Ecclestone: UK government should back Silverstone

Ecclestone said that most Grand Prix now were supported by their national governments and that this kind of support is what Silverstone needs if it is to remain on the Formula One circuit.

Speaking at a business breakfast, for Norwood, a leading UK charity supporting children and families living with disability and social difficulties, Ecclestone said that Silverstone needed to raise the standard of facilities and help drive the image of Formula One. “It would be nice if we could point to Silverstone and say we had the best in the world."

Reflecting on his Formula One career, Ecclestone said his most important act had been to co-ordinate the TV rights for the sport. “Before the TV stations just did what they wanted, showed the races they wanted. We came in, organized the TV, told the broadcasters to carry every race and that the host country would produce a global signal and suddenly we got enormous audiences."