Donington Park 2010 (f1)

[wild hipo]

By what it reads in Motorsport News lets hope Donington Park gets the 2010 GP. It will make a change to go to a diferent venue.

[Mark Mitchell]

So what does it say in MN?

[JimW]

Yet another silly story, IMHO of course.

Don't get me wrong; I love Donington, probably because of all those things which make it impossible for a 'modern' (read 'Bernie bank account friendly') F1 circuit.

Things which won't work include:

Pits
Paddock
Track
Run-off
Roads
Spectator parking

And that's just for a start.

Think about the facilities and infrastructure which exists at Silverstone, recall that Bernie is slating Silverstone for its "poor" facilities and then look at Donington and realise how far behind Silverstone it is.

Jim

[The STIG]

The MN Story says that they've consulted Tilke to redo bits of the circuit including a new pits and paddock complex. I'm sorry, but if that man comes anywhere near Donington I will not go there again.

Additional

To keep this thread remotely marshal relevant, I'll point out that if you're expecting a change of venue to bring a change of treatment, I think you may well be very much mistaken!!

[Mark Mitchell]

Originally Posted by The STIG

I'll point out that if you're expecting a change of venue to bring a change of treatment, I think you may well be very much mistaken!!

Not sure what you're getting at there Stiggy, but I have always been treated very well at the GP's at Silverstone.

[mark_l]

Tilke's venues are all dull and sterile, he manages to design out any sense of history or atmosphere.

Tilke must have a box of corners in the office and when someone asks for a circuit he just tips the box up and connects the bits that fall out with straights, hey presto! your new circuit.

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by Mark Mitchell

Not sure what you're getting at there Stiggy, but I have always been treated very well at the GP's at Silverstone.

Stig suffers from F1 Phobia.....

[Maranello Man]

I think we are all missing a significant point here and that is we deserve a British Grand Prix wherever it is held , it would be a travesty for our motorsport industry and community if Britain disappeared off Bernie's map.

[allanh]

I'm with JimW on this one, can't see it at all. Maybe its for the eyes and ears of the BRDC to finally commit to the upgrade his dwarfship requires at Silverstone

[The STIG]

Originally Posted by Maranello Man

I think we are all missing a significant point here and that is we deserve a British Grand Prix wherever it is held , it would be a travesty for our motorsport industry and community if Britain disappeared off Bernie's map.

I don't agree with this. F1 is only 1 race a year in the UK. Most of it happens somewhere else and out of all the motorsport companies in the UK, those involved in F1 is a very small percentage, as for the motorsport community, pretty much the same. it doesn't mean anything.

Personally, the sooner F1 goes somewhere else instead the better. Prehaps it will make things cheaper without Bernie's big bills.

Gachjoel - it's not a phobia, it's a pet hate which even manages to surpass junior drivers.

[MacGWC]

Originally Posted by JimW

Yet another silly story, IMHO of course.

Don't get me wrong; I love Donington, probably because of all those things which make it impossible for a 'modern' (read 'Bernie bank account friendly') F1 circuit.

Things which won't work include:

Pits
Paddock
Track
Run-off
Roads
Spectator parking

And that's just for a start.

Think about the facilities and infrastructure which exists at Silverstone, recall that Bernie is slating Silverstone for its "poor" facilities and then look at Donington and realise how far behind Silverstone it is.

Jim

Jim,

None of these shortcomings stop GP's running at Spa, Monza, etc, where Race Control has changed in recent years but the rest of the circuit is no better, arguably worse than Silverstone in many ways. (I have been to Monza and Spa in recent weeks) I suspect, too, that some of the facilties you suggest would not work at Donington, "work" very badly at Monaco and it will be interesting to see what pit facilities exist at Singapore and Valencia street races later this year.

IMHO the Silverstone/UK situation has next to sod all to do with facilities; it is part of some long-running feud that no one seems to know the detail of - and money, of course! Remember, too, that power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely!

Motor sport is certainly "a game of two halves" - awash with money at the top, while at the bottom marshals struggle to get training and recruiting costs subsidised! But who said it was a fair World!!

[rbs]

Bernie had a good moan about getting out of Silverstone in 2000, I wonder how he would have felt trying to get ouf of Donington for the Renault days when the infield customers were lock in to allow the trafic to move outside!

[thepits!]

