Donington Park

According to GJOS podcast up to 80% of the countries construction companies have already been contracted to the Olympics, add to that Liverpool, Everton, Portsmouth, Brighton, Bristol Rovers, Southend, Chesterfield and West Ham are due to begin building new stadiums soon as well as Silverstone still carrying on with its plans to redevelop the circuit and there really is an issue of finding enough men and materials to make major changes to the track. I really don't see how they can get planning permission and make any changes in the next two years so tbh I don't think that the race will be moving away from Silverstone.
 
^So what's stopping them from using a company from any other EU country?
 
Nothing but they still need to get planning permission, then secure materials and there needs to be enough local housing available to bring the workers from Europe.
 
True... I guess we have to wait and see what happens!!
 
Ive been going to silverstone to see F1 for years, I have no doubt when i say that it is THE best track for F1 in england. Not only has Silverstone greatly improved the Circuit itself, but roads around the track have been upgraded to cope with demand.

Donnigton has some great plans for the track, however i doubt the roads will hold up.
 
http://www.donington-park.co.uk/formula-one-plans


I was scanning websites catching up with the Belgian GP news and decided to go back and have a look at Donington's as its been a while....... all the plans are online and available in pdf, including the circuit layout. Drawn by Tilke it I think it would be these handed to the council.

Basically its unchanged with the exception of the Esses as was suggested before, which is good and the insertion of a new infield section was well anticipated as well.



DONINGTON PARK SUBMIT FIRST PHASE PLANS

Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd submitted plans for the first phase of the re-development of Donington Park with North West Leicestershire District Council on Friday 5th September.

The Parkland circuit faces massive re-development in preparation for the British Formula One Grand Prix that will be staged at the circuit in 2010 (click here for further details). An agreement was signed between Donington Park Leisure and the FIA in July to stage the British Grand Prix for ten years, starting in 2010.

"The submission of these plans heralds the start of a massive re-development project and a new era for Donington Park. It's an incredibly exciting time for everybody involved," explained the circuit's Chief Executive Officer Simon Gillett. "We are delighted with the plans and when the work is completed we will have a facility that will be the pride of World Championship motorsport."

The 2009 programme of major events at Donington including the British Motorcycle Grand Prix and the World Superbike Championship will be unaffected by the re-development.

Donington Park will not be issuing any more releases or making any comment about the re-development until the North West Leicestershire District Council announces their decision on planning in early November.
Click to expand...


Hmm, early November...... that's pretty fast. I am pleased it is all being taken very seriously though.
 
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Sorry for major bump, but the plans to kill the British GP continue:

Ecclestone reveals September deadline for Donington
07 January 2009

Donington Park will risk losing the British Grand Prix as of 2010 if its plans to upgrade the track are not on schedule when Bernie Ecclestone meets the organisers in September 2009.

Silverstone will host the British Grand Prix for the last time this season as, if all goes according to plan, Donington Park will have the honour of hosting the event from 2010 and beyond.

"They have a contract with us that I am sure they understand, and I would imagine they have considered the state of the market and have a fall-back position," Ecclestone told the Daily Telegraph. "I am relying on what they told me they will deliver, and we have a September deadline, from memory, to see that all is as it should be. If it is not then we have four or five venues ready to stage a race."
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http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/01/07/ecclestone-reveals-september-deadline-for-donington/
 
Donington gains planning permission

09 January 2009

The Donington Circuit has received a major boost to its hopes of taking over the British Grand Prix from Silverstone as of 2010 after local authorities granted planning permission for the ?100million circuit revamp.

The plans required approval from two local authorities as the site sits in two different counties. The second of those authorities has now granted permission and the revamp work is expected to start within the month.
Click to expand...

Source
 
The first onboard simulation:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgRhwhNZGS8[/YOUTUBE]
 
Yeah, they added a whole back section wherethe track used to end...
 
Here's the new map:


donington-2010-plan.jpg


Red bits are new.

It's weird. Half of it is old and sort of rough looking, and then half of it is the new, sweeping sort of precision.

I like it, but I think they could have done better. That hill past the infield hairpin is really cool though.
 
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Hmm... I went to the British GP at Donington in 2004 for Moto GP.... and simply MOVING in the parking lot took 2 hours. Getting out entirely took 4.

I thought the British were known for their excellence in queuing but it was probably the worst exit from a parking lot I've ever seen. Wherever people were parked they just turned their car towards the exit and drove in a straight line. No lanes or rows period... There was a semi circle of 14 columns of cars all clamoring at the exit to get out. Finally a traffic cop showed up. Very, very pale british men stripped down to their skivvies and were running up and down the lines yelling in the rain and people were honking their horns in support.

I can only imagine how horrible traffic will be at Donington for a Formula 1 event.
 
THE REAL STIG said:
Yeah, they added a whole back section wherethe track used to end...
Click to expand...
And they cut a chicane where it used to be, just before a hairpin then another hairpin back to the start line. Is it ? I'm not following it well. :(

Reminds me of Hockenheim, if I may.
 
^^Yeah, that's it, I can't see either of the chinanes...
 
^^ Man that sucks. No chicanes AT ALL ? I wanna see cars jumping ! Like Monza ! :(

Herman Tilke aint that fantastic all the time, everytime, eh ? ;)
 
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