British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

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Ben Gilbert
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British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Ben Gilbert »

Sorry if this seems a little early, but I was wondering what F1 Rejects, and it's forum members, thought of the British GP returning to my home town.

Currently, the tracks history of the British Grand Prix has been a Star Wars-esque, 4 part saga:

I- Silverstone alone
II- Aintree
III- Slivertone and Brands Hatch share the responsibility
IV- Bernie falls out with the owner of Brands Hatch and we're back to Silvertone alone. Brief blip of Donington hosting the Euro GP in '93, but Sliverstone still hosts British GP


and finally, after 17 years of waiting, Donington Park returns in part V!

Currently, work is scheduled in the near future, to upgrade the track to Grand Prix specifications. Including a new pit straight and pit complex, grandstands, and a new infield section. This new section will not only increase the length of the lap to 3 miles, up to minimum length requirements, but will also include an incline curve, like Eau Rouge but steeper.

Here is an image of what the track will look like: Image

On the above pic, the red sections denote alterations.



I personally think that the circuit will be good. Senna's greatest triumph in the only previous race here proved that the circuit already had potential, especially considering that there is a perpetual light drizzle in this area in summer: Enough to make the race interesting, without having to call it off.


One issue I noticed, is that the Eco movement has struck again, as this race will only be accessible by public transport, which has been cited as the Buses and Trains. No cars will be permitted to enter the grounds.

I will clear a few things up for non locals.

1- The nearest train station to the track, is over three miles from it, and the train service in the area is notoriously poor.

2- The buses, though good (it is near an airport after all), would not be able to cope with the projected thousands of fans heading to the circuit.

It seems ridiculous to me that we are no longer allowed to use our cars, to go and see other cars racing. Surely they must be using thousands of litres of fuel in the weekend, yet we fans are being punished for using a minute fraction of this to go and see these cars.

Environmental statements have failed in F1, or at least the only noteworthy one, Honda, did. Something makes me believde that tis one will too. No matter how good the racing is, I predict that the circuit will not be able to renew it's contract as spectator numbers at the track fall, and the race will move somewhere else. I hope it doesn't, it's good to see this area have something move to it, but it's likely to happen.


What are your thoughts on the race moving to Donington?
Last edited by Ben Gilbert on 16 Apr 2009, 17:12, edited 4 times in total.
Cynon wrote:Look further down the field, enjoy the view of the little guys and/or crap drivers in cars too good for them giving their all for a meager result.

Because that's what I thought this forum celebrates the most.
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thehemogoblin
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Re: British GP Track Wars VI- The return of Donington Park

Post by thehemogoblin »

I'm one of those people that thinks putting the GP in as many different spots in the country would be great. For instance, the United States has countless cities that it could locate a USGP in. I think the only ones that would be truly untouchable would be Spa and Monaco (and not Monza for the sole fact that Imola is the ghost of a good track).
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Re: British GP Track Wars VI- The return of Donington Park

Post by Enforcer »

1- The nearest train station to the track, is over three miles from it, and the train service in the area is notoriously poor.

2- The buses, though good, would not be able to cope with the projected thousands of fans heading to the circuit.


Classic FIA blundering. Any known plans to sort that?


And I have to spoil your 6 part saga. Part V is incorrect because Donnington hosted the European GP in '93, not the British one which was still at Silverstone. :ugeek:
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Ben Gilbert
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Re: British GP Track Wars VI- The return of Donington Park

Post by Ben Gilbert »

Enforcer wrote:
1- The nearest train station to the track, is over three miles from it, and the train service in the area is notoriously poor.

2- The buses, though good, would not be able to cope with the projected thousands of fans heading to the circuit.


Classic FIA blundering. Any known plans to sort that?


And I have to spoil your 6 part saga. Part V is incorrect because Donnington hosted the European GP in '93, not the British one which was still at Silverstone. :ugeek:


Currently there are plans for a light rail system linking the station to the East Midlands Airport, which is about 1 mile from the circuit. However, considering the protestations of residents when extensions to the trams network were proposed, that won't happen. Or if it does happen, it will be up and running in 2030.

I know it was the Euro GP, but it was hosted in the same country at least. I'll correct it now.
Cynon wrote:Look further down the field, enjoy the view of the little guys and/or crap drivers in cars too good for them giving their all for a meager result.

Because that's what I thought this forum celebrates the most.
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Debaser »

thehemogoblin wrote:I'm one of those people that thinks putting the GP in as many different spots in the country would be great. For instance, the United States has countless cities that it could locate a USGP in. I think the only ones that would be truly untouchable would be Spa and Monaco (and not Monza for the sole fact that Imola is the ghost of a good track).


They did that with American street circuits and it killed F1 in America! The ended up with ostrich racing getting more spectators than the F1. On Donington, I'm a skeptic. The track's very narrow which makes overtaking difficult (There was little of this in the 93 race when overtaking was much easier), though it will be short, almost A1 Ring in terms of lap time. There's an airport next to the circuit which can mess up the signals/aerials needed to run a GP (They have massive problems when they show touring cars/Moto GP with this) and transport/access is also problematic. That said, the facilities will be fine and the track a good test, with hopefully overtaking though I doubt this. I'll back this GP, though I think almost every British 1 fan owuld prefer the GP to remain at Silverstone.
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Barbazza »

Well, I wouldn't. I've just posted my feelings on this in the 'GP Tracks you'd like to see' as I didn't spot this thread (whoops!), so I won't repeat all that here, but I've never been that bothered about Silverstone as a GP track, though it's great for everything else.
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Ben Gilbert
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Ben Gilbert »

Debaser wrote:I'll back this GP, though I think almost every British 1 fan owuld prefer the GP to remain at Silverstone.


