British GP to be held at Donington

[Pete Fenelon]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

No British GP. Or is that plan A?

A minimum of GPs in Western Europe has clearly been the Masterplan for some time. And you know, I wouldn't be too bothered. Bernie wants F1 to be sports-entertainment for the developing Middle East and APAC markets, not Proper Racing on Proper Circuits. Perhaps the sooner F1 disappeared off to play in countries with worse human rights records than the UK (yes there are some!) and we got some proper racing (big slicks, less downforce, decent long races, diversity on engines and chassis, friendly atmosphere - hang on, I'm describing prototypes !) instead it'd be no bad thing!

[Sodemo]

Access in and out of Donnington is utterly dreadful, but then again, so is Brands Hatch. It took me and my friend about an hour and a half just to get out of the car park after this year's BTCC event, truly a shocker.

[Pete Fenelon]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Access in and out of Donnington is utterly dreadful, but then again, so is Brands Hatch. It took me and my friend about an hour and a half just to get out of the car park after this year's BTCC event, truly a shocker.

I've missed the first race of the day at Donny a couple of times because of traffic, and as for Brands, last time we were there (CART/BTCC in 2003) our taxi driver from Swanley station gave up about a mile from the circuit....

Perhaps Dudley Moore's Long Lost Twin has missed a trick - instead of racing round Silverstone, shut the circuit down and build a new road course based on the A43

[BootsOntheSide]

It's not realistic for Donington to be world-class in terms of facilities and layout by early 2010, especially as no planning permission has been gained yet. The most likely outcome is Bernie's ideal one - no British GP in 2010 and a Government handout to ensure that we have one in 2011. If we do get a race at Donington it is likely to be on a pared-down circuit, with Silverstone left to rot. Even the romantic memories of the classic race there in 1993 don't make me happy about this.

[Tainan]

I don't think Donington would be talking about a 5 year plan if they'd told Bernie it will be done in 2. I expect he would accept lower standards for the first years, if he believed the work was going to be done, so the suggestion that the work will be done in stages seems the most likely to me. That said, I'm with the "I'll believe it when I see it" group, and in the meantime I hope Donington doesn't get ruined by trying to rebuild itself for an event that will only take place once a year (if that).

[Pete Fenelon]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Even the romantic memories of the classic race there in 1993 don't make me happy about this.

Had that been a dry race throughout I suspect it would've been mighty boring, however great a circuit Donington is. Autopilot cars with active and TC on a circuit that really is a bit too narrow for them? Yawn Took a bit of the wet stuff and the look on Tom Wheatcroft's face to make it at all memorable.

[Tainan]

I'm with Peter Mallett on the BRDC. Anything they gain from hosting the GP, they share with 'lower' levels of motorsport. Donington is owned by a private company, and their first thoughts will be to share any gains with their share-holders.

[Dan Friel]

The more you think about it, the more it becomes a set up. Any planning permission of this scale will take at least a year.. the changes to the circuit will need to be huge and there won't be a shortages of objectors. The access to the circuit will also need to be radically improved - as occurred at Silverstone. I can't see how it can happen.

The "best scenario" (for a few), is that the Brit GP will be missing in 2010 and returns in 2011.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Tainan

I'm with Peter Mallett on the BRDC. Anything they gain from hosting the GP, they share with 'lower' levels of motorsport. Donington is owned by a private company, and their first thoughts will be to share any gains with their share-holders.

That's the thing. The BRDC loose money on the GP. So do most other promoters, particularly those in Bernie's 'developing world' where new facilities were put in place. I don't see how a private company will be able to make money on the event with no investment, let alone GBP100M !

[strider]

There's an interesting assessment of the situation on grandprix.com: http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns20551.html

[dazbaz_99]

I am very suprised at the announcement - I honestly felt it was just an empty threat on Bernies part. After slating Silverstone for its poor facilities over the past few years - he has now took the GP to a circuit with facilities 10 years behind Silverstone's! I just don't get it.

Donington is a great circuit - and sure F1 there would probably be great. But in terms of redevelopment, surely Silverstone is ideal - seeing as it has the land and planning permission already in place. I hope for Donington's sake that they can now stick to their word and bring the place upto the standard Bernie requires. I can imagine it not being done in time, or running out of funds. Leaving us with a circuit half finished and in a state far worse than it is now.

The BRDC could do pretty well out of this announcement. I heard that Silverstone were bidding for the Moto GP, due to the threat of losing the F1GP (which has now happened). So chances are they will get the Moto GP - as I can't see Dony holding that during all this redevelopment.

Secondly, A1GP may not be going back to Brands and is an ever expanding series. Silverstone could snatch that also.

Surely those two events would cover the financial loss of the GP?

I really hope Brundle catches Bernie on his grid walk Sunday.

[ss_collins]

Yes I can see access being a problem - and parking.

But it might be the kick in the pants the BRDC needs to bring Silvo up to standard.

Silvo should have

A Museum
A Hotel (at least 1)
A proper technopark
Decent grandstands (uncovered - in england???)

What Silvo really lacks is character, dull grey buildings that could be anywhere are not whats needed. How about some red phone boxes, a bit of topiary (rather than chain link fences).

And my no.1 gripe with Silvo the paddock bite/bar. They used to have posters from yeas gone by but this year all gone to the world of blandness, the bar - if its ever open is equally bland. Pull it down and build a traditional english pub. Complete with sign - the racers arms perhaps? or the pit inn?

