Motor Sport:British Grand Prix organisers have rejected a proposal by Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone that they alternate their race with France.
"The proposal was one that he made a couple of weeks back," said Stuart Rolt, chairman of Silverstone circuit owners the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC).
"His offer was to have the grand prix every other year and miss it in 2007.
"That was the offer, we thought about it and rejected it."
Silverstone, the former World War Two airfield that hosted Formula One's first championship grand prix in 1950, has a contract to 2009 with Ecclestone, who represents the commercial rights holders.
The French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours has struggled financially in recent years, with that country having no full time Formula One driver since 2004 despite Renault winning the championship for the last two years.
"We've given them the opportunity and Magny-Cours agreed," Ecclestone told the Times newspaper on Friday. "Silverstone had the opportunity and said they didn't want to.
"Silverstone stays where they are. We respect our contracts and we'll see what happens when the contract runs out."
Silverstone's future beyond 2009 remains uncertain, with Ecclestone demanding considerable refurbishment to the pit and paddock complex to bring it up to the standards of new circuits in the developing world.
Ecclestone's proposal would have offered the BRDC a breathing space to 2012, as well as freeing up a slot on the calendar for new races outside the sport's traditional European heartland.
South Korea have already been promised a race for 2010, a deal is in the pipeline with India and Honda's Suzuka circuit is looking for a slot as a second grand prix in Japan after being replaced by Toyota's Fuji.
Russia and South Africa are also strong candidates for future inclusion in the calendar while a second race has been mooted for the US, a key market for the car manufacturers and sponsors.
Imola, the cramped Italian circuit that hosted the San Marino Grand Prix, has been axed from the calendar already while Germany has lost one of its two races with Hockenheim and the Nuerburgring to alternate from 2007.
Malaysia, Bahrain, China and Turkey have all been added since 1999.
Rolt said finding the money to pay for development, along with the fees demanded by Ecclestone, was no easy matter but the BRDC was hard at work to try and achieve what was needed and saw no sense in postponing matters.
There was also the difficulty of retaining staff and maintaining the circuit when the main draw was held only once every two years.
"I'd like to think our relationship with Bernie is pretty friendly," said Rolt. "He appreciates the position and understands our predicament.
"But at the same time he's quite clear that just because it's the British Grand Prix and he's British, he's not going to do us any favours."