Originally Posted by MacGWC

IMHO the Silverstone/UK situation has next to sod all to do with facilities; it is part of some long-running feud that no one seems to know the detail of - and money, of course!

The story goes that long ago Bernie had the chance to buy Silverstone, but didn't (reason unknown), and regrets it to this day. So he now takes every opportunity to slag off the BRDC & anyone else involved in Silverstone.

As for Donington - or even Brands for that matter - getting the GP, well, I've got more chance of becoming Prime Minister

How about Rockingham for the GP? Now there's a thought........

[mattt]

Simon for Prime minister


I like the Rockingham idea but they would then need a rework of the pits to be the F1 style

[greenbean]

theres only one circuit that has any where near the same as silverstone that is brands but i cant see jp wanting to put up the money the posion dwaf want to put on a race . bernie dose not like silverstone because the brdc club is in the prime veiwing spot and he cant put his padock club big wigs there

[kipper]

Originally Posted by greenbean

they only circuit that has any where near the same as silverstone is brands

Brands Hatch it probably a non starter on the grounds that the existing facilities will probably need to be updated and getting planning permission to update them may prove tricky, particularly if that were to take place on the Grand Prix loop.

With regards to Donington, I would imagine that there would need to be a substantial amount of upgrades to the surrounding infrastructure, for as has been said, the Renault World Series events did cause a great deal of congestion. Getting that financed, obtaining planning permission and getting it all built by 2010 is likely to be a vast undertaking.

[aland]

much as I love Donny as a spectator track it just need too much and to create space for paddocks etc would probably mean losing the melbourne loop. also for fans it needs covered terracing/stands etc looking at megabucks

the rock could probably be done for a lot less

alternatively fxxx bernie and let him take the GP away, the money needed at any venue could be far better used for british motorsport not just a glorified parade

[ChrisA]

I believe the current landlords of Donington have a preference towards motorcycle racing, hence all the infield work for motocross etc., and as has been already said, the cost of staging a GP would probably be out of their league. Silverstone is really the only circuit in the UK capable of running it. If Silverstone has to loose the GP for a couple of years to upgrade, sobeit. It worked with Spa!

[wild hipo]

Originally Posted by greenbean

theres only one circuit that has any where near the same as silverstone that is brands but i cant see jp wanting to put up the money the posion dwaf want to put on a race . bernie dose not like silverstone because the brdc club is in the prime veiwing spot and he cant put his padock club big wigs there

As regards brands jp would not put any mony up he cant even bother to put any decent toilets up for the marshals round the back of the circuit. Thats why no ladies are alloud there and have to keep to the short circuit. So that means then if a man wants a drop and swap he got to find the bushies. As regards to Silverstone its had its hay day and glory so if it was wiped off the map it would not be a loss for a while.

[greenbean]

they could always hold it on the streets of birmingham

[NICK ALLISON]

Silverstone is the circuit to hold these major events such as the GP.The framework is in place looks ok on the tv and the actual track is superb.However when you get up close and personal with the facilities they are very tatty and careworn.Seemingly no one walks the premises and these small bits of maintainance as individual jobs are small cost and quick to fix, but collectively start to rack up the £,s and man hours so nothing gets done until it finally breaks.
Look at the detail at Brands Hatch,where we all know Dr.P. walks the place,identifies the what needs doing,and gets it sorted.
As with any business you have to get out on the ground.walk it ,fix it,tidy it, and make it a customer friendly enviroment and that means spectators and high profile events.
Silverstone is a bit like a run down stately home,loads of potential.looks good from distance but needs loads of work.
Get a good hands on circuit manager,a budget,a bag of tools,a pot of paint and some interest in the detail and shut Mr E up and more importantly keep the GP.

[JimW]

Totally agree with Nick.

Similarly, Donington would benefit enormously from (someone like) Mr Palmer. The details of the facilities, particularly for spectators, is a disgrace.

Jim

[stroller]

Got to admit after an absence of about 3 years - made the journey up to Cadwell last weekend and was pleasantly surprised at the difference a little work on the Circuit makes. Similarly at Oulton last year - a bit of tarmac for internal roads - grass well cut - well signposted. JP certanly has the right idea for making the Venues user friendly.

[NICK ALLISON]

We could have the GP in Central London then I have only a short bus ride to get there.Being purely selfish of course.

[Paul Newns]

How about holding it at Pembrey? Lots of space for development of a world class track. It just needs a few hundred million spending on it.