Donington Park - Project GP 2010 - Page 2

Ian Sowman · 21 Jan 2009, 17:43 (Ref:2376284)

The old Donington national layout provided some of the best club racing in my opinion and I am sure the new version, and the new western variant, will too.

Not sure why a long straight should make full dull racing - I have seen many excellent races at Snetterton, home of the longest straight at the moment.

PTRACER · 21 Jan 2009, 23:42 (Ref:2376484)

The whole idea of any part of Donington Park being torn up sickens me.

I've only ever driven at Brands Hatch and Donny before, but my hour around Donington Park taught me a helluva lot.

It's just got a mixture of everything - fast sweeping curves, chicanes, hairpins, single apex corners, double apex corners, uphill braking points, downhill braking points...I know Coppice will just end up like the final corner at Bahrain - the whole corner looking like it was drawn with a ruler and the silly infield section they're creating that's similar to, for example, the new Turn 1, 2, 3 etc. section at the Nurburgring really does nothing for me at all and serves no purpose other than to artificially lengthen the track.

***Chris Y*** · 22 Jan 2009, 09:42 (Ref:2376666)

Relax - it'll still have the qualities you describe. Everything from Redgate to McLeans will remain the same as is. All that'll really change from a club racing perspective is that Coppice will be reprofiled (not too much) and the back straight will be at a different angle, and Goddards will be a longer chicane.

My first track experiences were at Donny, and I passed my ARDS there, so I'm fond of the place, but I can deal with those limited changes, certainly if it brings in some development of the place and gets them some new toilets!

PTRACER · 23 Jan 2009, 00:58 (Ref:2377243)

Yeah, but I also expect them to pave over the grass and gravel surrounding the Craner Curves and the Old Hairpin and part of the challenge of driving those corners is to go as fast as you can without driving off the track. The challenge will be gone when they pave them over.

***Chris Y*** · 23 Jan 2009, 12:04 (Ref:2377495)

Well, they said they weren't even going to touch those areas, and perhaps in the current economic climate, I'd be inclined to believe them - perhaps they will pour all the available money into the new parts of the track. I'd be as disappointed as you if they fill all the areas around the Craners and redgate with gravel/tarmac, but I have hopes that (unless forced to by F1 standards) they'll retain the originality of the main part of the circuit.

Flat12-Aircool · 24 Jan 2009, 14:51 (Ref:2378238)

Quote:

Originally Posted by PTRACER

Yeah, but I also expect them to pave over the grass and gravel surrounding the Craner Curves and the Old Hairpin and part of the challenge of driving those corners is to go as fast as you can without driving off the track. The challenge will be gone when they pave them over.

I imagine that they might introduce a bit of "artificial grass" in the area's you mention, but wholesale Paving/Gravel I can't see happening.

andy97 · 24 Jan 2009, 18:39 (Ref:2378317)

I listend to Gillet being interviewed at the autosport show & he stated that the existing run offs were already up to the required standard for F1 & did not need changing. Indeed the run offs are greater than required by F1 as they meet the higher specs demanded by Moto GP. I assume from that that the the existing run offs won't be changed, even down to the Melbourne hairpin.

ascarracinguk · 24 Jan 2009, 23:17 (Ref:2378461)

id think theyd probably add a bit to melbourne...goin into there flat out in an f1 car on the first corner could be interesting!

westfieldbend · 29 Jan 2009, 23:19 (Ref:2382357)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy97

I listend to Gillet being interviewed at the autosport show & he stated that the existing run offs were already up to the required standard for F1 & did not need changing. Indeed the run offs are greater than required by F1 as they meet the higher specs demanded by Moto GP. I assume from that that the the existing run offs won't be changed, even down to the Melbourne hairpin.

i remember him saying, in a press interview somewhere that the barriers were far enough away, but however they would have to install some 'fia/fom' runoffs consisting of gravel and tarmac
(now im going to try and find that article)

JimW · 8 Feb 2009, 16:03 (Ref:2391129)

Deeply reluctant though I am to recommend anything to do with the Daily Mail, this is worth a read: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/art...rand-Prix.html.

As are the accounts themselves, even to my non-expert eye.

Jim

Farbrooke · 8 Feb 2009, 18:55 (Ref:2391200)

There was apparently an article about the accounts in the Express 1st feb which appears on Pitpass
Max then seems to have responded here
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73164
Which leaves you wondering if Silverstone and the MSA were aware of these conditions?
Not having corporate's lining up to buy expensive seats cannot be a surprise in present climate - other than of course the banking profession!!

