Formula One boss gears up for London

FORMULA ONE bosses are exploring the possibility of staging a Grand Prix in Greater London.

Ross Brawn, F1’s head of motorsport, has ruled out a citycentre race, but believes there is scope for an event on the outskirts of the capital.

Brawn said: “I think because F1 is a week-long activity minimum, the disruption it would cause in the centre of London would be unacceptable. I don’t think Londoners really need to worry about us taking over the centre of London for a week.

“But there are things on the periphery that are being explored – not slap-bang in the centre of London but Greater London.

“London is an iconic city with a massive history in the sport and there’s huge enthusiasm here.”

Any new race would not necessarily affect the future of a Grand Prix at Silverstone, though.

Next year’s round at the Northamptonshire circuit is due to be the last unless a new agreement is reached.

But Brawn added: “We’d like to see London complement Silverstone, not replace it. We could see ways we could make it work both sides.”

Liberty Media, F1’s American owners, is keen to add city races to the F1 calendar, with a round on the streets of Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi, penned in for 2020.

London has long been talked about as the venue for an F1 race, but a number of obstacles have prevented it from becoming a reality.