some of those races lopped off with teams contractually committed to just 17.

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Ecclestone, a Briton but a regular critic of Silverstone and the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) that owns it, threatened last month to strike off his home race but the situation has looked more encouraging since then.

British Sports Minister Richard Caborn said on Tuesday he was confident a deal will be agreed soon. Britain was scheduled for July 3 while France, subject to a contract being agreed, moves from its usual summer slot to become the first race of the European season on April 17. (Reuters)

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