Silverstone is hit by new cash blow

The confusion raises new questions about the concrete content of last Friday's DTI announcement of a £16million boost for British motorsport.

The money is meant to implement the recommendations of a 16- man motorsport panel, including three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart. But it is questionable whether he could be truly satisfied by the list of agreed " recommendations", which include a pledge "to make efforts" to continue to host a British Grand Prix.

DTI sources insist last Friday's announcement was meant to show how the Government understands that the whole of the British motorsport industry is underpinned by the British Grand Prix. The race generates £41m for Britain's economy. With 40,000 employees, British motorsport is worth £5billion.

But the fudged language in last Friday's DTI announcement is not the stuff of which copperbottomed funding is made and is at odds with Caborn's verbal guarantee from the Department of Media, Culture and Sport.

This fresh turmoil is the latest chapter in a saga of damaging mud-slinging. Last year, Ecclestone branded Silverstone "a country fair masquerading as a world event" after a car sent to bring him to the circuit got lost. Since then he has called Silverstone "a slum" and declared himself "ashamed" of it.

Some speculate that Ecclestone has a longstanding resentment against the BRDC, believing he was looked down upon as the son of a trawlerman when he came into the sport as a driver 50 years ago.

Others think that, ironically, he and the BRDC want the same thing - government funding to guarantee the future of the race. But many feel he is looking for reasons to remove the British Grand Prix from the calendar to create a place for a new, lucrative, long-haul venue, as part of the trend away from Europe's anti-tobacco advertising laws.

"Maybe Silverstone is caught up in a bigger game," said Martin Brundle, chairman of the BRDC, adding disingenuously: "I'm not smart enough to work out what it is. But Bernie is like a cat with a bit of wool, annoying Silverstone every so often for a bit of sport. He keeps saying very strong things, which are hugely damaging. I don't know why.

"Kicking Silverstone has turned into a national sport. But the only guarantee about the British Grand Prix is that if we don't do something we will lose it. Every race in Europe except Britain is government funded.

"The problem is Formula One is perceived as very rich. But British motorsport, which relies on the British Grand Prix to survive, is extremely shaky. Half the circuits are up for sale. People think any government money would go to Bernie. That's not the case at all."

Sir Jackie Stewart, BRDC president, has said the money would finance new pits and paddock, a driver academy and a worldchampionship-standard karting track. But he insists the grand prix does not generate enough income to finance this.

Ecclestone disagrees, citing the £8m the BRDC receives in rent from the promoter.

"The people running Silverstone are 'old school tie' and not businessmen," he said. "If Silverstone does not match up, it should not be on the calendar."