Matt Coch at the excellent F1 website PitPass reports that Donington looks to have officially closed its doors, following months and months of trouble since the strategy to swap it for Silverstone as the F1 venue whilst MotoGP moved to the Northamptonshire circuit.
While no official confirmation has been received, Donington Park employee Richard Langley has confirmed that he and his colleagues have been made redundant. “As of today Donny is officially closed,” admitted another insider. “It’s a travesty!”
The news follows the failure of administrators for the circuit, Begbies Traynor, to find a buyer for the lease, despite interest from a number of parties. Consequently, the lease now reverts to the Wheatcroft family who have yet to decide on the future of the facility.
When investors Lee Gill and Simon Gillett became involved through their Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd the future of the circuit seemed promising. Investment in the circuit was a key factor in the 150 year lease agreed with the late Tom Wheatcroft, DVLL holding the lofty ambition of returning Formula One racing to the circuit for the first time since 1993.
DVLL Chief Operating Officer Gill resigned midway through 2008, just weeks after it was announced that a deal had been secured with Bernie Ecclestone to bring the British Grand Prix to Donington in 2010. More trouble soon followed as the local council was less than interested in providing the required planning permission for the new developments. By April 2009 DVLL had fallen behind with its financial responsibilities and the publication of a new circuit layout did little to convince the sceptics. Just six months later the project totally collapsed as Gillett failed to raise the required capital.
It’s hopefully not genuinely the end of the fantastic circuit – though it certainly appears to be so for now – as it’s criminal that such an elegant, exciting and evocative circuit should disappear after such a long and illustrious history.
Personally I wish MotoGP was there and not at the vapid, bland, characterless Silverstone. It may be fast but that doesn’t equal “Great” in my book.
I’d love to think that somehow somebody will resuce it and return MotoGP to the circuit. And whilst Herman Tilke’s actual circuit plan looked interesting, you can’t help think that a lot of the atmoshpere and attractiveness of the place would be lost in all his pompous VIP infrastructure like any other circuit of his.
Donington was always a great ’spectator circuit’ – and hopefully if anyone can bring it back to life they’ll remember that and make it one of their main considerations.
