Hats off to Kevin Wheatcroft and everyone else involved in the recommission of Donington Park after its disastrous flirtation with modern Formula 1. I was actually quite excited about the plans, not least because Donington is such a great circuit for spectators, but like all of us, I feared for its future once it was clear it was no more likely to hold the British Grand Prix than jump over the moon.
Well, I’ve been back and the good news is it’s as good as ever, perhaps slightly better.
I happened to take part in the last race meeting held at Donington before it closed for its alleged transformation, and can remember a strange feeling as I pulled off the track that I’d never again lap the circuit, at least not in a form that made it my favourite in the land.
The scenes that greated visitors last year
But I was wrong. You can see patches in the asphalt where work has been undone but all the way from Redgate to Coppice, through the Craners, Old Hairpin and McLeans, it’s as if it were all a bad dream. All that’s changed is the chicane leading onto the pit straight, which has been pulled back to allow some run-off and eased to make it faster and more flowing. In other words, the only bit that’s changed is the only bit that needed changing.
So no matter whether you do track days, race or simply spectate, please remember that Donners is back on the menu. If enough people do, it will help ensure it stays that way.
Andrew Frankel
So good to see it up and running again. Went to the Grand Prix collection about 6 months ago and remember thinking the place was virtually condemned! Wish I’d seen the F1 cars there last weekend. Always thought that the Craner Curves were built for F1 cars!!
Living in southern California keeps me from Donnington most weekends, actually all of them in my life so far, but thanks to GTR-2, it’s one of those place I would really like to get to.
Even though I pretty much stink at speed, (simulated speed- in a real car brilliant no doubt) the rhythm and swing of the place is intoxicating. Love it.
If I ever win the lottery, it will be the first place I take the new Caterham.
I went along on the Saturday, and had an excellent day out. There is still some work that needs to be done, in the infield especially, but also around the pit and paddock area.
However, Donington is back, and as good as ever.
I too made the trip on Sunday and was more than pleased with what I saw. Hope they get the infield sorted for next summer, and that Adroit make a nice enough earner out of it to keep it going.
i think like so many racing affeciendos i welcome donnington’s return- well done, my apologies for not being able to attend this weekend –
i was so fortunate – in a very sad way as it was gunnar nilson’s memorial day when i saw the jones boy et al blasting down the curves, then Fangio in a merc in his late 70′s his aura and ability was so awesome, a truly memorable moment
Great that Donington Park is open again – thoroughly enjoyed the Revival Meeting, it was fantastic to see some very rare racing cars from the Donington Collection give demonstration laps .
Good Luck to Kevin Wheatcroft and also Adroit for the future.
Thanks for good wishes for Adroit. Please note everyone that it was Adroit that took on all the risk and completed the works with Pick Everards. Only when everything was done did KR notify us of his change of mind and decide to keep the running of the newly repaired track for himself. I will let you decide who took all the risk and succeeded where many had failed. It was the first real good story to come out from there in over a year.