British GP to be held at Donington - Page 64

mickey29 · 29 Oct 2009, 15:27 (Ref:2572051)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinness2702

That is no more substantial than yesterday's reports that Gillett had paid the money.

...still waiting for BE, SG, or someone from SS to make an official announcement.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79826

God has spoken.

Happy Snapper · 29 Oct 2009, 15:43 (Ref:2572063)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piglet

I can't remember but I doubt the temporary grandstands are still up as they don't have planning consent for these.

Unless these days they only have permanent grandstands?

The temporary grandstands on the pit straight were gone last time I was there in the summer. And Silverstone are moving the ones on the pit straight back further from the track and re profiling some of the corners for next years Moto GP.

jab · 29 Oct 2009, 15:50 (Ref:2572067)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickey29

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79826

God has spoken.

Ding dong, the witch is dead...etc

Guinness2702 · 29 Oct 2009, 15:52 (Ref:2572069)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickey29

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79826

God has spoken.

Yeah, just seen that

Damnit, let's just hope that he can talk SS into a one year contract and DP's bid is resurrected in 2011.

**Peter Mallett** · 29 Oct 2009, 15:53 (Ref:2572070)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinness2702

Yeah, just seen that

Damnit, let's just hope that he can talk SS into a one year contract and DP's bid is resurrected in 2011.

No let's not.

Bodysnatcher · 29 Oct 2009, 16:18 (Ref:2572080)

+1

old man · 29 Oct 2009, 16:39 (Ref:2572091)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

No let's not.

Quite right, we don't want to go through all this again, it does nobody any good

Marbot · 29 Oct 2009, 16:54 (Ref:2572099)

Silverstone would never agree to a one year contract.The contract that's been put in front of them isn't a one year contract...but it is bloody expensive!

davyboy · 29 Oct 2009, 17:15 (Ref:2572115)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinness2702

Yeah, just seen that

Damnit, let's just hope that he can talk SS into a one year contract and DP's bid is resurrected in 2011.

Definitely not. Let's just hope that Silverstone cuts a long term deal to secure the British Grand Prix at the home of motorsport and that Donington can be restored to the quality track that it was before Gillett [the worst a man can get] intervened.

Purist · 29 Oct 2009, 18:01 (Ref:2572135)

I don't understand why everyone is always seeming to slag on Donington like it's some illegitimate circuit that never deserved even a chance to begin with. Come on! What's the problem? Silverstone may have held the first F1 race, but Donny certainly has no lack of GP history. If we want to harp on which is the REAL home of British motorsport, it's neither, as I think Brooklands held that banner before either of the other two existed. Therefore, I don't have a problem at all with the idea of Donington getting a shot at the British GP.

Putting Bernie and Gillett aside for a moment, the reconfiguration (except for the redo of Coppice) would be a definite improvement over the current International Loop, and we all know it. This would be especially true if they had those hills in the infield portion like they were planning.

Flavio Galtieri · 29 Oct 2009, 18:33 (Ref:2572147)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purist

I don't understand why everyone is always seeming to slag on Donington like it's some illegitimate circuit that never deserved even a chance to begin with. Come on! What's the problem?

Just go to page one of this thread and read it from the start. I'm certainly not going to go over it all again as it is pretty well explained already.

An bad idea born from greed results in the destruction of a great National circuit.

I'm just glad it appears to be over.

foreversideways · 29 Oct 2009, 22:08 (Ref:2572261)

I know they say it's not over until the fat lady sings, but the little thin grey man has spoken so i suppose it is over.

Purist · 29 Oct 2009, 23:52 (Ref:2572301)

Flavio, I understand the slagging of Bernie and Gillett (and agree with virtually all of it), but NOT the defaming of the circuit itself: Donington Park. And I don't particularly see how this thread addresses the ire/inferiority complex some seem to be showing towards the track itself.

It seems like some have put Silverstone on a high promontory, and that even the suggestion that another British circuit would dare inquire about encroaching upon Silverstone's sacred territory is deemed offensive. I'm NOT saying that the British GP should move, but I'm open to the idea that Silverstone is NOT the only circuit in the nation that might be worthy/deserving of the GP. I'm not a Briton by any stretch, and even I think of Donington as far more than just a "national circuit". It seems like a very admirable "international-standard" circuit to me. For me, just a national circuit would be along the lines of the Rockingham Roval, or one of the shorter configurations of Silverstone.

Of the three surviving hosts of a British GP (so not counting Aintree), and based solely on the tracks themselves (facilities, history, etc more or less aside), I'd actually rank Silverstone third behind Brands Hatch and then Donington Park.

