The future of British Grand Prix on the Formula 1 calenda🐽r remains unresolved heading into this weekend’s ra🅘ce at Silverstone.

Thursday will mark two years since Silverstone confirme꧋d it had activated a break clause in its contract to host the British Grand Prix, meaning this Sunday’s race would be the last if a new contract is not agreed.

It is an event which has a rich history in the sport, with Great Britain being an ever-present fixture on the F1 calendar since the world champions⛄hip for🌊med in 1950, while Silverstone has been the permanent home of the race since 1987.

Here is a breakdown of the key events so far…

11 July 2017: Break-clause triggered

In the week leading up to the 2017 British Grand Prix, the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), owners of Silverstone circuit, 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:triggered the break clause in the hope of negotiating a better deal, after their current 17-year contract, which was agr𝓀eed with former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, included a hosting fee that would escalate from an original £11.5 million in 2010 to over £25 million by 2026.

Despite enjoying regular sell-out crowds and being one of the 1😼6🍷8澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:best attended events on the F1 calendar - with 140,000 fans attending on race day and 340,000 across the entire w♊eekend last year - the BRDC felt it could no longer afford to♒ keep the race going at a loss due to rising costs.

November 2018: F1 issues fresh warning

F1 commercial chief Sean Bratches168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: issued Silverstone with a warnꦛing towards the end of last year, stressing the🍎 importance of business interests as he pointed out that F1 ha🍸s not always raced at the Northamptonshire track.

“We’re a 68-year-old entity anꦅd the nature of grand prix racing is that it is dynamic,🔜” Bratches said ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix in November.

“Silverstone was the first grand prix, but we haven’t raced at Silverstone all those 68 years. The race has been held ♐at B⛦rands Hatch and other venues.

“Nothing is immutable in this sport in terms of where we race. We do value certain races highly and we do what we can to 🌺preserve racing there, but we are a business.

“We are a public company and we have a lot of stakeholders and shareholders and we’re 🧸trying to marry what’s best for fans with running a successful busi🦄ness.”

The retaliation was bullish in nature from Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle, who insisted the circuit could flourish with or without F1 and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:would not be held to ransom in order to keep hosting the event.

December 2018 - June 2019: London GP talk steps up

Amid Silverstone’s uncertain future, Liberty Media has continued to pursue the idea of a grand prix on the streets of London. The prospect of an F1 race in the English capital has been little 🎐more than a pipe dream in recent years but in December it received a boost when London mayor Sadiq Khan said he considers a race to be realistic.

F1’s desire to hold a race in London did not sit well with Silverstone, with Pringle in June th⛎at the plan “significantly increases the risk” with its hopes of continuing to host t﷽he British Grand Prix.

Despite the concerns, Pringle insistཧed talks were ongoing between both F1 and S💮ilverstone and was hopeful of finding a resolution.

A few months earlier duringꦅ a press call in March, F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn admitted there was no certainty on the future of the British Grand Prix, but said there was room for two UK-based events on the calendar, addi𓂃ng: “London would be a different race than the British GP. It is a city race. There is a place for both.

"But I don't think it's fe💫asible to have a London race in the middle of London, unfortunately - the chaos and impact it would have would be too severe - but on the periphery of London there are a number of areas tha𓃲t could work.

“I don't see it as it would necessarily replace the British GP; it would be the London GP.”

July 2019: Hamilton’s rally call

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: voiced his concerns over the future of the British Grand Prix in Austria, stressing that F1 cannot afford to turn its back on Silverstone and potentially risk losing the raꩵce altogether ꧑from the calendar.

Speaking in a feature set to be broadcast during Sky Sports F1’s coverage of the 2019 event, the Briton, who could take a record-breaking sixth victory at Silverstone this weekend, described the track as “the ultimate race circuit” and vowed to168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: fight for its future.

"It feels to me 'not while I'm racing,'" Hamilton added. “Not while I'm here, I'll fight for it.

“This has the🌄 biggest crowd of the whole year, this has the biggest attendance of the season, and there's no way I would allow that to ﷽happen. We have to fight for it.”

And Hamilton does not find himsel🤡f alone as the only driver praising Silversto▨ne.

“A lot of gꦜreat, fast corners is what we like and I can’t imagine the calendar♈ without the British Grand Prix,” said Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who is among a number of drivers to express their concerns.

“I really enjoy Silverstone Circuit because of the high-speed corners, Becketts and Maggot☂s being my favourite, and it’s great fun to drive.

“I also knཧow it pretty well after racing there in F3 before F1. I love to see all the British fans camping and supporting us in the grandstands. There is always a big turnout and they are definitely some of the most passionate F1 fans in the world.”

What next?

A provisional Fℱ1 calendar for next ✨year would currently see the British Grand Prix omitted for the first time in the sport’s history, but there is fresh optimism that a new deal is on the cards.

Silಞverstone’s long-running saga could be resolved as early as Wednesday, with reports suggesting a fresh deal will be announced a♛head of the 10th round of the 2019 season.

According to , F1 and Silverstone have reached a 🐠financial agreement and are now on the finishing stretch of getting the final terms of the deal signed off and across the ꧂line. Watch this space…