Fans back Silverstone

F1 fans back Silverstone as Home of the British Grand Prix

Following a successful 2005 Formula 1 Foster’s British Grand Prix (8 – 10 July), there was further good news for Silverstone this week after Formula One fans worldwide gave a big thumbs up to the Northamptonshire circuit and its organisation of the event. The hard work and investment that has been put into developing the circuit in recent years appears to be paying off.

The Formula One Supporters Association (FOSA) is an organisation that represents F1 fans all over the world, and boasts a global membership of approximately 17 million. Following last weekend’s British Grand Prix Georgio Zorbas, President of FOSA, was staggered by the amount of positive messages he received from a number of the 200,000 fans that attended the event over all three days.

Speaking on the Monday (11th July) after the British Grand Prix, Zorbas commented: “Yesterday’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone was, from an organisational point of view, one of the best rounds of the season so far."

“As an Association that represents Formula One fans we constantly receive feedback from fans all over the world. Approximately 30,000 of our members were at Silverstone over the weekend and we only received one complaint – we are usually inundated after an event. Even the one complaint we received had nothing to do with the circuit or its facilities.”

Zorbas continued: “I was so impressed with the running of the event that I personally took time out to call Richard Phillips (Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Ltd) and Alex Hooton (Chief Executive of the BRDC) to congratulate them and their team on a job well done. The access roads are tremendous, the facilities are as good as most of the circuits on the F1 calendar, and the 100,000 sell-out crowd helped create a fantastic atmosphere."

"FOSA is delighted that Silverstone has remained on the F1 calendar. It has the support of the fans and we are looking forward to returning to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix in 2006 and beyond.”

Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Ltd, was delighted that the fans had enjoyed such a positive experience at this year’s British Grand Prix: “To receive such encouraging feedback from the fans after all the work that’s gone into organising this event, and securing the long term future of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone means everything."

“The fans really got behind us when the event looked in jeopardy. It was essential we rewarded that loyalty by providing a British Grand Prix they would enjoy and be proud of. It sounds as though the vast majority left Silverstone on Sunday evening having experienced three fantastic days.”

Phillips continued: “The success of this year’s event has given us a solid foundation to build on for the future. With the five year deal in place we can consider ways of developing the circuit as a venue, and adding further value to the fans’ experience.”

The comments from Georgio Zorbas followed a hugely positive fans survey conducted by the FIA. Formula One fans in 180 countries around the world responded to a survey in which only Monaco and Spa came out ahead of Silverstone as the fans’ most popular circuits. A staggering 49% of the 93,000 fans that took part in the Formula One Survey said their interest in the sport would decrease if Silverstone was removed from the F1 calendar.

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