Does that clear things up?

**Peter Mallett** · 30 Oct 2009, 01:11 (Ref:2572313)

Yes,

Donington is your favourite circuit, but you seem to be confusing the posts on here with a dislike for the circuit. You are wrong.

Last2LiftOff · 30 Oct 2009, 03:38 (Ref:2572330)

Yeah, I don't see it that way either Purist. Seems to me the circuit has a real following, just the project's a bad joke. Nobody'd care if it was all dug-up otherwise.

Although it's a long thread.

Piglet · 30 Oct 2009, 06:46 (Ref:2572358)

Purist, as you have such strong views I wonder where you've been for the last 18 months that this thread has been running?

If you read the thread you'll see that many of us are very worried about the future of Donington. This hasn't been an "anti Donington" thread, the real risk is that this whole debacle could close Donington as a circuit and that is something that many of us are very concerned about.

You really need to read the whole thread if you are planning to criticise the content of it.

Alan Raine · 30 Oct 2009, 07:49 (Ref:2572373)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piglet

If you read the thread you'll see that many of us are very worried about the future of Donington. This hasn't been an "anti Donington" thread, the real risk is that this whole debacle could close Donington as a circuit and that is something that many of us are very concerned about.

As soon as the deal was announced it was generally thought to be a risky deal. Even without the Credit Crash the money required would be hard to find, if not impossible. The worst result would be a bodge job and we are left with a circuit that's beyond use. If the money had been there from the beginning, I would have no problem with the GP going to Donington as the layouts looked fairly good. The money wasn't there and a lot of us feel conned.. and have been saying so for a long time.

I have good memories of both Silverstone and Donington having marshalled and raced at both over the years and would much rather have no GP if it meant saving either circuit.

Tim the Grey · 30 Oct 2009, 09:08 (Ref:2572403)

I have been attending race meetings at Donington for over 30 years. I love the place. Hence my ire over what has been done to it, plus my initial concerns about it's capacity to hold the event.
The access roads are way too small, I remember it taking 2 hours to get out after Renault World Series last visit. Plus another hour to the M1. It would take some SERIOUS infrastructure improvements to bring access up to Silverstone standards. They could be done easily, as East Midlands Airport IS next door, so it's only an extra mile of dual carriageway to the circuit...

Flavio Galtieri · 30 Oct 2009, 09:22 (Ref:2572409)

Purist, My driver and I both love Donington which is why this whole Gillett episode has been so upsetting.

Twice we travelled for a race this year only for it to be cancelled late in the day by subsidence and flooding at the jerry-built tunnel. Add to this the general running down of facilities and standards in the past year and it was obvious DVLL cared little for the sport or their core market.

Whoever takes over from this bunch of losers will have my full support in restoring Donington to it's previous standards.

JamesH · 30 Oct 2009, 15:57 (Ref:2572583)

I'm not sure what state the track has been left it - is it all still there? Or have parts been dug up that make it unusable?

If its all there, then surely it not too big a leap to get it back for use a the best national circuit? It's way better than the Silverstone circuit used for club racing (and at least one round of the BTCC)

Marbot · 30 Oct 2009, 17:19 (Ref:2572621)

Digging it all up was probably quite easy. Putting it all back again won't be.

Greem · 30 Oct 2009, 18:05 (Ref:2572643)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesH

I'm not sure what state the track has been left it - is it all still there? Or have parts been dug up that make it unusable?

If its all there, then surely it not too big a leap to get it back for use a the best national circuit? It's way better than the Silverstone circuit used for club racing (and at least one round of the BTCC)

I posted this last week in this very thread...

Last2LiftOff · 30 Oct 2009, 19:01 (Ref:2572664)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

Digging it all up was probably quite easy. Putting it all back again won't be.

Won't stop raining long enough I suppose Martin?

Marbot · 30 Oct 2009, 20:19 (Ref:2572693)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Last2LiftOff

Won't stop raining long enough I suppose Martin?

Indeed.

The short range forecast is.......bleak!

Marbot · 31 Oct 2009, 12:02 (Ref:2572929)

Gillett never did transfer the £12 million deposit to FOA.

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=39465

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
British F3 Donington	META4	National & International Single Seaters	79	15 May 2007 21:58
British GP to Donington?	PaulSands	Formula One	18	6 Aug 2003 20:44
British GP at Donington in 2002?	Andy H	Trackside	6	31 Aug 2000 21:58