: Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:07 pm  

Neil HFC wrote:

Damn, I'll miss him saying at the start of each season that "this can be my year" before being soundly thrashed by Hakkinen/Schumacher/Alonso/etc etc etc

He's not been able to say that for the last five or so years.

: Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:47 pm  

I had 2 tickets for the practice session tomorrow(work for Abbey) but couldn't get there though.

: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:11 am  

The British F1 GP moves to Donington from 2010, according to the BBC.

Love to know who is putting the money up for this - the track has to be radically altered and the pit and paddock facilities completely rebuilt. Probably going to cost more than it would have done to bring Silverstone up to scratch.

Don't be surprised if it isn't ready and Bernie uses it as an excuse to dump Britain off the schedules in favour of a lucrative night race in the Far/Middle East somewhere...

: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:30 am  

Andy Gilder wrote:

The British F1 GP moves to Donington from 2010, according to the BBC.

Love to know who is putting the money up for this - the track has to be radically altered and the pit and paddock facilities completely rebuilt. Probably going to cost more than it would have done to bring Silverstone up to scratch.

Don't be surprised if it isn't ready and Bernie uses it as an excuse to dump Britain off the schedules in favour of a lucrative night race in the Far/Middle East somewhere...

There's a fair bit of private money behind the scheme apparently (£100m+ over five years IIRC).

The improvements were on the way anyway if what I've heard was true, with Dorna (the people who run the MotoGP), supposedly narked-off with the facilities as well.

You're right though, Donington needs a lot of work (access to / from the place is a nightmare as well). Worrying times if Donington isn't anything but a complete success.

: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:36 am  

bramleyrhino wrote:

You're right though, Donington needs a lot of work (access to / from the place is a nightmare as well). Worrying times if Donington isn't anything but a complete success.

To be fair, access to Donington Park is no worse now than it was to Silverstone before they built the bypass, indeed if anything it's better.

Stick a couple of park and rides on from Long Eaton and surrounding towns for race weekend and it'll make it even easier.

: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:38 am  

Andy Gilder wrote:

The British F1 GP moves to Donington from 2010, according to the BBC.

Love to know who is putting the money up for this - the track has to be radically altered and the pit and paddock facilities completely rebuilt. Probably going to cost more than it would have done to bring Silverstone up to scratch.

Don't be surprised if it isn't ready and Bernie uses it as an excuse to dump Britain off the schedules in favour of a lucrative night race in the Far/Middle East somewhere...

They have a night race in Singapore in September I believe but to move the GP from Silverstone won't go down too well seeing as Silverstone has soent money on tarting the place up as Bernie wanted.

: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:40 am  

Dead Man Walking wrote:

They have a night race in Singapore in September I believe but to move the GP from Silverstone won't go down too well seeing as Silverstone has soent money on tarting the place up as Bernie wanted.

Isn't Bernie's gripe more to do with the BRDC rather that Silverstone as a circuit?

: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:49 am  

bramleyrhino wrote:

Isn't Bernie's gripe more to do with the BRDC rather that Silverstone as a circuit?

Bernie's gripe - just for a change - is about how much money Bernie can put in his pocket.

Each circuit pays to host a GP, and the amount the BRDC currently pay is way below what Ecclestone wants for future years (which is probably more than they can afford, given it is effectively a private members club whose sole trading income is GP tickets).

We're at a point now where the only places able to host GPs are going to be those owned by wealthy corporations, with rich private benefactors or generous state sponsorship, such is the cost.

: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:56 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

To be fair, access to Donington Park is no worse now than it was to Silverstone before they built the bypass, indeed if anything it's better.

Stick a couple of park and rides on from Long Eaton and surrounding towns for race weekend and it'll make it even easier.

I've been to both circuits on many occasions and I'd say Donnington is worse than Silverstone ever was.

As for the GP going there, I find it amazing that Bernie has spent year's slagging Silverstone off over it's facilities, then hands the race to a place that's far worse than Silverstone. It's going to take many millions to get the place anywhere near a good enough standard.

: Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:02 pm  

Lord_Percy wrote:

I've been to both circuits on many occasions and I'd say Donnington is worse than Silverstone ever was.

As for the GP going there, I find it amazing that Bernie has spent year's slagging Silverstone off over it's facilities, then hands the race to a place that's far worse than Silverstone. It's going to take many millions to get the place anywhere near a good enough standard.

100m is apparently going to be invested over the next 5 years.

Last time I was at Donnington (which admitadly was about 10 years ago) I don't recall there being any grandstands or suchlike.