Jordan warns Silverstone to improve

Team boss Eddie Jordan thinks the Silverstone circuit in the UK, next door to the team headquarters, needs to work harder to prevent being dropped from the F1 calendar. Silverstone has long been under threat of being scrapped and only this week ...

Team boss Eddie Jordan thinks the Silverstone circuit in the UK, next door to the team headquarters, needs to work harder to prevent being dropped from the F1 calendar. Silverstone has long been under threat of being scrapped and only this week Bernie Ecclestone yet again said he didn't see a future for the track.

Silverstone paddock area.

Photo by LAT Photographic.

Jordan admits that the circuit needs to invest more in its facilities if it's to contend with the more up-to-date race locations. "It's almost like manufacturers and privateers and Silverstone is one of the privateers," said the Irishman.

"It derives its income from bringing on young drivers and activities like that but you are never going to get a facility like this to be anything like Bahrain or Malayasia."

"Both countries' governments are putting in millions to boost tourism, which they are entitled to do, but Silverstone cannot take its foot off the gas, it must keep pushing. If they don't keep their facilities up to the highest level they could be in trouble in the future."

Last year the access roads to Silverstone were upgraded to prevent the endless traffic problems that plagued the location on the Grand Prix weekend but more needs to be done. Further improvements to the circuit itself are scheduled at a reported cost of around ?40 million.

Jordan is aiming for an improvement to his own circumstances as well. Sponsor agreements with Benson and Hedges and RE/MAX were renewed this week and this season the team will run with the Cosworth engines that powered Jaguar in 2003. "We'll survive and survive well," Jordan said. "We'll have a bloody good year."