Approval Of Donington Park Plans Secures F1 Race
The future of the British Grand Prix will remain safe after Donington Park was given the green light for moving ahead with a proposed £100m revamp to become the home of the F1 race from 2010.
After the plans for the £100m renovation were presented to community and government representatives, North West Leicestershire District Council granted permission for the scheme to move forward.
Racetrack owner Simon Gillett now has 17 months to raise the money needed to finance the construction and put it into action.
Included in the proposed plans are a new pit and paddock area, new race control buildings, a media centre, new hospitality suites and service roads.
It would also involve the tightening of Coppice, which becomes the final bend before the pit straight, and a redesigned first sector incorporating a new, long left-hand turn and hairpin following the fierce first Melbourne turn.
If the plans hadn’t been approved, the British Grand Prix would have been in danger of falling out, as it was moved to Donington from Silverstone due to the unacceptable state of the Northamptonshire course.
Silverstone was the home of the British Grand Prix since 1987. With approval from the Council, Donington now takes the reins, as the 10-year agreement to station the race there begins next year.
