Silverstone is to be resurfaced for the second time in two years before the British Grand Prix at a cost of up to £5m. The circuit’s managing director, Stuart Pringle, said on Tuesday the work has to be done to ensure racing can go ahead after the cancellation of last year’s MotoGP race.

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The circuit was relaid by Aggregate Industries before the season began last year but several F1 drivers complained the surface was worse than before. In August the MotoGP race was cancelled after persistent heavy rain led to drainage problems blamed on the new surface.

Lewis Hamilton was critical last year. “The people they hired did the worst job ever. It’s the bumpiest track I’ve ever experienced,” the Mercedes driver said.

Pringle said Silverstone had to ensure there was no repeat. “Following the cancellation of last year’s race the governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, suspended our track licence,” he said. “The condition of the reissue of that licence was a complete resurfacing. We had to do it to be able to run the event.”

Silverstone has been investigating what happened since the MotoGP and are in the process of appraising further action. “We completed the investigation so we understood what the issues were and so we don’t make the same mistake again. We are considering the options available to us as regards last year’s resurfacing,” Pringle said.

Silverstone will be using a new contractor, Tarmac, and working closely with Dromo, an Italian circuit consultant company. The work will begin on 10 June and is expected to be complete by 30 June. The British Grand Prix weekend is 12-14 July. The 20 working days include almost a week for the circuit to “cure” and it will not be used before Formula One arrives.

“We are confident it will be ready, working with Dromo they have designed an asphalt mix that is six times stronger than last year’s,” Pringle said. “It will have real rigidity and no risk of being moved even by F1, which is the ultimate punisher of a circuit.”

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Silverstone have also concluded a positive step forward by agreeing a deal to host MotoGP for a further three years until 2021. The commercial rights holder of MotoGP, Dorna, is confident the new surface will be acceptable.

“We have been working closely with Silverstone to ensure the race has a successful future,” said the Dorna chief executive, Carmelo Ezpeleta. “We will be assisting with any changes that need to be made regarding the track surface after the events of the 2018 MotoGP.”

Pringle said the FIA and Formula One Management were content with the track being resurfaced only weeks before the grand prix. Silverstone’s contract to host the race ends this year and they remain in talks with F1 over a new deal but have been insistent they will not risk the future of the circuit in order to stage F1.