London F1 Grand Prix

Tuscan_Driver

A London Formula One Grand Prix looks to be imminent after Bernie Ecclestone has reportedly offered to pay to stage it.

Ecclestone is prepared to promote the event. It is reported that the route would pass some of London's most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.

The cost of staging the Grand Prix will run at a cost of £35million, claims marketing experts and predict that the race could generate at least £100million for the London economy from spectators and tourists.

Plans for ticket pricing have not yet been proposed but could run in the regions of £250pp.

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peachyprice

It all seems to be pure speculation at the moment, just days ago they were talking about running around part of the Olympic park, now Buck House and Trafalgar Square?

It would be a great race, if they ever manage to pull it off, for me at £250pp it would probably be comparative to having to travel to Silverstone and pay the over inflated hotel prices that weekend.

pinkteapot

I work in London. How they think the pot-holed and badly patched streets will be good enough for F1 cars to race on I don't know!

Tuscan_Driver

Do you think Ecclestone and his entourage wouldn't have been given the thumbs up without consultations with Westminster Council on the final bill for track maintenance?

All of the preliminary finalisations of this will be taken care of in due course.

peachyprice

The Olympic site would make far more sense, they've already spent a fortune on road improvements in the surrounding areas for the games.

Tuscan_Driver

I think this was also one of the proposed circuits however, Bernie wants to fund it himself and plans to evaluate the circuit measures around central London to take in some of it's famous landmarks - having commissioned a proper evaluation of a potential venue and commissioning a CGI film of how the race would appear on television.

Tuscan_Driver

You can see a (slightly) more sophisticated CGI mock-up of the race from 8pm tonight (28th June) at: www.facebook.com/lewisandjensonsantander

peachyprice

Just a publicity stunt then?

Itismehonest

They've been going on about a London street race for donkeys years.

I can't see how it will ever come about. Too much disruption & too costly.

There were recently similar thoughts about a GP in Rome until they realised it would probably put Monza at risk.

Looksguywalker

Isn't going to happen...end of story. F1 races need to be self funding and this one will never be.

Tuscan_Driver

I actually have back tracked on the idea although it seemed ok at first measure, it is as Jenson Button put it 'hypothetical'.

To shut down London's road networks for 10 days doesn't sound financially viable especially as retailers would have to shut up shop during practice, qualifying and race day.

Maybe Bernie would stump up the lost revenue to retailers!:T
A map of the track seen here also does not outline where the pits would be put.

An hypothetical onboard ride with McLaren of the track is Here