Tag Archives: wanstead

London 2012 Olympics: F1 track considered

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Coming up the inside! F1 track officially in the running for Olympic Stadium

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UPDATED:

16:40 GMT, 17 July 2012

Plans for a Formula One circuit in and around the Olympic Stadium are officially now under consideration.

The scheme is one of four being reviewed by the London Legacy Development Corporation who are charged with the task of finding a suitable use for the showpiece venue of the forthcoming Games.

The LLDC will also be looking at three other bids, namely from football clubs West Ham and Leyton Orient, along with University College of Football Business, who are an affiliate of Bucks New University.

Road to somewhere: The Olympic Park could host a F1 race in the future

Road to somewhere: The Olympic Park could host a F1 race in the future

An LLDC statement read: 'Following an extension to the bidding period, the Legacy Corporation can today reveal it has received four bids for the venue.

'Bids from West Ham United, Intelligent Transport Services in association with Formula One, UCFB College of Football Business and Leyton Orient will now be assessed to ensure they are compliant before being evaluated ahead of negotiations.'

Intelligent Transport Solutions Ltd, who are based at Wanstead in east London, have already held preliminary talks with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone with regard to using the stadium as a circuit.

Any potential race would form a second British round of the world championship to run alongside the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Keen: Leyton Orient's Barry Hearn

Keen: Leyton Orient's Barry Hearn

Ecclestone has tentatively given his blessing, stating a month ago ITS Ltd are a firm 'bidding for use of the stadium, not to own it.'

Ecclestone added: 'They came up with a scheme whereby Formula One would race around the stadium, inside it, outside it. They wanted to make sure I would be interested.'

It is understood, however, Ecclestone will not throw his full weight behind the plan unless ITS Ltd win the bidding process.

ITS Ltd face particularly strong competition from the football clubs in the Hammers, newly promoted back to the Barclays Premier League, and League One Orient.

West Ham were originally selected as tenants before a legal row ensued which resulted in the bidding process being started a second time.

Orient's proposal is understood to be a ground share with West Ham, a prospect on which the latter is far from keen.

O's chairman Barry Hearn told BBC Sport: 'There is no point dwelling on the design of the stadium and the faults of the stadium.

'We have to get on with it, we have to make a fist of it and we have to make sure the Government and the people of this country get maximum value for the investment that has gone into the Olympic Stadium.

On the road: Monaco is the most famous of all the inner-city circuits

On the road: Monaco is the most famous of all the inner-city circuits

'Our idea does that, and I think it forms part of a legacy people in this country can be proud of. Bearing in mind this is the only time in our lifetime we are ever going to hold the Olympic Games, we need to get something out of it.

'A mixture of usages and a mixture of opportunity within the Olympic Stadium will give us the feeling we have spent our money wisely and that is really what we are trying to achieve.

'All sides have to exercise common sense and move forward. I think we have created a very interesting scheme that can do just that.'

Essex County Cricket Club, in tandem with the University of London, were initially in the running, but have now pulled out.

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button back London Grand Prix at Olympic Stadium

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Hamilton and Button back F1 grand prix plan for London's Olympic Stadium

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UPDATED:

17:44 GMT, 22 June 2012

Britain's trio of Formula One stars have thrown their weight behind the prospect of a grand prix being staged in and around the Olympic Stadium.

Among five bids on the table for the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to mull over is one from Intelligent Transport Solutions Ltd, based at Wanstead in east London.

The company are proposing using the venue for a race, which would naturally become the new European Grand Prix given Silverstone's long-term contract to stage the British Grand Prix.

Street circuit: Valencia plays host to this weekend's European Grand Prix

Street circuit: Valencia plays host to this weekend's European Grand Prix

If successful, it would certainly fulfil Bernie Ecclestone's dream of staging a race in London, just as his aims of holding an event with Manhattan as a backdrop are slowly coming to fruition with next year's planned Grand Prix of America in New Jersey.

