Bernie takes hard line

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone continues to pressure the BRDC over the future of the British Grand Prix, saying that if an agreement is not reached there will be no race after 2009 – the last to be covered by the existing contract.

“There are two things to overcome,” he said. “First they need to build the facilities, and then they need to pay the market rate. There is no sentiment in this from my point of view.” Ecclestone’s comments came immediately after the BRDC had trumpeted the latest step in the process of getting its development plan approved by the relevant local authorities.