Lando Norris and George Russell featured in a video to announce Silverstone’s new 10-year deal.
George Russell and Lando Norris have been mocked by fans on social media after starring in a bizarre video to announce that Silverstone will be staying on the calendar until 2034. The previous deal was set to expire this year but it will now remain in place for another decade, ensuring the British Grand Prix will stay at the national home of motor racing.
A hearing is scheduled to take place at the Red Bull factory on Friday to address the allegations of “inappropriate behavior” against Horner. Horner, who has been the team principal since 2005, has overseen the achievement of four Drivers’ Championships by Sebastian Vettel and three more by Max Verstappen.
The two F1 rivals were roundly mocked for their appearances in the video, mainly due to its clearly scripted nature. @filmmadfinn sarcastically quipped: “Academy Award winning,” while @RandoIE said: “Oscar worthy performances.”
It’s the whoop whoop for me,” wrote @mikeysr99, with @formerlyyme adding: “Yeah they can’t act, bless them.” @saralikeclara went on to make another sarcastic comment about the pair’s questionable acting skills, saying: “Is it too late for an Oscar nomination? I think they’d make an exception for this.”
In the meantime, a few supporters questioned the absence of Lewis Hamilton in the video, considering his record of winning the most British Grand Prix titles with eight. @mer44qi humorously commented that Lewis declined the invitation, while @jmanofficial1 questioned the decision of not involving the most triumphant British driver at Silverstone to announce this news.
According to the Daily Mail, Silverstone’s recent agreement is valued at an astonishing £300 million, even though there were initial worries about the venue’s ability to cover the hosting fees beyond 2024. Previously, the track had expressed financial incapacity to continue hosting the race, but it appears that this is no longer true as they signed a five-year extension in 2019.
In a statement revealing the news on Thursday, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said: “I am delighted to announce that the British Grand Prix will remain on the calendar for 10 more years with this agreement. Silverstone is an iconic venue at the heart of F1 history and as it approaches its ninth decade hosting Grands Prix, the event continues to attract fans from around the world for fantastic racing on track and the amazing fan experience off it.
“I would like to thank [Silverstone chief executive] Stuart Pringle and the Silverstone team for their hard work and dedication to take the British Grand Prix to new heights and I look forward to working closely with them as they look to further improve the facilities and fan experience over the next 10 years.”