IN CONVERSATION WITH

Silverstone’s Stuart Pringle on the upcoming British races

The future of the British Grand Prix has hung in the balance for many years now, and the COVID-19 pandemic has added to the financial pressure on the venue. Silverstone’s managing director explains why it’s now hosting two races – albeit behind closed doors…

For a while it didn’t look like there would be a grand prix at Silverstone at all this year, but you’ve ended up hosting two. How did you go about actually making it happen?

The challenges have been endless, because at the point where we were trying to make decisions we didn’t know what was going to be possible. At one stage F1’s aspiration to get a season under way looked at odds with so many other sporting events and championships. It was commendable for them to keep focused but challenging when other people were saying, “But surely you can’t be going ahead?”

We delayed our decision on whether the public could be present for longer than many, just to give ourselves the space we needed to really establish whether or not it was going to be realistic. People always focus on the delivery date, but actually the date for us to start is much earlier, because of the need to set up equipment, personnel and infrastructure. And then, of course, there’s the commercials – which, as always, I can’t go into in detail, but I can assure you they were no simpler this time around than any of the previous conversations we’ve ever had with F1. But in the end, it was sorted relatively quickly because they wanted to run a race.

Not having spectators gives you a number of challenges, in terms of income and managing the expectations of people who had bought tickets.

I really have to thank the fans because it’s made a world of difference to our business that such a high proportion – 70% of ticket bookers – have chosen to roll their ticket over to next year rather than ask for a refund, which is massive and a huge help to our business. F1 are effectively renting the track from us because otherwise it wouldn’t work – your readers understand how the economics work for a privately promoted race that doesn’t have a government subsidy. We wouldn’t have been able to run it. So, we reached an acceptable accommodation where it can take place and we all stay in the game and look to return to normal next year.

You’ve also got other businesses on site – not just tenants but also the new Silverstone Experience. What’s been the impact of the pandemic on them?

That’s been heartbreaking because the Silverstone Experience had to shut its doors less than two weeks after Prince Harry and Lewis Hamilton opened them. It was absolutely soul-destroying. But it opened again on 28 July, which is great news, and it’s been looking great on Channel 4’s highlights package as a temporary studio for them in the first three races.

What have you learned from watching the first races in terms of organisation? Have you been in dialogue with the FIA and F1 about their experience?

Our team had a debrief with F1 and the FIA on what they’ve learned and that was very helpful for our operations team. Delivering this is very different because normally the paddock sort of takes care of itself, while we’re very focused on getting a third of a million people in and out of the venue over three and a half days. Normally we’re not having to support an extensive medical testing procedure and distancing regime and all the rest of it. The FIA has set out a very detailed protocol it wants to adhere to, and we have to square that with what Public Health England wants. It’s a big challenge. But it’s clear that Formula 1 is going to considerable efforts – far greater efforts than the people sitting in my local pub or shopping in my local Tesco…

Lewis Hamilton has said he’ll be sad to race with empty grandstands at Silverstone this year. It feels like an integral part of the British GP experience – you come to watch Lewis deliver the goods, and then as you drive home you’re already thinking about getting your tickets for next year. Yes, it’s totally counter-intuitive as a promoter to ask our very loyal, very passionate, very vocal fans to stay away this year, but it’s critical that they do because it’s a condition of our being allowed to run the event. The licensing authorities, the blue-light [emergency services] organisations and the government require us to make sure we don’t suddenly introduce thousands of people into the local area. So, we will have policed road closures, footpath closures and airspace closures. The best place to watch the British Grand Prix this year is on the sofa, but we want to see fans back in 2021. The tickets have just gone on sale and we’re already quite well sold for next year with all of the people who’ve rolled their 2020 tickets over. I hope people will say, “Let’s give ourselves something to look forward to.” Much as the opening races of the season worked as a television spectacle, I really don’t think you can beat the atmosphere at the British Grand Prix. It’s absolutely electric.

“THE BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX THIS YEAR IS ON THE SOFA, BUT WE WANT TO SEE FANS BACK IN 2021”