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As Silverstone activates the break clause in its contract, which will allow it to cease hosting the British Grand Prix after 2019, Liberty Media CEO Chase Carey has called for a new approach to problem-solving in Formula One - saying issues should be dealt with privately and without "posturing" on the world stage.
Carey's views contrast greatly with those of previous F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, who ruled the sport with an iron fist and created its modern-day image with little open negotiation. The deals that Silverstone has conducted with Ecclestone, who admits he had probably overcharged it and other circuits during his reign, have left it in serious financial trouble and unable to afford the British Grand Prix. The dropping of the race is now unfolding in the public eye - something Carey dislikes as he prefers to conduct his business carefully and behind closed doors.
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"This seems to be a sport that likes to posture in public - I'm not sure why," he told the Evening Standard. "My method is to have the strongest relationship by doing things in private and then explain in public why you did it. Our preference would have been to have a quiet conversation to talk about ways to go forward.
"It is a sport that loves to negotiate in public: to talk first and act second. Bernie might have had some of the best one-liners, but there are plenty of others in the sport competing with him. There is a lot of message planting and positioning."
If Silverstone's place on the F1 calendar cannot be saved - and it is rumoured that Carey has offered to run the Grand Prix himself there to relieve the circuit's owners of that burden - the race may head to an alternative UK destination. Among the possibilities is a London street event, something Carey refuses to rule out.
"We are open-minded to everything," he added later. "Silverstone is a special place in F1 history but there is certainly a magic to city races. We have talked about destination cities and the ultimate definition of that is London. We want long-term relationships. If it is London or other places, we want a good understanding of what you need to make it happen and what the issues are. In terms of Silverstone, we have until 2019 to negotiate."
Mason Hawker
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