Donington to pull plug amid breakaway

Donington would consider cancelling its contract to host the next 17 British Grands Prix if the major teams break away, the Leicestershire circuit's boss Simon Gillet has warned.

He told BBC radio that the FOTA split would make it even harder for him to secure the necessary funding for the project, which is scheduled to host its first Formula One race next summer.

Gillett said the situation is already causing "a little bit of a slowdown" in the search for investment.

He suggested that the contract with Ecclestone would allow him to pull the plug if the major teams are missing.

"There are elements that certain things have to arrive on my grid, and if they don't I can have a discussion with Bernie," he said.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone performed a u-turn on Saturday by suggesting that if Donington is not ready for next year's Grand Prix, Silverstone will be.

Gillett also revealed that his funding plans will not be announced until next month, and that the sale of tickets has been postponed until August amid the sport's current political crisis.

"We'll make sure what we sell is what we can deliver," he insisted.