I would actually prefer Brands Hatch over Silverstone, after Donington of course.

Silverstone was what it looks like: A flat out blast along the routes of runways. Even with the changes, the races in F1 were still somehow, predictable, except for last year, because fo the rain.

Brands Hatch is an enigma, a mix of speed and handling. It always offered surprises and tested a driver and his car to make the finish, and for that reason I think it would make a better track. Pity Bernie's not going to let F1 return there.
Cynon wrote:Look further down the field, enjoy the view of the little guys and/or crap drivers in cars too good for them giving their all for a meager result.

Because that's what I thought this forum celebrates the most.
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by PayasYouDNPQ »

I do like the idea of the British Grand Prix returning to it's pre-war home (OK so they were officially Donington Grand Prix in 1936/37). The track has a lot character and the new section should be good. I hope it goes ahead as planned.
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Ross Prawn
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Ross Prawn »

Yep Silverstone is an old aerodrome, flat and poor for spectating. And none of the 'improvements' over the years have made it much better.

Donnington is an attractive circuit, and good luck to them. Its not too far from the M1, but I suspect getting in and out will be nightmare for the first couple of years.

To my mind, Brands was the best UK F1 circuit. Natural ampitheatre, varied track and lots of good spectating.
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Stewart »

Ross Prawn wrote:Yep Silverstone is an old aerodrome, flat and poor for spectating. And none of the 'improvements' over the years have made it much better.

Are you joking? I've been to Silverstone about 10-15 times, for F1 and for other racing, and each time I've loved it. The facilities are fine, and spectating is great. The track is almost universally praised by F1 drivers and usually rates up there with Spa and Suzuka.

I really hate the way F1 is moving towards generic, bland circuits with no history or character. I'm afraid sitting in a grandstand miles from the track (which is what Bernie seems to want) doesn't compare with pitching up with a fold-up chair and picking your spot on a gravel bank.

I've only been to Donington once, for a Britcars race, and it was OK. Spectating there was pretty dire, in my opinion. Not a single grandstand (though I assume that will change for the GP), and there wasn't anywhere you could get a decent view of the cars.
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Ben Gilbert
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Ben Gilbert »

Stewart wrote:Not a single grandstand (though I assume that will change for the GP), and there wasn't anywhere you could get a decent view of the cars.


On the image in my first post, the beigey-yellow squares next to the pitstraight and to the top of the picture are new grandstands.
Cynon wrote:Look further down the field, enjoy the view of the little guys and/or crap drivers in cars too good for them giving their all for a meager result.

Because that's what I thought this forum celebrates the most.
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Re: British GP Track Wars VI- The return of Donington Park

Post by Captain Hammer »

Enforcer wrote:
1- The nearest train station to the track, is over three miles from it, and the train service in the area is notoriously poor.

2- The buses, though good, would not be able to cope with the projected thousands of fans heading to the circuit.


Classic FIA blundering. Any known plans to sort that?

Yes, because the FIA can dictate when and where public transport systems run. That's something for local government to work out, not Mosley and Co.
mario wrote:I'm wondering what the hell has been going on in this thread [...] it's turned into a bizarre detour into mythical flying horses and the sort of search engine results that CoopsII is going to have a very hard time explaining ...
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Ben Gilbert
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Re: British GP Track Wars VI- The return of Donington Park

Post by Ben Gilbert »

Captain Hammer wrote:
Enforcer wrote:
Classic FIA blundering. Any known plans to sort that?


Yes, because the FIA can dictate when and where public transport systems run. That's something for local government to work out, not Mosley and Co.


I think he called it an FIA blunder because it was (probably) their decision to allow Donington Park to host the first Public Transport only GP.

Normally, when you try something new, you do it in a way to make it succeed. They (probably) approved the first public transport only GP, in an area with poor public transport.

I say probably because I don't think they would have allowed the organisers to decide on something this important. They might have, but I'm sure the FIA would be the decision makers one whether they were going to push away thousands of paying fans, which is what the Public Transport only GP will do.
Cynon wrote:Look further down the field, enjoy the view of the little guys and/or crap drivers in cars too good for them giving their all for a meager result.

Because that's what I thought this forum celebrates the most.
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Captain Hammer »

Do the FIA even have control over that? I was under the impression their jusridiction is limited to the circuit and its immediate surrounds; once you get beyond the boundary of land owned by the circuit, they no longer have any say in the matter. I believe Donington nominated to be public transport-only given the minimal facilities at the circuit and to avoid congestion like that at Nevers.
mario wrote:I'm wondering what the hell has been going on in this thread [...] it's turned into a bizarre detour into mythical flying horses and the sort of search engine results that CoopsII is going to have a very hard time explaining ...
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Ben Gilbert
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by Ben Gilbert »

Captain Hammer wrote:Do the FIA even have control over that? I was under the impression their jusridiction is limited to the circuit and its immediate surrounds; once you get beyond the boundary of land owned by the circuit, they no longer have any say in the matter. I believe Donington nominated to be public transport-only given the minimal facilities at the circuit and to avoid congestion like that at Nevers.


I think you may be right there. Not a FIA blunder, but still an immense blunder.

Also, one other thing. It's right next to a motorway, so I don't think congestion was a major factor. But like you said, the roads within the circuit itself are dire, and with no vehicles going there at all, because the buses go to the airport, not the circuit, it should rectify it.
Cynon wrote:Look further down the field, enjoy the view of the little guys and/or crap drivers in cars too good for them giving their all for a meager result.

Because that's what I thought this forum celebrates the most.
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Re: British GP Track Wars V- The return of Donington Park

Post by StoneColdSpider »

i hope Donnington thrives and grows :)
will b good to see the British GP move sumwhere else for awhile....
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