Donington -dug up

not read this (pissed) but donnington given extension till end of june for the works.for f1 gp.
i wonder if other events up to then are now fooked.BSB etc
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Tuesday, 5 May 2009 17:44 UK
Donington Park has until the end of June to satisfy planners over proposed upgrades to the circuit to enable it to stage the 2010 British Grand Prix.

Councillors handed leaseholder Simon Gillett a month's extension to clarify his plans for developing the track.

Gillett's company Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd also faces legal action over unpaid rent to the track owners.

But Gillett told BBC Sport: "We are 110% committed to making this happen and 100% confident that it will."

He added: "We have our little trials and tribulations but we are still confident the Grand Prix is coming to Donington next year.

"We know what is going on behind the scenes and there is a lot going on in the background that gives us confidence."

North West Leicestershire District Council gave Gillett's plans the green light in January but has now made it clear that unless certain crucial agreements are signed by 30 June then the planning permission regarding the planned £100m redevelopment will be revoked.

Before the development can get the go-ahead, Gillett needs the signature of circuit owner Tom Wheatcroft, and the leaseholder is optimistic that their dispute will be resolved in the coming weeks.

It emerged last month that Wheatcroft is seeking £2.47m in rent arrears from DVLL, who secured the 150-year lease in 2007, as well as forfeiture of the lease.

"We will be in a position to be able to sort that out very soon," said Gillett, who conceded the Donington development had been slowed by the global economic downturn.

"We are in in-depth meetings to button down the finances and you should see a resolution on this situation soon."

Donington Park secured a 10-year contract to host the British GP at the expense of current hosts Silverstone and is due to stage its first Formula 1 Grand Prix since 1993 in July next year.

Silverstone, which is owned by the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC), stalled over signing a new deal and F1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone was impressed by Gillett's plans to redevelop Donington.

However, Gillett's redevelopment has been delayed by a series of "trials and tribulations".

Firstly, the Motor Sports Association refused to grant the track a safety certificate which led to a cancellation of a number of events.

The debenture scheme to raise private investment was also due to launch at the end of March but has failed to get off the ground.

The legal dispute with the track owners, the council's concerns and the BRDC's insistence the race should return to Silverstone have added to Gillett's headaches.

I'm still working to the mantra that it's Donington or the Grand Prix goes outside of the UK

Donington leaseholder Simon Gillett

Despite the delays, Gillett is optimistic he can meet his self-imposed deadline of 1 April 2010 to revamp the track.

"We have a nine-month construction programme and that has never changed," said Gillett.

"We have always known we could construct everything we have to in nine months but we have the construction in hand.

"We need to be in a position to roll everything out by July 2009 but we are not panicking yet."

Gillett is determined to get Donington ready in time to ensure the British race, one of the sport's oldest Grands Prix, remains on the F1 calendar.

"I'm still working to the mantra that it's Donington or the Grand Prix goes outside of the UK," he said.

"We are here to try and save the British Grand Prix not to jeopardise it.

"At the moment the British Grand Prix doesn't have a home, we have stepped in and given it a lifeboat.

"Without the Donington circuit being available it would have gone already - we are here to make sure it stays here."

aunty beeb

A safety inspection vital for the forthcoming World Superbike and MotoGP races at Donington Park will take place at the Leicestershire circuit tomorrow (Friday).

FIM Safety Officer Claude Danis will visit Donington to carry out an inspection on the run-off between McLeans and Coppice. The run-off was significantly reduced to allow an access tunnel be built for a new paddock complex that forms part of the massive redevelopment of Donington for the 2010 British Formula One GP.

The FIM is demanding the run-off be fully reinstated otherwise the circuit will not be homologated for the World Superbike clash on June 28, though the circuit would still have time to make the necessary safety modifications.

Donington though would still have another two weeks to get homologation for the British MotoGP on July 26.

Danis told MCN: "I will be in Donington on Friday for an inspection. I hope it will be the final inspection but I’m not sure what work they have done. I know they modified the run-off area but not exactly as it was last year. British Superbikes raced there but as the FIM we need to have the same situation as last year."

"If it’s ok then they will get the final homologation, but if it’s not ok, then there will be no homologation. In the last e-mails I exchanged with them I explained to them that we need the same amount of run off as before. They said ok and it will be done by May 23. Because of that I planned my inspection on June 5."

"They have confirmed all the details for the meeting so they haven’t contacted me saying they need to postpone or the run-off will not be fully reinstated. I expect the run-off area to be as it was."

If Donington was not given homologation tomorrow, Danis said he had no idea whether it could be granted in time for World Superbikes later this month.