Walls should be covered in racing junk amassed over the years and the regulars (that'll be the marshals then) should have thier own tankards above the bar.

[garcon]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

"Just turning"?

Turning takes a long time at my age.

[Peter Mallett]

Sam,

Can I just say that your post is both irrelevant and to put it politely, ********. Who the **** cares about a museum? If you were any kind of racer you'd realise that the point of Silverstone (not silvo btw) is its heritage.

[Knowlesy]

What some people want from circuits is a bit weird.

From my point of view I'm happy with simply a seat.

A chap I went to the GP with a few years ago I found infuriating in this regard, trotting out the usual cliched complaints about facilities. "Oh but I've been to Valencia and the pits there are so much better", as if this was in any way relevant to a spectators needs.

Really, who gives a toss? I have no doubt Silverstone is a bit behind in terms of architecture and suchlike, but then if I want architecture I won't go to a race track. Do the teams ever complain about the place? Monaco was for years pilloried yet it has never been under threat. Must be all those nice, non-grey buildings.

It's even annoying when people go on about traffic jams, as if 190,000 people leaving a facility en masse will ever accomodate a swift journey.

It is dull witted and boring.

[foreversideways]

The more i think about the little T**T the more he annoys me. That statement he made stinks. It criticizes just about everyone except himself. Why should my taxes and yours go to fund a sport that is awash with money. Ecclestone himself is worth more than a billion. He has been waging a vendetta against the BRDC for a long time now. I fervently hope that he gets his comeuppance one of these day.

[Tim the Grey]

Guaranteed.

Somebody, somewhere, has an agenda they aren't showing to the world...

Dunno who, but I'd look down for a Billionaire Dwarf, as Suspect Number 1.

[JeremySmith]

I have never had the pleasure of visiting Silverstone..But from what I can see from the race coverage on TV, it looks great to me..

What is so wrong with the place that Bernie Ecclestone constantly complains about ? It's not meant to look like Sepang, it's meant to look like Silverstone the home of Grand Prix racing..

I am with Knowlesy I would be more than happy just to have a seat at one of these races..The pit facilities would mean little to me to be honest.. If BE is worried about all the extras needed for VIP's then bring in "fancy posing" trailers..

[paddy]

I'm not bothered about the traffic I can cycle to Donny in less than an hour!

[Sodemo]

I bet they will still keep those god-awful toilets...

[the sniper]

Everyone is blaming it all on Bernie Ecclestone, but not many people have mentioned CVC. Bernie is now not only working for himself, but also (and you could say mainly) for CVC. The big rise in charges is to cover the loans that CVC took out to buy their share in F1. One of the reason's Bernie is actually reluctant to take away GPs (yes he makes plenty of threats but both Britain and France are still on future calendars) is because CVC need the money, they much prefer adding new countries to the exsisting calender.

Back on topic, I don't think it's bad that it's going to Donington but as people have said, it could go very wrong. The first thing I would be putting my money into is the roads and car parks. When I went to the BTCC this year all the traffic (from M1 and A42 J.14) was being taken down the road that leads to Melbourne, we were in the que for an hour and a half and missed the first two races.

On the subject of changes to the circuit, I think the best bit (from current S/F to McLeans) will be left alone apart from extra runoff added. It will be intresting to see what's done with the rest.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by foreversideways

The more i think about the little T**T the more he annoys me. That statement he made stinks. It criticizes just about everyone except himself. Why should my taxes and yours go to fund a sport that is awash with money. Ecclestone himself is worth more than a billion. He has been waging a vendetta against the BRDC for a long time now. I fervently hope that he gets his comeuppance one of these day.

Same here. The Viagra Dwarf has always hated the BRDC, if he gave a toss about Silverstone he would have funded it himself, but he doesn't. I reckon Donington won't be able to make the changes in time and Eccelstone will use it as an excuse to sell a gp to some eastern pseudodemocracy.

[mjstallard]

A good analysis of the 'scepticism' () that has met this announcement is here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/7490338.stm

I had no idea about the Brands Hatch thing in 1999. Interesting.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

What is so wrong with the place that Bernie Ecclestone constantly complains about ?

1) It's owned by the BRDC
2) All of the above

[Flat12-Aircool]

Well personally I think that Donington in its current form is a Dump basically, with Toilets from the 3rd world etc etc. My last visit was the LMS race in 2006 and I vowed never to go back until something was radically changed.

However once a get over the intial shock, this news actually makes a lot of sense. Out of all the major circuits in the country the one that needs the most work done to it, and which has the biggest potential given the reported large amount of available land nearby is Donington. Given the circuit track record of Bernie/Tilke this fits their profile perfectly.

Remember how when these new guys took over last year how they emphasised that the deal included all the surrounding land belonging to Donington as well? I recall a interview with John Surtees in which he said how the circuit is in it's current configuration partly because some of the land overlaps into another Local authority, so to simply the paperwork etc. they shortened the circuit a little.

No doubt these new owners have been doing a lot of work in the past year looking into all this, so probably they have already go a good idea of what will get a permit and what will not.

As I said at the outset, this deal has a lot of potential because if it does go through then we'll have another world class Motor racing venue IN ADDITION to Silverstone and Brands Hatch etc.

Either way Donington is in desperate need of improvement and cannot survive by doing nothing.