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