APRIL 26, 1999

Stalemate at the BRDC

THE annual meeting of the British Racing Drivers Club last week failed to settle the issue of whether it wants to sell Silverstone to Brands Hatch Leisure. The members of the club considered a restructuring plan which would leave Silverstone independent but a 75% vote was needed for this to be accepted. We understand that a majority of members voted for the plan but the vote did not get the necessary percentage of votes to push ahead with the idea.

THE annual meeting of the British Racing Drivers Club last week failed to settle the issue of whether it wants to sell Silverstone to Brands Hatch Leisure. The members of the club considered a restructuring plan which would leave Silverstone independent but a 75% vote was needed for this to be accepted. We understand that a majority of members voted for the plan but the vote did not get the necessary percentage of votes to push ahead with the idea.

There is now expected to be a period of intensive lobbying of members in an attempt to get the plan through. At the same time Brands Hatch Leisure's Nicola Foulston is trying to organize another meeting to vote on her proposal to buy Silverstone. The BHL deal is expected to be worth around $100,000 to each BRDC member and would guarantee that the BritishÊGrandÊPrix stays at Silverstone. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is supporting the Foulston bid and, to put pressure on the BRDC membership, has said that if Foulston's bid is unsuccessful, the British GP will move to Brands Hatch in 2002. Foulston says she has the necessary support to call a new meeting.