Silverstone threatened

Motor Sport: The British Grand Prix could be stripped of its world championship status when the FIA, the sport's international governing body, meets in Warsaw this morning, reports Alan Henry.

It will hear explanations from the RAC, as the national club, and the Silverstone organisers for the chaotic scenes which embroiled the rain-soaked race over Easter.

"There is an assumption that somehow there will always be a British grand prix but there is a strong movement to take it off the calendar altogether. This year's race was bad for the image of a supposed global sport," said one FIA insider yesterday.

It is expected that the Silverstone organisers will offer a robust defence against criticisms that they were insufficiently prepared for the saturated conditions which forced the public car parks to be closed for the Saturday qualifying session, leaving disgruntled fans trudging miles to gain access to the circuit.

In particular, the governing body will be seeking to establish whether Silverstone made any planning applications to tarmac the car parks in an effort to mitigate the conditions.

The standard of marshalling at the British Grand Prix is also expected to come under scrutiny. In the Friday practice, when David Coulthard's McLaren was stuck in the mud after spinning off the track, there was no warning flag to slow down the following BAR of Jacques Villeneuve.

Athletics: Paul Brizzell yesterday broke the Irish 100 metres record with a time of 10.35 seconds at a meeting in Hopsatu, Estonia, reports Ian O'Riordan.

Brizzell (23), from Ballymena, improved the mark of 10.45 seconds, which was set by Gary Ryan of Nenagh last July. The time will count as an Olympic B qualifying standard, although Brizzell is likely to concentrate on the 200 metres, having achieved the A standard in that event last March in South Africa.

Brizzell finished second to South African Matthew Quinn, who won in 10.28 seconds, with the Irishman improving on his previous best of 10.54 seconds.

At the same meeting, Daniel Caulfield of DCH won the 800 metres in one minute 50.72 seconds, and Paul McKee of Belfast finished first in the 200 metres in 21.20 seconds.