Donington to hold GB GP next year?

[Dancin]

According to Motorsport News this week Donington's owners in serious talks with Bernie if Silverstone don't take up his option for 2009?

Thoughts?

[Plug550]

No chance. What benifit could there possibly over Silverstone? Crap access roads, crap grandstands, crap pits - all by comparison. Good circuit though, but I somehow think that's not Bernies priority.

[rude-boy]

Not a hope in hell of the BGP going to Donny. Nice place though it is it just isn't up to the job and would cost mega bucks to make it so.

[FourWheelDrift]

Donington got all the mud from Silverstone when they had a clear out.

[TonyHetherington]

Not a hope.

It is quite literally impossible, bar a ridiculously huge investment in facilities and infrastructure and road network.

Silverstone's taken 10 years to do that and still not got it perfect, Donnington for 2009? Never, ever, EVER going to happen.

[fastfreddy]

This will be a publicity-seeking attempt by the new owners of Donington.
It can't & won't happen and I doubt they've even met Bernie.

Much as I'd love to see them race there, F1 can only run at Silverstone and if they can't go there, there just wouldn't be a British GP.

[clonmult]

Has F1 moved on so much since 93? European Grand Prix ran at Donington that year, and it was a stunning race.

[kevin ritson]

Donington needs a bloody good clean up before having a hope - then there are the roads, then the whinging neighbours (who seem to be stupidly oblivious about the location - one amusing tale is of a driver being black-flagged on a trackday, returning to the pits, then the marshal giving him a lecture about noise had to stop halfway through whilst a plane took off!)....

It's a lovely track, it's a great place to spectate...let's keep it that way. eh? Silverstone's a dull flat circuit in the middle of nowhere - perfect for Bernie to continue wrecking

[deevlash]

arent the owners of donnington some sort of megarich fund types?
although Id heard when they bought it it was mainly as a concert and event area and they didnt even know it had a race track on it.

[FourWheelDrift]

clonmult said:

Has F1 moved on so much since 93? European Grand Prix ran at Donington that year, and it was a stunning race.

It was wet, so the cars were slower than normal and with the changing conditions cars tried different tyres and different setups worked for some, just like all wet races. If it's dry it'd be a very boring Monaco type race of follow my leader.

[rude-boy]

clonmult said:

Has F1 moved on so much since 93? European Grand Prix ran at Donington that year, and it was a stunning race.

Yes, massively so.

have a look for an areial photo of Silverstone '93 and then for one of '07.

[clonmult]

rude-boy said:

clonmult said:

Has F1 moved on so much since 93? European Grand Prix ran at Donington that year, and it was a stunning race.

Yes, massively so.

have a look for an areial photo of Silverstone '93 and then for one of '07.

Had a look, didn't find much.

But is that related to the improvements in access? I must have last been at silverstone itself early 90s, and access was terrible. Last went past there about 4 years back, and access was massively improved.

[dxb335d]

Purely looking at it as a race circuit, i think its much nicer than silverstone. It woudl be great if the British GP went to Donno.

[MonkeyHanger]

Host a GP at Donington?

The last "major" event i attended there was the final BTCC round of 2005 (iirc). It took us 2 hours to drive from here to the Donington junction on the M1....

And then another 2 hours to drive into the circuit . I'm sure the people getting out of Taxis and carrying their luggage to the Airport were suitably impressed.

[dxb335d]

Where ever its held there will be jams.

Donnington park is also fantastic for spectators.

[MonkeyHanger]

dxb335d said:

Donnington park is also fantastic for spectators.

Until they walk back to the car-park to find their P&J up on bricks

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

dxb335d said:

Where ever its held there will be jams.

Beg to differ matey, that's one thing Silverstone has got spot on.

All they need to do now is get rid of that fecking tunnel.

Access to Donington would need a new road or two before it could be seriously considered for a GP. (although MotoGP there this weekend....easier on bikes!)

[crossle]

Could be that old Bernie is just playing games to wind up the BRDC into putting more money in to keep the GP at Silverstone?

[thewave]

What about Snetterton?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

crossle said:

Could be that old Bernie is just playing games to wind up the BRDC into putting more money in to keep the GP at Silverstone?

Makes you larf don't it. Silverstone have made loads of improvements, and Bernie still sneers. In Montreal the most essential part of the party (the road bit) was wred, and not a peep!