"They know if the track is not homologated they can’t race. The ball is in their court because they are clear that if the run-off is not the same they will not get FIM homologation. If I’m not happy this week then I can comeback, but if the work is not done then there will be no race. And obviously if they get homologation for World Superbikes then there will be no problem for MotoGP, "added Danis.

mcn

im not buying tickets until i know for sure. if these races dont go ahead and with there financial situation there is a posiblilty they could go into administration. It would be real hassle getting your money back from an administrator.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Jun 4 2009, 03:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>im not buying tickets until i know for sure. if these races dont go ahead and with there financial situation there is a posiblilty they could go into administration. It would be real hassle getting your money back from an administrator.
Me neither. I've usually ordered them the second they're available, but no way am I getting them until just before the race this time.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Jun 4 2009, 03:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>im not buying tickets until i know for sure. if these races dont go ahead and with there financial situation there is a posiblilty they could go into administration. It would be real hassle getting your money back from an administrator.


Same here. Normally got my tickets sorted asap but this year I am gonna wait

The British MotoGP race and the forthcoming World Superbike clash at Donington Park will go ahead after the Leicestershire circuit passed an FIM safety inspection earlier today.

Following an inspection by FIM Safety Officer Claude Danis this morning, the Leicestershire circuit was granted FIM homologation for the WSB race on June 28 and the British MotoGP race on July 26.

The purpose of the FIM inspection was to ensure that the track layout on-site close to the area of the new tunnel between McLeans and Coppice is in accordance with previously agreed plans and adheres to all current industry safety regulations. An access tunnel has been built in between McLeans and Coppice in readiness for the British Formula One race moving to Donington in 2010.

"This is great news for everybody at Donington Park and all of the fans," said Donington Park Chief Executive Officer Simon Gillett. "The ticket sales for both of our world class motorcycle racing events have been extremely positive and we’d like to thank the fans who have remained loyal and believed in us for committing to buying tickets. We have already sold 50 per cent more tickets than we had at this time last year for World Superbikes and the sales of our MotoGP tickets have remained at the same level.

"We’ve also now opened up the opportunity for the on the day tickets for both events, which should encourage more fans to come and witness safe, enjoyable and exciting two-wheel racing at one of the UK’s premier motorsport circuits. I’d like to thank the FIM for the positive working relationship that we have so far enjoyed and look forward to continuing to work with them in the future."

mcn

^^^ thanks for the heads up pigeon

Great news about the safety inspection, but I'm still hanging on a bit before getting the tickets.

They've still got the court hearing on Monday and the whole business with the planning application not being sorted, so I'll still wait till July before parting with my cash just in case.

Donington's MotoGP round is on like Donkey Kong:

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2009/Doningt...ted+FIM+licence

To anyone that has experience of the circuit: Does the start/finish line uncovered grandstand have access to a screen to watch the race at a MotoGP event?

They have a screen towards the pit exit, near the podium. From what I remember it isn't too big though, so you need a decent seat to see it properly.

I'm pretty sure this is it.


They have a few bigger ones too - usually outside Redgate/Hollywood, one somewhere along the loop, one at Foggy Esses, one between MacLeans and Coppice, and one near the top of Craner infield - kind of near Starkey's bridge. I think they had another small one last year too, at the bottom of the hill below Starkey's bar.

Thanks Stevo.

I can't view Photobucket images at my work desktop, so will have a look at the image later.

I`ve got a screen in my lounge,if you can`t see owt yu can always watch from my gaff,free tea `n biccies too.

Well it would appear I was a mite hasty in my presumptions, and a tad pessimistic as usual, and I'm very pleased to see both BSB and WSBk so successfully staged.

Saw an interview with Simon Gillet today on Eurosport, and he was describing the impending facelift at Donington, and he reassured everyone that all the plans were back on track, and the finances were now in place - but then he would say that.

Pleased to hear him publicly state that there are no alterations being made to the circuit between Redgate and Mcleans, and if he were to tamper with that section of the track he'd expect to be lynched. I don't particularly care for Donington, which is a shame because of the aforementioned glorious ribbon of track, which is unquestionably the greatest in the country - and it is, after all, one of the the spiritual homes of motorcycling in the UK. It's also a shame, because the reasons I don't care for the place - the Melbourne loop, the .... facilities, and the traffic problems are all supposedly to be removed and updated. I'm glad that the parkland section will remain, but because the Dunlop straight is to go, it follows that we also lose coppice, one of my favorite corners on the track.

My original title for this thread, was 'Donington dug up' due to the state of the circuit in the spring - Well it appears that they have dug deep, and they certainly delivered this weekend.

Talking of digging up, why is the run off at Coppice the only place not to employ gravel, unlike the rest of the circuit? It's bugged me for years that it looks like a recently badly ploughed field. Crash there in the wet, and you end up looking like you've picked a fight with a muckspreader.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ Jun 28 2009, 08:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Talking of digging up, why is the run off at Coppice the only place not to employ gravel, unlike the rest of the circuit? It's bugged me for years that it looks like a recently badly ploughed field. Crash there in the wet, and you end up looking like you've picked a fight with a muckspreader.
I was just thinking the same thing again today. It's looked like mud for the last few years.

Plus I still can't get over how weird the place looks without the Dunlop Bridge.