Coming July, Formula 1 will travel again to Silverstone for the British GP. However, the CEO of the iconic British circuit, Stuart Pringle, has also offered a second race to the premier class, should more races in the Middle East be canceled. ‘The offer is there, they know we are here. We can act quickly,’ says the CEO.
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24 Grands Prix in one season. That was Formula 1’s original plan for 2026. However, due to the war in the Middle East, the Grands Prix of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April were canceled. The calendar was thus reduced to 22 races this year. If it’s up to the organization behind the British circuit Silverstone, one more could still be added.
The CEO of Silverstone, Stuart Pringle, reveals that he has offered the premier class to organize a second race at the British circuit. Provided this is needed for Formula 1. Although the racing class will not return near the Middle East until the Azerbaijan GP in September, many experts are already wondering if the premier class can return to the region later in the year. The Grands Prix of Qatar and Abu Dhabi still close the current F1 season.
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‘Can help F1 again’
“I made the offer because we took action during the corona crisis. We were able to help Formula 1 then. If that would be useful again, of course we will do that,” Pringle told Sky Sports. In 2020, Silverstone was on the calendar twice, once as the British GP and once as the ‘70th Anniversary’ Grand Prix. “But there are many practical matters to consider. The offer is there, they know we are here, and we can act quickly.”
However, Formula 1 seems to be waiting a bit longer for a concrete answer to the offer from the Silverstone CEO. “Everyone can just watch TV and see every day in the news that the situation is so changeable and dynamic. No one knows what will happen tomorrow, let alone in September and October,” said Liam Parker, head of communications for F1. “We still have a long time to go until our events, where we have to return to the Middle East again.” For now, the premier class has no plans to travel to Silverstone twice this year.
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