Donington Park - Project GP 2010

[Steven Humphrey]

Speaking as a marshal, if anything does stop there it will stay there until the race is stopped! I'm so dissapointed as this will be my first visit to Donington as a marshal. I wanted to work there before all the redevelopment work was done but it looks like the whole day could be a nightmare. I won't pull out as I don't want to let the club down but I'm getting nervous!

[Dave 455]

If anything stops within a few metres of the tunell entrance and exit inbetween mcleans and coppice there will need to be an immediate red flag for competitor and marshall safety. If anything does drift wide it will be hitting a nasty earth bank or brick wall head on, so this could cause further red flags. It is dangerous, suprised they managed to get a temp track licence, even if it is for 2 days only.

[Peter Dunne]

Originally Posted by arnage arnie

Speaking as a marshal, if anything does stop there it will stay there until the race is stopped! I'm so dissapointed as this will be my first visit to Donington as a marshal. I wanted to work there before all the redevelopment work was done but it looks like the whole day could be a nightmare. I won't pull out as I don't want to let the club down but I'm getting nervous!

Originally Posted by Dave 455

If anything stops within a few metres of the tunell entrance and exit inbetween mcleans and coppice there will need to be an immediate red flag for competitor and marshall safety. If anything does drift wide it will be hitting a nasty earth bank or brick wall head on, so this could cause further red flags. It is dangerous, suprised they managed to get a temp track licence, even if it is for 2 days only.

Bloody hell. As a competitor (not in the UK admittedly) I really don't like the sound of that.
It reminds me of the reasons why I stopped competing in hillclimbs over here....

[Alfaholic]

Thanks for the most recent info about the facilities and access posted by various people. Looks like I will be giving the HSCC meeting a miss on Sunday and going to the CSCC meeting at Snetterton instead.

I did notice that Donington's website used to have a "development webcam" but this no longer exists and there are NO photos of how the work is progressing (if at all by reading here) are available.

[Dave 455]

Thats right, there was a debelopment webcam, I watched it for days, nothing ever happened, it has now been dis-connected, from what I hear they was frightened of Bernie looking at it, so dis-connected it because they still havn't done anything yet. Every now and again 1 small digger shuffles around the infield, but you could move more earth with a wheelbarrow!

[redshoes]

If the temporary licence only covers this weekend what happens after that? There's FPA in 2 weeks time, F3/GT the week after that, and so on. Are they going to have to apply for a new licence every week?

[Chris Y]

I don't think it's about tape measures. From what I heard on the grapevine, there was a dispute between the new owners of Donington Park, and the contractors doing the job. I believe the dispute may have been over money, possibly the lack thereof.

[Highside]

Made it to the local media:

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/ne...l/article.html

There are some photos of the tunnel at the top right of the artical - second one shows the area of concern to the MSA I think.

[JimW]

Thanks Highside. Very difficult to see how any racing can take place with those works in place.

Jim

[Dave 455]

The meetings are definately going ahead, everyone's gonna have to be very careful through Mcleans though, the MSA are considering a speed limit now as well as yellow flags in order to satisfy the insurance cover for the event. These could be the last 2 meetings at the track for a long time.

[Chris Y]

So was anyone there over the weekend? I heard there was a permanent yellow between McLaren and Coppice, but did everything go smoothly otherwise?

And any news about the next meetings to be held there (F3/GT etc.)? Will they be forced to operate under the same restrictions?

[Dave 455]

Currently there is no licence for any more meeting to go ahead at Donington, meetings are taking place this week. I can't see how the F3 or BTCC will be able to happen no the way the tunnell is at the moment.
The HSCC and MGCC races ran without any major problems, a few drivers passed in the Yellow zone and where black flagged and sent home. There is no way any international event would run with the Yellow Zone in operation and the circuit is not safe for rcaing between Mcleans and Coppice any more!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Chris Y

So was anyone there over the weekend? I heard there was a permanent yellow between McLaren and Coppice, but did everything go smoothly otherwise?

And any news about the next meetings to be held there (F3/GT etc.)? Will they be forced to operate under the same restrictions?

Last weekend is being discussed here:

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...wpost&t=114612

Originally Posted by Dave 455

Currently there is no licence for any more meeting to go ahead at Donington, meetings are taking place this week. I can't see how the F3 or BTCC will be able to happen no the way the tunnell is at the moment.

The HSCC and MGCC races ran without any major problems, a few drivers passed in the Yellow zone and where black flagged and sent home. There is no way any international event would run with the Yellow Zone in operation and the circuit is not safe for rcaing between Mcleans and Coppice any more!

So, what is happening to those international events?

Originally Posted by rbs

They do run with a permanent Yellow Flag at Macau !

