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Old 16 Feb 2006, 15:41 (Ref:1524392)   #1
nickandrews
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Donington General Test

Hi, I might be driving to Donington on thursday. Just wondering if you still enter and park though the paddock entrance where the security guy is? And is access still available to the pit wall?
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 15:57 (Ref:1524405)   #2
Alex Hodgkinson
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Access is in the same place, just the main paddock is not accessable as it's being rebuilt... and you shouldn't be standing on the pit wall on a test day!
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 15:57 (Ref:1524406)   #3
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**oops double post**
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 16:47 (Ref:1524433)   #4
nickandrews
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Well it was pretty free access last year. Some circuit officials or marshals saw me stood there taking photos and never approached me.

Is the tunnel open from paddock to infield? Thats wide enough for a car isnt it
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 17:01 (Ref:1524443)   #5
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Well whenever I'm working there I always get given instructions to not let anybody stand on the pit wall during test sessions, so they were naughty marshalls

Ermm the tunnel probably won't be open, even though it's appart from the building work. I might be wrong but I rarely see it open on test days.

Actually you might have some trouble spectating because of the building work. You'll most likely be limited to just the pit lane exit, but don't hold me to it!
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 17:16 (Ref:1524447)   #6
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Just got an email though saying that its just paddock 1 that is closed and all other areas are open. I assume it will just be the National Circuit that is open?
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 17:31 (Ref:1524451)   #7
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Yep, it'll be just the National Circuit.
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 17:56 (Ref:1524469)   #8
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Well whenever I'm working there I always get given instructions to not let anybody stand on the pit wall
Surely team member are ok to stand there, usually with a stopwatch and pit board. I agree it shouldn't be open to members of the public.

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Originally Posted by nickandrews
Is the tunnel open from paddock to infield? Thats wide enough for a car isnt it
Depends if the gate on the infield side is open. If not trying to reverse back out to the paddock could be fun
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 18:01 (Ref:1524473)   #9
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Well I would check before I drive through. If its a decent temperature then i'd probably go for a wander around the track. Its the cold and damp I dont like when i'm walkin round a circuit taking pictures with a runny nose
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 19:51 (Ref:1524537)   #10
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wouldnt have thought you could get a car through the paddock tunnel i there not a step or cage thingy on the infield side
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Old 16 Feb 2006, 20:05 (Ref:1524545)   #11
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The step and cage is just to one side of it.
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Old 22 Feb 2006, 16:58 (Ref:1529170)   #12
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Anybody been to a general test at Donington recently? Where is viewing restricted too?
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Old 2 Mar 2006, 22:47 (Ref:1534992)   #13
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General Test 2nd March 2006

Hi there,

I live about 15 mins from the circuit so I went to Donington this afternoon for about an hour or so (my lunchhour).

I rang the circuit in the morning and the lady on the phone told me spectators were welcome, her exact words were "the more the merrier", she also told me most of the track was open.

I parked just inside the paddock and was free to walk around most of the track. The gate by the Melbourne Hairpin was open so I could walk right round to the underpass by the exhibition centre and then throught the underpass and all around the infield. The weather was ok, if a little cold and when I left about 3pm it had just started lightly snowing. The building work at the track is quite impressive and will give the circuit a much needed update. The only downside of the work was the fact the tunnel from the paddock to the infield is closed at the moment.

There were about 14 teams testing today including many Porsche 911's, VW Beetle Supercup cars, a few Radicals. The highlight of the day however was watching Team LNT testing there two Panoz Esperante GT cars, these things make the most beautiful noise. As always I took my camera and will hopefully post some pics next week.

The testing dates for the rest of March are: - 9th,16th,23rd and 29th.

Regards

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Old 2 Mar 2006, 23:52 (Ref:1535046)   #14
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MikeHoyer should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridMikeHoyer should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridMikeHoyer should be qualifying in the top 5 on the grid
Nice, I'd like to go to a Donny test, but it's a bit far just for testing, unless someone's paying!

Agree about the Panoz's, they were at Snetterton last week, and were very impressive!

http://www.mdh-photography.co.uk/panoz_01.jpg
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Old 3 Mar 2006, 18:22 (Ref:1535582)   #15
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You walked round the circuit? Were you not allowed to drive through the paddock past the Redgate Lodge and drive slowly around the out/infield? Thats what we were able to do, although there were some prats who thought driving fast close to pedesrians on a slippy surface was fun! These were dealt with by the marshals and race control, good on the marshals!
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Old 4 Mar 2006, 17:52 (Ref:1536230)   #16
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Hi there,

Probably could have driven round the outside of the track, there certainly were a few vehicles moving about. It was a nice day though and I had been driving most of the day so fancied a walk. It was nice to walk around the infield without the usual crowds that a race day brings.
Next time I might drive round although my favourite spot for photography is on the infield not far from the giant spark plug and the bridge. If you take the car onto the infield you still have to park at the top of the hill and walk down. I wouldn't like to drive the car down to the safety fence as the ground was very muddy and slippy and I did not fancy getting stranded.

Regards

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Old 5 Mar 2006, 01:18 (Ref:1536420)   #17
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MikeHoyer should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridMikeHoyer should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridMikeHoyer should be qualifying in the top 5 on the grid
It's not THAT far to walk, surely?
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Old 7 Mar 2006, 13:58 (Ref:1539574)   #18
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Hubble should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridHubble should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Mike, please don't call him Shirley, his name's Tim
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Old 7 Mar 2006, 14:23 (Ref:1539587)   #19
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Ian Sowman should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridIan Sowman should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridIan Sowman should be qualifying in the top 5 on the grid
I was going to say, walking around circuits is great.

But not Silverstone, obviously.
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Old 7 Mar 2006, 22:10 (Ref:1539838)   #20
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I agree walking round circuits is great, but not so if its cold windy and wet, and your there just for a test. I could sit outside watching the racing in the rain easily (I was the sod who was sat in the uncovered grandstand at last years LMES) but for a test in these conditions i'd rather be in my car hehe
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Old 9 Mar 2006, 19:23 (Ref:1541895)   #21
Tim Dunlop
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Todays testing at Donington

Hi guys,

Only managed about 1/2 hour at Donington today. It was bloody cold and bloody wet. I did not venture out to the circuit, instead I stayed in the paddock area. Because of all the building work on at Donington at the moment they keep moving the way in which cars enter/exit the circuit. Today the cars were heading out through Parc Ferme onto the pits straight, but were coming back in through the gate at the bottom of the melbourne hairpin and across the paddock.
A few goods cars out today, including the new BTCC BMW 3 series of Martyn Bell. Other cars out on track were the Mike Jordan BTCC Integra, the British GT Morgan Aero 8 and a sprinkling of 997 Porsche Carrera Cup cars.

Regards

Tim
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Old 9 Mar 2006, 19:38 (Ref:1541900)   #22
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Hopefully I'm going to be working at Donny on Sunday again.. but I hope the weather doesn't do what the weather forecasts say.. sleet/snow!!

It's just a track day I think so I'm not expecting much exotic to be out there at this time of year.

It's a good long walk around the outside of the circuit, especially for this time of year eh guys!


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