Damon Hill speaks on British drivers and the future of the British GP
Damon Hill is certain Lewis Hamilton will follow his footsteps and become Britain's next Formula One World Champion. British Racing Drivers' Club president was world champion 11 years ago and feels a homegrown success now long overdue. On Tuesday at Silverstone, Damon was promoting 'Back the Brits' campaign as this year sees four British drivers on the grid - the first time in five seasons. In front of a giant poster of Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, David Coulthard and Anthony Davidson with Union Jack flag, Lewis is the star who catches Damon's eye. At the time of him speaking Lewis was in the background performing a shakedown in his silver MP4-22.
It is Hamilton, rather then Jenson, who gets Damon's backing to become world champion. "At the moment it has to be Lewis Hamilton. He fits the template, although I know Jenson won't take that lying down," he began. " Obviously, David during his time carried a lot of hopes with him, while Jenson is still very much a shining light." " A lot of people have invested a lot of hope in him that he will pull it off." " We know Jenson can win a grand prix now, while Honda are always knocking on the door." " But now we have Lewis. He is in the right place, with the right team at the right time, with his only obstacle being the two Ferraris and his team-mate." Damon also believes that Lewis will get a grand prix win this year, above Jenson, even though the youngster has only had test sessions for the team.
" Ron has advised and guided Lewis, and he has avoided many of the pitfalls other drivers have fallen into without a good adviser," Damon continued. " It may well be we will look back at Jenson's career - and he may look back on it too - and say it was screwed up at the beginning because he was wrongly advised or with the wrong team."
The BRDC president also told reporters that the future of the British GP beyond 2009 "hangs in the balance", and that much depends on government-supported plans to develop Silverstone into a centre of technical excellence. He confirmed that while the British GP was safe for the next three years, the BRDC still faces a challenge to secure its long-term future in F1. "What I don't want to do is confuse the message," Damon said at the 'Back the Brits' promotional campaign. "For a long time there has been a confusion over whether or not there is a British GP on this year."
"We had a problem with the date being changed last year. It is back in to its traditional date this year and the race is safe until 2009." "Within that period we are going to be negotiating beyond 2009 and I would say that it is hanging in the balance." Bernie Ecclestone, F1's commercial rights holder, made it clear that Silverstone must extensively improve its facilities to preserve its place on the calendar. After one aborted attempt to secure a long-term upgrade with property developer St Modwen in 2006, Silverstone's owners are highly aware of their need to find means of improving the venue. Sports minister Richard Caborn promised to support Silverstone's fight to keep the British GP as part of a plan to make the venue a showcase for the UK's standing in the performance automotive arena as well as a centre for technical excellence. While any such plans to develop Silverstone and the financial structure required to fund them still remains undisclosed. Damon did hint that progress is being made. "We are restructuring the way the development is going to be funded," he explained.
"So far we have had a very positive response from the government, particularly with regard to how we increase the value of the assets at Silverstone." "There will be some more announcements about this in the future." "If we get the green light to develop Silverstone in a much more ambitious way - and I think the government recognises the value of doing that - then that will put us in a stronger economic position with regard to the contract." Since becoming BRDC president last year, Hill has been dubious that direct government funding would be forthcoming. But with more new circuits like Turkey receiving government support, there is more competition for places on the calendar.
"I would not feel comfortable about insisting that this country should pay for a grand prix, because I can understand that there are many people ahead in the queue for our tax money," he said. "But I think our job is to try and explain the value of having a grand prix to this country because it is very easy to look at it as just a cost." "Some countries are prepared to buy an event just as London is prepared to buy the Olympics," he added.
"A sporting event can carry an enormous amount of prestige and that has a value to the country, there is an argument to say that the British Grand Prix every year comes here and beams Great Britain all around the world." "If we are able to sell GB through grand prix racing then maybe it's right (that government funding can be justified). But there are politics involved." "I think the British Grand Prix does have a value and it will pay for itself." "It certainly would be very difficult to get it back if we lost it."
Teena B © enterF1.co.uk
It is Hamilton, rather then Jenson, who gets Damon's backing to become world champion. "At the moment it has to be Lewis Hamilton. He fits the template, although I know Jenson won't take that lying down," he began. " Obviously, David during his time carried a lot of hopes with him, while Jenson is still very much a shining light." " A lot of people have invested a lot of hope in him that he will pull it off." " We know Jenson can win a grand prix now, while Honda are always knocking on the door." " But now we have Lewis. He is in the right place, with the right team at the right time, with his only obstacle being the two Ferraris and his team-mate." Damon also believes that Lewis will get a grand prix win this year, above Jenson, even though the youngster has only had test sessions for the team.
" Ron has advised and guided Lewis, and he has avoided many of the pitfalls other drivers have fallen into without a good adviser," Damon continued. " It may well be we will look back at Jenson's career - and he may look back on it too - and say it was screwed up at the beginning because he was wrongly advised or with the wrong team."
The BRDC president also told reporters that the future of the British GP beyond 2009 "hangs in the balance", and that much depends on government-supported plans to develop Silverstone into a centre of technical excellence. He confirmed that while the British GP was safe for the next three years, the BRDC still faces a challenge to secure its long-term future in F1. "What I don't want to do is confuse the message," Damon said at the 'Back the Brits' promotional campaign. "For a long time there has been a confusion over whether or not there is a British GP on this year."
"We had a problem with the date being changed last year. It is back in to its traditional date this year and the race is safe until 2009." "Within that period we are going to be negotiating beyond 2009 and I would say that it is hanging in the balance." Bernie Ecclestone, F1's commercial rights holder, made it clear that Silverstone must extensively improve its facilities to preserve its place on the calendar. After one aborted attempt to secure a long-term upgrade with property developer St Modwen in 2006, Silverstone's owners are highly aware of their need to find means of improving the venue. Sports minister Richard Caborn promised to support Silverstone's fight to keep the British GP as part of a plan to make the venue a showcase for the UK's standing in the performance automotive arena as well as a centre for technical excellence. While any such plans to develop Silverstone and the financial structure required to fund them still remains undisclosed. Damon did hint that progress is being made. "We are restructuring the way the development is going to be funded," he explained.
"So far we have had a very positive response from the government, particularly with regard to how we increase the value of the assets at Silverstone." "There will be some more announcements about this in the future." "If we get the green light to develop Silverstone in a much more ambitious way - and I think the government recognises the value of doing that - then that will put us in a stronger economic position with regard to the contract." Since becoming BRDC president last year, Hill has been dubious that direct government funding would be forthcoming. But with more new circuits like Turkey receiving government support, there is more competition for places on the calendar.
"I would not feel comfortable about insisting that this country should pay for a grand prix, because I can understand that there are many people ahead in the queue for our tax money," he said. "But I think our job is to try and explain the value of having a grand prix to this country because it is very easy to look at it as just a cost." "Some countries are prepared to buy an event just as London is prepared to buy the Olympics," he added.
"A sporting event can carry an enormous amount of prestige and that has a value to the country, there is an argument to say that the British Grand Prix every year comes here and beams Great Britain all around the world." "If we are able to sell GB through grand prix racing then maybe it's right (that government funding can be justified). But there are politics involved." "I think the British Grand Prix does have a value and it will pay for itself." "It certainly would be very difficult to get it back if we lost it."
Teena B © enterF1.co.uk
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