JimW · 13 Feb 2009, 13:15 (Ref:2396812)

Writs and debts - or not?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...n-Gillett.html

Jim

VIVA GT · 13 Feb 2009, 13:27 (Ref:2396827)

I just happened accross an interview with Mr Gillet on BBC Radio Leicester (aka SadFM) last night. I have to say that he's a very persuasive talker and on the face of what he said, the Grand Prix will certainly go ahead.
Unfortunately I'm not just taking my information from him, and therefore still think that this years (Silverstone) GP could be the last one we have in Britain...

Adelaide94 · 13 Feb 2009, 14:01 (Ref:2396874)

The new track looks a bit dull to me from this simulation - http://tinyurl.com/d6a2qr

Al Weyman · 15 Feb 2009, 11:45 (Ref:2397783)

Looks good to me! I particularly like the steep climb where a nice bit of torque will come in useful.

R59 · 19 Feb 2009, 19:28 (Ref:2400387)

One major mistake. There seems to be an airship in the sky in the flightpath of East Midlands Airport.

White flag man · 19 Feb 2009, 23:35 (Ref:2400528)

Bernie's idea of bringing the airport to a standstill while the GP is on!

JohnD · 3 Mar 2009, 20:18 (Ref:2408368)

Now I'm hearing that, having dug a trench across the track for a new access tunnel, the contractors have left the job, pulling all their plant out.

Any verification?

John

***Chris Y*** · 1 Apr 2009, 10:02 (Ref:2430430)

Any further information on how this is going? I heard that Donington Park circuit doesn't even have a track licence this year. In fact, the circuit had to be issued with a temporary track licence so that the MGCC could have a race meeting this weekend: http://www.mgcc.co.uk/motorsport-top...well-park.html

Dave 455 · 1 Apr 2009, 10:20 (Ref:2430445)

Donington is a mess currently. It does not have a track licence. It is now extremly dangerous between Mcleans and Coppice with no run off at either side of the track. The tunnell entrances and exits touch the edge of the racetrack at either side. It is unsafe for racing, a temp licence has been given for this weekend only, but no rcaing will be posiible from Mcleans to Coppice and this will be a yellow flag zone for safety.

tonylees · 1 Apr 2009, 10:58 (Ref:2430476)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave 455

but no rcaing will be posiible from Mcleans to Coppice and this will be a yellow flag zone for safety.

This must be an April fool, surely?

Dave 455 · 1 Apr 2009, 11:03 (Ref:2430480)

No, it is so unsafe, constant yellow flags will be in place for this entire area. Green flags again from Coppice exit. Also there is no longer any toilets from the Redgate area onwards, all other toliet blocks have been de-comissioned. The entire infield is also out of bounds now.

VIVA GT · 1 Apr 2009, 11:38 (Ref:2430504)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave 455

No, it is so unsafe, constant yellow flags will be in place for this entire area. Green flags again from Coppice exit. Also there is no longer any toilets from the Redgate area onwards, all other toliet blocks have been de-comissioned. The entire infield is also out of bounds now.

This does not sound good news for the future of what was my most favourite race circuit, (from both sides of the armco). I really think that this whole British Grand Prix to Donington thing is a useless, money wasting white elephant...

Dave 455 · 1 Apr 2009, 12:32 (Ref:2430553)

The the sum of the F1 2010 project so far is that several toilet blocks
have been de-comissioned and a extremly dangerous tunnell has been built that means that the circuit is no longer safe for racing between Mcleans and Coppice. The 2 meeting this weekend could be the last 2 meetings at Donington for a long time if not ever.
There has not been any more 2010 GP work as yet apart from this, although there is 1 digger and 1 dumper truck on-site. They don;t seem to do much though! The infield is exactly like it was last September with a huge motocross track all over it and 2 large banks overlooking the wheatcroft straight. So it doesn't look like any project 2010 work will be strarting for a long time yet! It will take months to clear the infield before they even think about any bulding work. The GPDA won't like the new mcleans run off zone anyway, it isn't safe for a Historic FF to race through!

Peter Dunne · 1 Apr 2009, 13:47 (Ref:2430613)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave 455

The tunnell entrances and exits touch the edge of the racetrack at either side.

I dont know Donington that well but this sounds crazy.

What happens if someone has a mechanical problem at this exact point?

Is there any run off here at all? Or will Marshals have to play chicken while trying to move stricken vehicles.

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