Octagon revamps Silverstone upgrade to save GP.

Octagon Motorsports, the organiser of the British Grand Prix, has revealed alterations to its proposed upgrade of Silverstone, after it emerged that the historic circuit could face the axe from next year's Formula One calendar.

Despite an 'marginal' improvement in the ongoing traffic problems that have surrounded the Northamptonshire venue, the FIA will consider Silverstone's future at a summit meeting in Monaco this Friday. Whilst some insiders believe that the venue will survive with another warning, others claim that the race, if it remains, will be downgraded to a non-championship event until traffic improvements can be guaranteed.

In order to head off the possible loss of its headline event - Arrows' boss Tom Walkinshaw has already said that teams will not turn out for a non-championship race - Octagon has used the results traffic monitoring studies at the 2001 grand prix to propose further improvements to its vehicle management system.

As a result, the joint 'masterplan' drawn up between Octagon Motorsports, the British Racing Drivers' Club [BRDC] and Bernie Ecclestone in June 2001, has been revised to allow greater emphasis on both access and parking, at a cost approaching ?10.6million.

"The investment is already well under way, and we have always placed emphasis on improving facilities for public access to Silverstone," Rob Bain, Octagon's CEO, commented, "Since we announced our plans ahead of this year's grand prix, all parties have agreed to revise the masterplan, so as to give greater emphasis to the substantial improvements relating to both access and parking. We are determined to ensure that the investment pledged by all parties will secure Silverstone's future within international motorsport."

The proposal to complete 'Phase One' of the masterplan before next year's grand prix includes:

* the addition two new additional lanes to complement the existing two lanes of the Dadford Road, These will run in parallel with the existing Dadford Road, thus creating a total of four lanes connecting the new Silverstone bypass - currently under construction - with a new main entrance and adjacent new car parking areas;

* improvements to access to be enhanced and supplemented by a major new entrance to Silverstone circuit;

* additional car parking areas to be provided adjacent to the new entrance, able to accommodate approximately 15,000 cars in close proximity to the circuit;

* further development for internal access and circulation with improvements to the perimeter road;

* traffic management of the new dual carriageway and surrounding roads at major race meetings permitting tidal flow operation during entry and exit periods, with up to three lanes available on each carriageway, while there is also provision for a controlled emergency route when this is required;

* an effective park and ride system along priority routes permitted by the new road system;

Should Silverstone still not come up to scratch at Friday's FIA meeting, it has been suggested that the event will be replaced by one in France, possibly at Ecclestone's revamped Paul Ricard circuit.