Donington to Spend £4.5 million on improvements

[Mark Mitchell]

I've just read that Donington has secured the Bike GP for a further 6 years.

The article went on to say that the owners are spending around four-and-a-half million spondoolies to improve the venue.
Do you think this will include better facilities for marshals?

[Flagman]

I undestand that about 4 million of that is to install full floodlighting around the track so that they can run even later into the evenings

[Mark Mitchell]

I sincerely hope that the marshals post receive some sort of facelift - they're bloody useless!
Also a great deal of attention need to be paid to the communication system!
Last week when I picked up the phone to call RC - I could hear the "Race Commentary" until the telephonist picked up the phone at her end!

[jase]

So with all this money for improvements, did anyone notice the new gates in the pit wall? I have to ask, Why wernt they wide enough to get a car off the grid??

[PaulSands]

Isn't a lot of it to bring the paddock up WSB standard?

[Delta Caller]

You Should not always believe what you see in the papers but there are rumours they are building a new pit complex. but I always say "Seeing is believing"

[Sheila M]

Originally posted by jasongore
So with all this money for improvements, did anyone notice the new gates in the pit wall? I have to ask, Why wernt they wide enough to get a car off the grid??

If its a very LITTLE car you can

Actually my understanding is that the gaps were put there for the benefit of the bikes not cars. Although I have to say the second gate will come in useful at the bigger meetings when you have the mechanics and all their paraphenalia trying to get off the grid at once - providing someone remembers the second gate is there that is!

[neilwaynesmith]

Originally posted by jasongore
So with all this money for improvements, did anyone notice the new gates in the pit wall? I have to ask, Why wernt they wide enough to get a car off the grid??

Unfortunately we have to face the reality that Bikes are the money-spinners. Therefore they get priority and any alterations are done with them in mind, hence the gates that are only wide enough and manageable enough to get bikes through, the compounds around the track created in the catch fencing to safely store downed bikes, the fact that the grid markings only go as far back as needed to accommodate the safe maximum number of bike starters and finally, the fact that Donington is only going to proceed with these much-needed developments after securing the income from the Bike GP to cover a goodly proportion of the redevelopment costs....

We should, in reality be grateful that somewhere in motorsport, someone has the money to pay for the much needed facility upgrades, even if it isn't the four-wheeled fraternity.

[PaulSands]

Originally posted by Delta Caller
...there are rumours they are building a new pit complex. but I always say "Seeing is believing"

That's cos they're jealous of Mallory's new building

[redshoes]

The existing pit garages are coming down at the end of the year. Think I was told October but after the November Britcar meeting seems more sensible. Race control is being moved to overlook the start/finish line.

[tangoed sparky]

I have herd lots of rumours over the last few years that the pits were to be moved to the straight by the dunlop bridge and the they were going to prepare the circuit for F1 but they were just rumours and nothing came of it. Its a shame that cars and marshals are not thought about when they carry out these alterations.

[Tim Falce]

Does this mean we will be paying a lot more to race there next year to fund it?
As for improvements for marshals, you have boxes to stand in, what morte do you want?

[pixie]

install full floodlighting around the track so that they can run even later into the evenings

We'll be having the planes landing in the back straight then........

[thepits]

"install full floodlighting around the track so that they can run even later into the evenings"

That'll be useful in August for the Le Mans 6hr Night race!

[jase]

The LMES race is at Silverstone

[Chigley]

you have boxes to stand in, what morte do you want?

Ooerrrr, brave man.

Now could it be a case of what did you want!!

A push out of the kitty litter, you're taking the michael!! what about me poor old back.

You want a fire extinguisher, sorry guv is it urgent as I can't find one,

Now a nice big donation to build weatherproof huts with toilet facilities and you stand a chance of redemption.

[Tim Falce]

Redemption? I think I will start with some spelling lessons

[thepits]

Originally posted by jasongore
The LMES race is at Silverstone

i know, i know it was late when i posted it!!

anyway, with all the thats flying, perhaps the £4.5M should be spent at silverstone, rather than donington...
or even better, how about on the GP circuit at brands? otherwise there's going to be houses on there soon!

[Sheila M]

Originally posted by redshoes
The existing pit garages are coming down at the end of the year. Think I was told October but after the November Britcar meeting seems more sensible. Race control is being moved to overlook the start/finish line.

Which year will that be then? I heard that the pits were being demolished three years ago.

Doesn't race control already overlook the start/finish line?

[johngee]

Quote Doesn't race control already overlook the start/finish line?

Shiela. Only if you lean across the desk and press your nose against the window!

[tangoed sparky]

I got talking to one of Doningtons maintance chaps on sunday when he came to mend the phone on our post. He had not heard any thing about flood lighting but he did say that the current lease holders (clear channel) were going to have a new pit complex built this coming winter. The conversation came up when I asked him if the place was going to get a rewire when the flood lights get instaled.

[Fireblade]

Originally posted by Chigley
Ooerrrr, brave man.

Now could it be a case of what did you want!!

A push out of the kitty litter, you're taking the michael!! what about me poor old back.

You want a fire extinguisher, sorry guv is it urgent as I can't find one,

Now a nice big donation to build weatherproof huts with toilet facilities and you stand a chance of redemption.

You have waterproofs, dont you?
What more do you want?

I will be more than happy to supply a new set of waterproofs for a marshal in need of such this year.
More than prepared to do my bit for furthering the cause.

But surely you don't expect new marshal facilities at the expense of extended corporate buildings and shelter for the company masses.

Whatever next!

[Tony_J]

£4.5M will buy a lot more gravel to push the spectators and marshals even further away from the track. That's what they did to get the European Grand Prix back in 19??

[neilwaynesmith]

Look at it this way, we have three premier circuits in this country used for holding FIA events, most of which are televised if not worldwide, then certainly Europe-wide.

Of those three, Brands Hatch has received a facelift and presents a smart image, Silverstone has had more facelifts than Joan Rivers to satisfy the whims of Bernie and is currently undergoing another. That leaves Donington which has facilities that are, effective but dated and in need of modernising to compete with the cash-rich goverment backed circuits in the rest of the world.

If someone has the means to allow Donington to spend £4.5m on improving it's facilities then it can only be for the benefit of UK motorsport as a whole.

Having said that, of course I sincerely hope that some thought is given to the facilities for us P.B's out on the bank, although given the recent comments to come from Donington management.......

[Tony_J]

Now if it is for the London Olympics no expense will be spared both to get it and to build for it