The British Grand Prix will be held at Silverstone for the next 10 years after the announcement of a new long-term deal with the venue on Thursday.
Silverstone’s five-year contract with Formula One’s American owners Liberty Media was up for renewal this year.
The Northamptonshire track, owned by the British Drivers’ Racing Club, has battled speculation that it could lose the prestigious Grand Prix in recent years.
ButThursday’s fresh deal, worth a reported £30mn ($37mn) per year, keeps the race at Silverstone until at least 2034.
“I am delighted to announce that the British Grand Prix will remain on the calendar for 10 more years with this agreement,” F1 president Stefano Domenicali said.
“Silverstone is an iconic venue at the heart of F1 history and as it approaches its ninth decade hosting Grands Prix, the event continues to attract fans from around the world for fantastic racing on track and the amazing fan experience off it.”
The British Grand Prix has been an ever-present on the F1 calendar, dating back more than 70 years, with Silverstone staging the sport’s first world championship race in 1950.
A record-breaking crowd in excess of 150,000 watched Max Verstappen win last year’s British Grand Prix, with nearly half a million spectators passing through the gates over the course of the weekend.
Silverstone chief executive Stuart Pringle added: “This long-term commitment reflects the importance of the British Grand Prix to Formula One and their acknowledgement of our ability to deliver a world-class experience.
“The cheers of support for the home teams, and particularly for the British drivers on the grid, makes the Silverstone atmosphere unique.” Liberty has flirted with the idea of staging a street race in London, but a number of roadblocks have thwarted any serious progress.
The American company’s commitment to Silverstone comes just weeks after a new race in Madrid was confirmed from 2026.
The new F1 season starts in Bahrain on March 2, with Silverstone hosting the British Grand Prix on July 7.
Gasly knew about Hamilton talks with Ferrari
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly said he knew about Lewis Hamilton’s talks with Ferrari and the announcement of the Briton’s move from Mercedes to the Italian Formula One team for 2025 was not a surprise to him.
Speaking to reporters at the launch of the Renault-owned team’s 2024 car on Wednesday, Frenchman Gasly said it had been a well-kept secret.
The move was announced last Thursday.
“I was aware of some talks with Ferrari. Ultimately he (Hamilton) is towards the end of his career, so it was either now or never,” said Gasly, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Wednesday. “I think it was kept secret for quite a long time. I wish him the best.”
Hamilton, 39, will replace Spaniard Carlos Sainz alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari. Gasly and Leclerc are old friends and the pair are online gamers with Hamilton.
In 2020, the Frenchman revealed in an ESPN podcast that he regularly exchanged messages and questions with Hamilton, seeking the Briton’s advice.
“What’s fair in F1?,” he replied on Wednesday when asked if the situation had been fair to Sainz. “Carlos is a great driver, Lewis is a fantastic driver, the best of all time,” Gasly said.
“There was an opportunity on both sides. I think Ferrari and Lewis took it together. It leaves Carlos in a more tricky situation and it’s not easy.”
A winner with Toro Rosso at Monza in 2020, Gasly finished third last season at the Dutch Grand Prix for his first podium with Alpine.
The new car has yet to run but Alpine described it as bold and aggressive.
Gasly, who joined the team last year in what he admitted was a disappointing season, said it might be a bit harder in the opening races but there would be plenty of potential to unlock later in the year.
“You got to take risks at some point if you want to get bigger rewards. So that’s the strategy we decided to go for,” he added.
Gasly said he now felt in the best shape he’d ever been and a “completely different place” compared to last year, knew everyone in the team and the way of working.