Formula 1’s managing director of motorsport, Ross Brawn, is “sure” a solution will be found to keep the British Grand Prix at Silverstone beyond 2019.
As crowds basked in the sunshine, one fact some seemed to forget was last Sunday could have been the penultimate race held at the Northamptonshire circuit which held the first F1 race back in 1950.
This comes after the BRDC bosses activated a break clause last year in the race contract they signed in 2009 citing spiralling, unsustainable costs as the reason why they could no longer host the British race beyond next year.
However, speaking to Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle on the grid, Brawn pointed to the crowds and the atmosphere before declaring: “I’m sure we’re going to find a solution with Silverstone because we cannot leave this behind.
“The frustration is the negotiations are taking place in public,” he continued. “Every circuit we deal with we do it quietly and get on with it, but for some reason, Silverstone chooses to make everything public which causes more difficulties.
“But we’ll find a solution.”
F1 has been here before on several occasions with former supremo Bernie Ecclestone threatening to pull the race and, indeed, Donington Park was meant to be taking over in 2010 before their planned expansion fell through.
A street race in London has been touted as an alternative, but after the thrills of this past weekend, it would be hard to imagine the calendar without a trip to where it all began.