Donington Plans Revealed

[ScotsBrutesFan]

The Best image is available in PDF form HERE

With the Autosport Story and picture that too small to see Here

Anyone think the "After Hours" reveal on a Friday was to allow the circuit owners time to duck ?

[brands]

I wonder where the 100,000+ crowd are going to go ?

[Marbot]

To Silverstone to watch MotoGP.

[Peter Mallett]

A lot of work there. Are the plans approved?

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Are the plans approved?

I think this is coming out as part of the paperwork in the approval process

[Peter Mallett]

So another six months then.

[maximus]

I like it actually, all the good corners seem to have been removed, the tedious Melbourne loop has been removed and they have still got the national circuit option with a chicane to miss out the hairpin.

So long as they don't give the Craner curves too much run off then for once a circuit could be changed for the better IMO.

[Sodemo]

Well, they are going to make Coppice sharper it looks like, which is a bit of a shame, but it appears we are also going to lose the large spectator embankment in the inside of the circuit (near the Spitfire).

Tarmac run off me no like.

[duke_toaster]

Looks good. The classic corners are still there; it does make sense to move the pits. Let's hope they keep (or at least move) the Dunlop Bridge and Spitfire though. I don't like tarmac runoff but in this day and age it's becoming necessary.

The new section looks quite good, too.

Also, there looks like there is a new national circuit that uses the F1 pits and shortcuts after T2 to Starkey's Bridge. Also there's another one that uses the old pits and shortcuts back after Old Hairpin.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

...I don't like tarmac runoff but in this day and age it's becoming necessary...

Why is tarmac run off becoming nesessary exactly?

[Peter Mallett]

As things move on its been found that scrubbing off speed is better than a car digging into the gravel and rolling.

[Pete_58]

So just to claify, the pit lane area, garages etc will be on the straight where the Dunlop bridge is now? The infield addition looks good. Be some gradient change there aswell. Looking at hthe plans, it looks good. With all this going on do we (people that follow MotoGP such as myself!) assume MotoGP will be somewhere else next season?

[olly83]

It'll be exciting to see Donington get a complete overhaul with new pits and a decent long straight but I'm not sure that the new loop will add anything to the racing as I'm fairly sure it'll be single file in most cars.

Hopefully there will be some spectator access on the inside of the Craners.

I'm quite looking forward to seeing it completed but i'm still unconvinced that the access roads are adequate enough to enable race traffic to arrive and depart efficiently.

I'd also advise anyone to avoid flying from East Midlands that Weekend!!!

[mattt]

Originally Posted by olly83

...

I'd also advise anyone to avoid flying from East Midlands that Weekend!!!

Unless thats the plan, they get you to park at airports around the country then you hop on a plane, and a bus from the airport to the track


Park and Fly sounds better than Park and ride

[chunterer]

That's a pretty long radius left hander in the middle.... that will be bad for racing I feel. I was expecting something a bit more interesting than that.

On the plus side that's a massive straight from Coppice down to Melbourne hairpin!!!

[bella]

i've been looking at this for a little while now and i can't quite make up my mind whether the traditionalist in me is revolting against any change to the circuit or whether i'll be pleased to see the big waste of infield go. i too think the installation of tarmac runoff is a big waste of time - you may as well paint a big line up until the gravel trap cause they're going to use it as part of the circuit. the current start grid has been inadequate for a long time.

i'm pleased they won't change the majority of the circuit though. what sort of a raceday figure are they aiming for? i count 60,000 in the grandstands, that's not really silverstone numbers...

[strider]

I don't mind changes if they improve a circuit and that's what proposed here, I think.

However, I fear it may be academic in view of the staff changes announced this week. I just don't see it happening.

[Hepatic]

oh look, guess who designed it?!!

[Robin_D]

Originally Posted by Hepatic

oh look, guess who designed it?!!

Erm.....Little Johnny, Class 5c, Castle Donington Primary School?

[Flat12-Aircool]

I think it looks good, it certainly would persuade me to go back to Donington once these changes are done.

The nice long straight is excellant and the new long left hand infield turn will definately give the engineers a head-ache, when previously nearly everyturn at Donington except 1 has been a right hander.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by maximus

I like it actually, all the good corners seem to have been removed, the tedious Melbourne loop has been removed and they have still got the national circuit option with a chicane to miss out the hairpin.

So long as they don't give the Craner curves too much run off then for once a circuit could be changed for the better IMO.

Er, just I've just realised I made a typo, I meant kept!

[JimW]

Yes, and the Melbourne loop hasn't been removed either!

Pity that, because it is tedious.

Jim

[Alex Hodgkinson]

Has anybody noticed the unhighlighted trace which follows on from the Melbourne loop and looks very racing-circuit like?

It's funny, because I'd heard there were plans for something like that. Maybe a further extension planned for the future?

[Purist]

I believe the new Melbourne Loop is more or less in line with the old loop that was used to create the 3.125-mile pre-war Grand Prix circuit.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Let's hope they keep (or at least move) the Dunlop Bridge and Spitfire though.

I thought someone had said in the "Donington to host BGP" thread, or whatever it was called [why am I thinking Jim W.....??] that the Spitfire hasn't been there for a while...... I haven't been to Donington for a good few years now though so not sure.