Silverstone has written to Prime Minister David Cameron protesting at the prospect of government support for the Circuit of Wales describing it as potentially illegal.
Managing Director Richard Phillips said: "It would amount to a transfer of state resources which gives the Circuit of Wales an economic and selective advantage over other circuits. As such it could amount to illegal state aid."
It emerged recently that the developers behind the project in Blaenau Gwent were seeking seeking financial backing from the Welsh Assembly. A BBC Wales programme suggested that private investors were hard to convince of the value in the project which promises to create 6000 jobs, attract 500,000 tourists annually but will cost £280,000,000 to construct
The Association of Motor Circuit Owners, which includes the MSV circuits and Donington, have been mounting strong opposition with Silverstone being particularly vociferous. They stand to lose the MotoGP contract after this year with Dorna being wooed by the Welsh as the new venue.
Michael Carrick, chief executive of the Heads of the Valleys company, denied the accusations of a ‘white elephant’ saying: "This is a project that will have regeneration of one of the poorest regions in the country at its heart."
