From Olympics to Formula 1?

The Guardian reports that the bids for using the Olympic stadium after the games are in. Initially it seemed to be certain the West Ham would gain a leasehold of the stadium but legal challenges put the kibosh on that.

Now there are four bids for using the stadiu. West Ham have a bid in as do Leyton Orient (although that seems to be on the basis of a groundshare with West Ham - something West Ham seem rather frosty about).

Another bid has come from  UCFB a College of Football Busines - I shudder to thin what that bid is about.

Essex County Cricket Club had been expected to bid but they withdrew. That leaves the final and, to me anyway, what must be the strangest bid.

Intelligent Transport Solutions Ltd, who are based at Wanstead in east London, have already held preliminary talks with the Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone with regard to using the stadium as a Formula One circuit. The intention is that the race would form a second British round of the world championship to run alongside the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

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....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.

 

The Olympic stadium as a Formula One circuit? If does seem a little small! Actually it looks as if it would form part of a circuit around the streets of London. Even so it seems to me a rather stupid idea, Better to have it on exisiting courses I would have thought. Then again I can't stand Formula One.It is even more venal than top flight Football, if that's possible. So the idea of a big race not too far from where I live does not exactly fill me with joy,