Wheatcroft gets lifetime achievement award

Donington Park owner Tom Wheatcroft has been presented with the Gregor Grant Trophy in recognition of a lifetime contribution to the sport.

“When I first said I’d bring racing back to Donington Park, nobody believed me. It was a struggle, but I proved everyone wrong,” said Wheatcroft during his acceptance speech at the recent Autosport Awards.

His work at Donington Park reached its zenith with the 1993 European GP, won in the rain by Ayrton Senna.

The Donington Grand Prix Collection, now the world’s biggest array of grand prix racing cars, will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year, having opened to the public four years before the return of racing to Donington Park.

Meanwhile, the Tom Wheatcroft Trophy, presented last year to Murray Walker OBE, will again be awarded during the 2003 anniversary celebrations.