Yes, but comparing a permanent racing circuit to Macau is a little off the wall really. Same as trying to compare the space at Silverstone to Monaco.

[rbs]

Yes, but comparing a permanent racing circuit to Macau is a little off the wall really. Same as trying to compare the space at Silverstone to Monaco.[/QUOTE]

I was not trying to compare anywhere to anywhere. The precident has been set and Macau races under Yellow flag for part of a lap, why should the same operation reflect so badly at Donington.

What is more worrying is the fact that 8 of the 9 races had fastest laps quicker than at the same meeting last year, I thought the Yellow Flag meant slow down and be prepared to stop as well as no overtaking, This means drivers did not comply to the rules. However it was good days racing with some of the closest finishes in Doningtons modern day history.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by rbs

I was not trying to compare anywhere to anywhere. The precident has been set and Macau races under Yellow flag for part of a lap, why should the same operation reflect so badly at Donington.

Then it was of no use so why use the example? That said it is one corner at Macau.

Originally Posted by rbs

What is more worrying is the fact that 8 of the 9 races had fastest laps quicker than at the same meeting last year, I thought the Yellow Flag meant slow down and be prepared to stop as well as no overtaking, This means drivers did not comply to the rules. However it was good days racing with some of the closest finishes in Doningtons modern day history.

Yes, I spotted that too. Does seem strange.

[GroupOfOne]

In today's Autosport, Stephane Ratel say's he'd look to postpone the Donington F3/GT meeting rather than cancel it, if it can't go ahead at the end of the month. No word yet on whether that is likely or not.

[Alan Crook]

Originally Posted by Dave 455

There is no way any international event would run with the Yellow Zone in operation and the circuit is not safe for rcaing between Mcleans and Coppice any more!

BTCC ran with a yellow flag zone Craner Curves to Starkeys Bridge due to track conditions. I agree that long term there has to be a resolution but short term why not run as MGCC & HSCC.

[VIVA GT]

I've just read in todays Autosport that Simon Gillet is

confident that his circuit is in good shape ahead of this weeks FIA track inspection..

It also says that Mr Gillet is

about a week behind

releasing details about how the work was to be funded

after taking time out for medical treatment.

Now, I do mean this is a light-hearted way, and in no way wish Mr Gillet any ill will at all, but this 'medical treatment', was he 'having his head examined' as many on here have already suggested, for even thinking that the Donington GP will ever happen?

[crmalcolm]

I understand that things are far from ideal at Donington. Hopefully things will improve soon.
My question though is why do so many people take the doom and gloom approach.
Donington GP is not due to happen until 2010. In 6 months time, we might have a better indication of progress.
Who knows, the current economic climate might benefit the situation by increasing the number of contractors available to work on the development?

[The STIG]

I cannot see how the FIA are going to approve Donington if the MSA won't. Unless they've come up with something really special that none of us know about in the meantime that is.

Just think of the problem with the reputation of Donington if F3 can't race on a full circuit.

[Stephen Green]

Neither the FIA or MSA are there to 'improve' the circuit. They are purely to licence it and to make sure it is as safe as possible. Any 'improvements' are the responsibility of the owner or holder of the lease.

[Dave 455]

The Britcar and Dutch Supercar weekend has been rescheduled to run at the Rock on the same dates it was due to run at Donny!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

My question though is why do so many people take the doom and gloom approach.
Donington GP is not due to happen until 2010. In 6 months time, we might have a better indication of progress.

This is what's known as retrospective planning. Frankly for something that is as important as this one would expect a level of progress reporting to be more than, "we have a digger in place". This is really not a negative approach on my part, it is exactly the questions I ask contractors when they work for me.

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Who knows, the current economic climate might benefit the situation by increasing the number of contractors available to work on the development?

As I said elsewhere, you need space for people to work. If you have 1million man hours of work to complete and only 30 days to do it in, you can fill it with people, burn the hours and still not achieve.

Not negative but realistic.

[crmalcolm]

I know the progress is apparently slow at the moment, and as with all projects certain timescales can be amended, windows can move and deadlines can slip.

How far behind the plan are Donington at the moment?
Is there enough flexibilty in the project timescales to meet deadlines, or is the project already behind on a critical deadline?

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Alan Crook

BTCC ran with a yellow flag zone Craner Curves to Starkeys Bridge due to track conditions.

That was for one race due to the weather conditions, very different to running an entire meeting that way.


http://www.motorsportvision.co.uk/ne...sp?NewsID=4589
MSVR / FPA meeting for 18/19th April is now cancelled.

http://www.britcar24hr.co.uk/cms/news.php
Bitcar 1-3rd May to Rockingham, as mentioned above