Ecclestone slams Silverstone

Ferrari celebrate their one-two at the 2002 British GP

Bright future for Silverstone

BTCC eyes return

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has labelled Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix, an "embarrassment".

The 72-year-old has accused the Northampton track's owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club, of wasting £45m of investment.

The BRDC, Octagon (the firm who holds the rights to the race), and Ecclestone pumped millions into revolutionising the British circuit but Ecclestone says the money has not been well spent.

"When this thing started the idea was that we were going to build the Taj Mahal and that's why our money went in," said Ecclestone.

"What have they done? Nothing. They've spent £14m on a car park, spent £4.5m on architects' fees to do what, to put in a car park.

"The pit wall is still the old pit wall, the press centre is still the same, there is no hospitality place for Octagon and no new pits.

"The BRDC spent two-thirds of the money on doing good things for them and their members and nothing for Octagon and nothing for us."

We don't have to have a race in Britain - why do we need to?

Bernie Ecclestone

The BRDC unveiled plans two years ago to undertake a radical overhaul of the Silverstone circuit.

Proposed improvements included building a spectacular parabolic curve to improve overtaking, a new media centre and a reconfigured track.

But so far these developments remain in the pipeline, partly because the government has not matched the investment from inside F1.

New threat to British GP

"Everybody is spending millions and it's embarrassing for me when someone says they want a new circuit," said Ecclestone.

"They say 'We'll come and have a look at Silverstone' and I say 'Don't do that whatever you do'.

"If you want to have a look at what we don't want, go to Silverstone."

Ecclestone added that the failure to upgrade the circuit does not mean Britain would automatically lose its right to host a race.

But he warned there are no guarantees for Britain, one of just two countries to annually host a race since the sport began in 1950.

"I hope it doesn't happen but we don't have to have a race in Britain," said Ecclestone. "Why do we need to?"