F1: No date change despite World Cup clash

British Grand Prix organisers are expecting another Silverstone sell-out, despite next year’s race weekend clashing with England’s first game of the World Cup.

The race has sold out for the past two years but found a high-profile rival for sports fans’ attention when Friday’s World Cup draw confirmed England will begin their challenge against Paraguay on June 10.

That clashes with qualifying for the race but, despite weekend suggestions they were pushing for a date change, race organisers have welcomed the news.

“What an unbelievable weekend of sport,” said Silverstone managing director Richard Phillips.

“The British Grand Prix is one of the biggest and most spectacular events on the UK sporting calendar, so with England’s opening game scheduled to take place on the Saturday, sports fans are in for a real treat.

“If last year’s Formula One season is anything to go by we’ll have a fantastic British Grand Prix on June 11, in front of another sell-out crowd.

“The main thing is we’ve avoided the later rounds of the World Cup, when England will hopefully be through to the knock-out stages. Let’s just hope we have a British winner here at Silverstone, and that England go on to win the World Cup.”