Silverstone gate slashed to save British GP

In a bold move which is designed to overcome the traffic congestion that has dogged the British Grand Prix, Octagon Motorsports Ltd has slashed the maximum crowd figure for race day by 30,000. Now, only around 60,000 paying fans will be admitted to Silverstone on Sunday July 7 in a drastic bid to keep the race on the Formula One calendar.

Under pressure from the sport’s governing body, FIA , Octagon has responded to threats to chop the race from the schedule by making severe cuts in the number of spectators and cars allowed into the venue. The long-awaited Silverstone bypass, expected to greatly ease traffic flow into and out of the circuit, will not be completed until autumn 2002.

Extensive park-and-ride facilities will be implemented, and since mid-November fans have only been able to buy a three-day ticket at £199.

Octagon Motorsports CEO Rob Bain, acknowledging drastic measures were needed to ensure that the British Grand Prix remained on the Formula One schedule, underlined that losing the race was not an option.

“We have been given the opportunity to invest in the long-term future of British motorsport.We are developing Silverstone to relaunch it within the premier tier of the world’s Fl circuits by 2004,” he said.