The New Donington - and Developments

[Delenn]

Originally Posted by JimW

The cladding still exists but will not go back across the new, wider wall-to-wall Dunlop straight.

The steelwork was sold as scrap in the dying days of the last leaseholders.

Terrible if that is true. That was not what I was told, but I suspect your sources are a lot better than mine.

I agree though, there is a lot to be done at Donington - a lot of money to be spent. The Dunlop bridge is nowhere near the start of the list.

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by GrahamH

I drove the re-opened circuit at the CSCC meeting in October.

The new track surface is excellent, maybe better than the old surface, which can only be a good thing.

As for the chicane, I thought that the opening it up a bit has made it an improvement on the previous version. It seems to be more of a challenge by being that bit quicker: It's certainly more fun.

As for any extra investment, rather than spend money on creating extra sections of circuit "infield", my preference would be for an upgrade to the paddock facilities, and to generally clean the place up. It could just do with feeling more modern and cared for. A good model for this would be the kind of work MSV did after taking over Snetterton, Cadwell and Oulton Park.

Overall, it's great to have Donington back, and the people involved have done a really good job considering the recent difficulties.

Agreed, Donington needs to be more refined. Extending the track is a lesser priority.

Meanwhile, I think Tikle went the wrong way with the track extension. Rather then tearing up old sections of the track, I would keep the old track the same, but have turn off points into the "infield". Towards the end of the Dunlop straight you would turn onto another straight which would take you to the infield section, which would be the same as Tikle designed it, but the exit point would lead you onto the Fogarty Esses, rather then Goddards. It means you could keep the building work seperate from the track until you needed to connect them together.

(I might draw a small diagram to better describe this idea.)

[RF_Racer]

Paddock facilities are a joke, more so the toilets and and the club racing paddock is nothing more than concrete rubble.

The track itself I love, but they need to refine it as said above.

[Peat]

I Rosputnik:

I think Tilke actually did a decent job considering the constraints. The current FIA Cat 1 circuit regs require the circuits to have a straight of a certain length, so your proposal wouldn't have been adequate for a Formula One venue.

[JimW]

http://www.bikesportnews.com/news-de...SB&newsid=7118.

It was known that Redgate Lodge was due to go and here is the reality.

Regards

Jim

[ascarracinguk]

its good that they have saved the lodge so it can be rebuilt, sad but it was time it was moved so improvements can be made

am i the only one that is thinking how on earth can the old hairpin gravel trap be extended??? its already like scarborough beach down there!!...ever tried running through it with an extinguisher!!

[Greem]

"improving drainage at the old Foggy Esses"

Having been on post 23 at the VSCC meeting in September I can say with some certainty that was needed! The ops team took in excess of 20000 gallons of water off the new Esses that weekend...

[brands]

Originally Posted by JimW

http://www.bikesportnews.com/news-de...SB&newsid=7118.

It was known that Redgate Lodge was due to go and here is the reality.

Regards

Jim

"Redgate now has increased the size of the safety run-off areas"
"increasing the run-off at the Old Hairpin"
"A programme to replace the debris fence around the circuit has also commenced."


Another circuit to cross off the photographers list.

[ascarracinguk]

id rather have safe riders and drivers that are alive than a photo of them having a big accident im affraid!

[medius]

It also says that new grandstands are planned.

[ascarracinguk]

i suspect they will need them to be honest, i doubt the infield will be inaccesable for next year, they need to get the muck shift sorted, so big grandstands on the outside of the track, like at the 93 f1 gp would be a good solution

[chunder]

The thing is grandstands can only be put off if they pay you back, and then make a profit.

This isnt the USA where you can just erect huge bleachers on an oval! in the UK the weather is often naff som they need to be covered, hence more money.

I am so happ tha DP is moving forward. Decent traps are the sort of thing that should have been started by Gillet, another reason why I think his move was orchestarted rather than realistic!

Great to know things are moving on, cant wait for WSBK!!

[Woolley]

And increasing the run off at the Old Hairpin. It already needs a drinks stop for the marshals halfway across.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by chunder

The thing is grandstands can only be put off if they pay you back, and then make a profit.

This isnt the USA where you can just erect huge bleachers on an oval! in the UK the weather is often naff som they need to be covered, hence more money.

I am so happ tha DP is moving forward. Decent traps are the sort of thing that should have been started by Gillet, another reason why I think his move was orchestarted rather than realistic!

Great to know things are moving on, cant wait for WSBK!!

id suspect grandstands will be temporary just for the big meetings

[JimW]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

id suspect grandstands will be temporary just for the big meetings

They certainly will since you pay business rates on them if they are permanent!

Regards

Jim

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by JimW

They certainly will since you pay business rates on them if they are permanent!

Regards

Jim

silverstone must make a fair bit to keep all their grandstands up permanently!

[Greem]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

silverstone must make a fair bit to keep all their grandstands up permanently!

Many of them are technically "temporary" - they have tarpaulin/sheet roofing which is rolled off for the winter so as not to have a roof on all year round. That was certainly the case at the WHT meeting in November, and the folks on my post had quite a long discussion about it.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Woolley

And increasing the run off at the Old Hairpin. It already needs a drinks stop for the marshals halfway across.

Hrm... in "line of sight" from the flag point there isn't much room to move the trap backwards as it would need a lot of earth moving from the hill behind it.
I wonder if this is reprofiling the run-off on the inside exit from Craner, where half the tank-slappers end up, and shifting the bank back into the infield further along after the exit from the Old Hairpin and run up to Starkey's Bridge? I've seen a lot of cars end up in the conveyor belt & tyres on the inside there over the years.
It'll be interesting to see what the changes actually. In the meantime I'll continue to speculate wildly

[JimW]

For Donington, a new logo.

Regards

Jim

[Chris Y]

New Donington. No Park. (& Ride)

[bella]

well the gp bid works eliminated most of the green bits that made up the "park" didn't they

[JimW]

Originally Posted by bella

well the gp bid works eliminated most of the green bits that made up the "park" didn't they

And Tom had got rid of most of the trees long ago.

Jim

[The Fat Clerk]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12392117

[Mike Kelly 1]

RIP Redgate Lodge. I hope it does get rebuilt. Spent most meetings having a pint in the evening whilst letting the traffic die down before leaving the circuit.

[Chris Y]

The lodge is old news, see page 2.

Also, "D O N I N G T O N"