The British Racing Drivers’ Club says it is looking to find a buyer for Silverstone by the end of October, though BRDC president Derek Warwick admits “I would not want to put my neck on it”.
Despite sold-out crowds at the British Grand Prix in recent years, the BRDC has been keen to sell the Home of British motorsport due to mounting losses and a lack of capital reserves.
“We've now said by the end of October to get a deal done,” Warwick told Autosport. “When you're doing a deal as complicated as ours, although we've a deadline for the end of October, I wouldn't want to put my neck on it.
“We've so many different deals to look at, to evaluate, and to make sure they are not just face value deals, but we do still hope to get it concluded next month.”
There are currently four bidders for the Northamptonshire venue: Jonathan Palmer's MotorSport Vision company recently submitted an offer; Jaguar Land Rover remains in the running despite Porsche reportedly exercising a clause in its existing contract with the circuit to block an estimate £33 million deal with JLR; Lawrence Tomlinson’s LNT Group put a formal bid in August but recently hinted at pulling out.
Autosport reports that the fourth unnamed bidder is thought to be a foreign group, with Warwick revealing it is currently in pole position to acquire the British racing landmark.
“At the moment they are probably the strongest of those we've received, but there is still a lot to do.
“It's all in the detail. The detail is complicated, and I want to know that in 20 years' time we will still enjoy working with them.
“I don't want to bring somebody into Silverstone that in five years' time proves to be totally unworkable, so there is a big responsibility on this board - on me - to get this deal right.”
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