When the British GP almost killed off Donington Park

It was meant to be a move to challenge Silverstone's status as the home of British motorsport but it forced Donington Park to its knees in the pursuit of the British GP
When the British GP almost killed off Donington Park

By Haydn Cobb

It was meant to be a move to challenge Silverstone's status as the home of British motorsport and reinstate itself as an international landmark but it turned into Donington Park being forced to its knees in the pursuit of the British Grand Prix.

Considered a jewel in the Formula 1 crown alongside Monaco and Monza, the British race flip-flopped between Silverstone and Brands Hatch between 1962-86 before the Northamptonshire circuit claimed the privilege outright, which it will hold until at least 2026.

1993 European Grand Prix: The only time Donington Park has hosted Formula 1, when Ayrton Senna claimed victory with 'the Drive of the Decade'

However, the history of the British GP almost took a different path when in July 2008 Donington Park was awarded a 17-year deal to host the F1 race from 2010.

Seen partly as a move by Bernie Ecclestone to bash the British Racing Drivers' Club while also giving the British round a timely refresh, Donington Park promised to bend over backwards and reinvent itself. A purpose-built, modern paddock was planned down Starkey's Straight with a complete revision of the infield section before the original pit straight.

Best laid plans: The initial mapped plans and redesign of Donington Park with all-new paddock and pits plus the revised infield section

The redesign would be plotted by F1 architect specialist Hermann Tilke - responsible for the overhauls of Hockenheim and Circuit de Catalunya while he can also claim the creation of F1's new additions Baku and Sochi - but the plans carried a whopping price tag of ?135m.

Whether this financial backing was ever achievable is doubted but the record shows Ecclestone whipping away the 17-year deal in October 2009 and a few weeks later handing it to Silverstone (who conveniently accepted the F1 supremo's demands to build an all-new paddock The Wing, completed in time for the 2011 race).

With the deal falling through and no funds remaining Donington Ventures Leisure Limited duly went into administration. The circuit's doors were locked up, some fearing indefinitely, and the track fell silent midway through its transition.

Ground broken: The Donington Park redesign was abandoned midway through completion after the funds dried up

As Donington Park's F1 dream transformed into a nightmare it turned to the Wheatcroft family for rescue, who sparked the first revival in the early 1970s, and on Christmas Eve in 2009 the lease contract with Donington Ventures Leisure Limited was terminated and reverted back to the Wheatcrofts.

Kevin Wheatcroft, who led the revival having taken over from his late father Tom, worked with Worcester-based Adroit Group to heal the scars on the circuit from the failed redesign while also renovating facilities which saw it regain its FIA, ACU and MSA Grade Two standard.

In late 2010 Wheatcroft and Adroit failed to finalise a deal which led to the family setting up Donington Park Racing which successfully attracted World Touring Cars and World Superbikes back, while the sustainable green shoots of recovery came from the newest motorsport: Formula E.

Donington Park hosts offices and warehouses to create a central hub for the FIA Formula E championship and also holds pre-season testing for the all-electric series. Whether Donington would have been able to or even interested in playing home to Formula E had it kept hold of F1 is unknown but the youngest motor racing sport has breathed new life into an aging circuit.

Lessons to be learned: A warning for Circuit of Wales

Ambition to attract the biggest stars from the most popular sports is certainly a familiar plan - just look at the circuits popping up in emerging and oil-rich middle eastern countries with shiny new F1 races - but a heed of warning can be taken from Donington's story less than 140 miles away.

Years in the making: Circuit of Wales planning permission began in late 2011 but little progress has been made

The Circuit of Wales project signed an agreement with MotoGP rights holders Dorna to host the British MotoGP from 2015-2019, with a potential extension to 2024, but after continual stalling because of finance issues and political hurdles not a single brick or layer of asphalt has been laid.

Ironically, Donington Park turned down the opportunity to act as temporary host for the Circuit of Wales-run event last year while it waits for the track to be built after not reaching a financial settlement.

Now, in the post-Brexit political climate and changes at the Welsh Assembly after national elections, Circuit of Wales is still awaiting confirmation to commence building while the insurance giants Aviva - who is backing the construction - has frozen withdrawals from its property fund due to Brexit.

If Aviva pulls the plug on funding or the political climate makes the project untenable it could see the end of the road for the Circuit of Wales before it ever really began.

Credit must be given to the project for looking to kick fresh life into the British racing scene and it would be safe to assume the Circuit of Wales conceptually is built on solid foundations to secure the MotoGP contract in the first place, but with high asking prices it would be a shame to see it become what Donington Park almost turned into.

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