Although there would appear to be considerable logistical and financial hurdles to overcome, McLaren's Jenson Button said: 'You are only going to get positive comments from me when it comes to British grands prix.

'It's lovely to travel, but we all love racing in our home country with home supporters.

London calling: Hamilton has backed a grand prix being staged in and around the Olympic Stadium

London calling: Hamilton has backed a grand prix being staged in and around the Olympic Stadium

'Whether you drive quicker or not is questionable, but it's just a lovely atmosphere having the home crowd there.

'With regard to the Olympic Stadium, it's a fantastic facility we're going to see opened to the world in a few weeks' time.

'It would be great if we had the opportunity to race there as well.'

Button and team-mate Lewis Hamilton are due to unveil a virtual London grand prix on Thursday at the RAC on Pall Mall using the latest CGI technology.

Proposal: A bid to use the Olympic Stadium for a grand prix has been tabled

Proposal: A bid to use the Olympic Stadium for a grand prix has been tabled

Although the duo will go head-to-head as they flash past some of the capital's most famous landmarks, using the Olympic Stadium in Stratford would not carry the same kudos.

For Hamilton, however, a London race of any kind would be 'spectacular'.

The 27-year-old added: 'It could possibly be one of the best grands prix of the whole year, so I'd definitely support it.'

On the Button: The McLaren ace has thrown his weight behind the bid

On the Button: The McLaren ace has thrown his weight behind the bid

Force India's Paul di Resta, for once quickest Briton following practice for Sunday's European Grand Prix in Valencia that uses the port area for the circuit, offered a degree of realism. Appreciating the difficulties such a race would have in getting off the ground, Di Resta said: 'You'd have a lot of complaints from people living around there about the noise wouldn't you

'Unfortunately I think that's a strong possibility, but the venue would be state of the art and I'm sure you could combine it with some street stuff as well.

'It would be a bit like Albert Park (in Melbourne) for a one-off grand prix.

'London is one of the leading cities in the world, so why should we not enjoy something like that

'We should be entitled to a European Grand Prix. Spain have one, Germany did so for years.

'If you take the ratio of teams based in the UK then I'm sure they would be happy to have it as well.'

London 2012 Olympics: F1 grand prix plan for stadium

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Forget Bolt, this is real speed! F1 grand prix plan for London's Olympic Stadium

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UPDATED:

08:35 GMT, 22 June 2012

London's Olympic Stadium could host a Formula One race if radical new proposals are given the go-ahead after the Games.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has long harboured hopes of staging a race in the capital and he has confirmed the prospective bidders have run their ideas past him.

Owner needed: The Olympic Stadium in Stratford is still without a plan post-Games

Owner needed: The Olympic Stadium in Stratford is still without a plan post-Games

Intelligent Transport Solutions Ltd, based at Wanstead in east London, are among five bidders who have put forward plans for the future use of the stadium to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC).

'This is a firm that happened to be bidding for use of the stadium, not to own it,' Ecclestone said. 'They came up with a scheme whereby Formula One would race around the stadium, inside it, outside it.'

He added in the Daily Telegraph: 'They wanted to make sure I would be interested.'

Early indications are that the cars
would pass directly through the stadium before winding their way around
the surrounding Olympic Park, an area which had been earmarked as a new
urban living space.

London calling: F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has long been keen to get a grand prix in London, while Wembley has hosted events for petrol heads

London calling: F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has long been keen to get a grand prix in London, while Wembley has hosted events for petrol heads

London calling: F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has long been keen to get a grand prix in London, while Wembley has hosted events for petrol heads

Similar plans were announced for a Russian grand prix to be hosted at the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, although they are currently on hold.

F1 has come to the capital before, eight years ago, when around 400,000 people watched the likes of Nigel Mansell hurtle around the West End.

The LLDC has also received bids from football clubs West Ham and Leyton Orient, as well as the University of East London, whose bid includes a cricket academy for Essex CCC, and the University College of Football Business, who are an affiliate of Bucks New University.

West Ham had originally been selected as tenants before a legal challenge from Tottenham led to the process being started a second time.