Silverstone dropped

THE British Grand Prix was yesterday dropped from the Formula One calendar for the first time in the sport’s history.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone had given Silverstone owners the British Racing Drivers’ Club until close of business yesterday to meet his financial demands.

The parties are believed to be around £3m apart on the annual cost of rights to the race and Ecclestone last night pulled the plug.

He has omitted the race from his provisional 2005 calendar, which goes before the FIA’s world motor sport council on October 13.

Ecclestone has been a fierce critic of Silverstone in recent years.