British Grand Prix axed from 2005 F1 calendar for first time in 55 years

Silverstone has been left off the provisional Formula One calendar for 2005, ending a run of British Grands Prix stretching back to the championship's inaugural race at the track in 1950. The absence marks the first time in more than half a century that no British round appears on the schedule.

The removal follows a breakdown in negotiations between Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone and the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC), which manages Silverstone. Ecclestone sought a hosting fee of 8.9 million pounds, a figure the BRDC said it could not meet despite cutting costs elsewhere.

BRDC president Jackie Stewart called the situation "a disaster" and urged Ecclestone to reconsider. Stewart said the gap between what Formula One demanded and what the club could offer, while relatively small in absolute terms, remained beyond reach.

The FIA world council is due to ratify the provisional calendar at a meeting on 13 October.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in September 2004, in its own words.