MURRAY WALKER BACKS SILVERSTONE
British Grand Prix will stay put, says Formula One legend
FORMULA ONE legend Murray Walker believes next season's British Grand Prix will be at Silverstone.
In an excluisve interview with Vroom at the Top, the 85-year-old former commentator reealed he cannot see Donington being ready to stage the race.
Walker said: "From what I understand, Bernie Ecclestone has said that Silverstone and Donington must share the GP - but I can't see that happening. For a start Damon Hill, who is head of the BDRC which owns Silverstone, wouldn't allow it.
"He has now caused a little bit of a ruckus because he has said that it's not good enough to share and quite frankly I'm with him on that.
"Being a member of the BDRC (British Drivers' Racing Club, which owns Silverstone) I am obviously biased and want the race to be at Silverstone. I do hold out a great deal of hope - in the last three months Bernie has said 'never-ever, no-way, not on your nelly' to the British GP coming back to Silverstone and recently he has done a lot of back peddling 'possibly'.
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"Even if Donington get the funding needed to start construction, I can't see it ever being ready on time, it seems impossible. I think I will see you at the British Grand Prix right here at Silverstone next year."
Walker was at Silverstone this week, promoting his new book Murray Walker's Scrapbook, and admitted he is loving every minute of this season's Formula One championship - but tipped Red Bull to snatch the title from Jenson Button.
He said: "It's great that things have been turned on there head this season with Brawn GP leading the championship.
"I worked as an ambassador for Honda for three years and got to know Jenson very well - he is a great guy. When he was at the back of the grid racing for Honda he had plenty of opportunity to slag the car off - it was a dog of a car - but he never did and you have to respect him for that.
"I am gunning for him to win the championship this season because it is so bloody amazing what Ross Brawn has done with that team.
"I am also chuffed for Red Bull. It's great that the small teams are pushing through and teams like McLaren and Ferrari are languishing at the back of the grid. Although I want Jenson to win I think one of the Red Bulls might just do it. From a racing point of view it has been a fantastic season."
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BIKE CLASH
BIKE fans could be forced to choose between two of the biggest races on the calendar next summer after bosses pencilled them in for the SAME date.
MotoGP organisers have earmarked June 6 for the British round at Silverstone - the same day as Mad Sunday of TT week.
The MotoGP qualifying is set for June 5, traditionally the day of the TT Superbike race and Silverstone's Friday practices will also clash with the final TT practice that evening.
A spokesman for the Isle of Man government, which promotes the TT races, said it was urging MotoGP rights holders Dorna to review the date.
He said: "This is only a provisional timetable but we don't want fans to be forced to choose between two hugely popular events. We will work with Dorna to try to resolve this in everyone's best interests.
"Although the date clash is unlikely to affect any teams or riders as there is no cross over between TT and MotoGP, it is likely to have an impact on those in the motorcycle industry forced to choose between the two events."
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ROBERT RALLIES
JOB-HUNTING Robert Kubica has said he may follow the footsteps of Kimi Raikkonen and move into rallying.
Following his disastrous F1 season and the announcement that BMW Sauber is to exit the sport, Kubica and team-mate Nick Heidfeld are without drives for the 2010 season.
Polish ace Kubica, who has scored just two points in 10 races, is desperate for a race seat next season after the German carmaker rocked F1 this week by announcing it was quitting the sport at the end of the season.
But he said: 'I'm a big fan of rallying, I really enjoy watching it and I would like to do some rallying just for fun. As for the future, whether I'll have the opportunity to do some rallying really depends on which stage of my career I'm at.
'I'd say there is a high possibility that I'll be in some rallies. I've had a rally car for five or six years and used to drive it quite a lot.'
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