The announcement that the
Formula 1 British Grand Prix is to switch from Silverstone to
Donington Park could well provide the catalyst needed for MotoGP to move in the opposite direction.
As reported by
Crash.net in February, Dorna was already considering moving the British round of the championship from Donington Park, its home since 1987, to Silverstone from 2010.
"We are talking with
Silverstone, but we have not taken any decision," Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta had revealed. "Our contract with Donington goes to 2009. Donington has been our partner for many years and has priority.
"But at the end of this year or the beginning of next year we will talk about the possibility of staying at Donington or going somewhere else.
"The pit boxes have been renewed [at Donington], but there are problems with the size of the paddock," he said. "Maybe Silverstone will be another way for
MotoGP."
With Donington Park promising a £100million investment in order to lure Formula 1 further north, such upgrades are now set to take place - but at the same time Silverstone is sure to pull out all the stops to try and replace
F1 with MotoGP.
Currently, Donington Park is a favourite with the riders - its various crests and undulations making for one of the most challenging circuits on the MotoGP calendar. By contrast, Silverstone's flat and wide surface is unlikely to favour spectators who won't be able to see much of the action from one vantage point.
However, Donington Park also has its critics. Spectators have often complained about tricky access, despite its close proximity to the M1 and East Midlands Airport, while the latter has been blamed in the past for creating a slippery surface - something that has been vigorously denied.
On top of that, Donington Park was heavily criticised after spectators once again invaded the circuit on the warm down lap during last month's British Grand Prix.
