Comments on: Donington Park 2010 British Grand Prix track – your design predictions

By: craig

craig — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:55:42 +0000

aparently they have got rid of the dunlop bridge to =[

By: mattoid

mattoid — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:26:01 +0000

My idea of what they are talking about.
I have my doubts about how many of our correspondents have actually visited Donington. If you look at the image, you can see an access road which passes through a tunnel under the end of Starkey’s straight just before the esses, which then continues down the infield at the bottom of a small valley. Many of the designs so far cut straight across this.
Mine turns off just after the tunnel and follows the eastern side of the valley down to a tight 90 degree bend then back up the other side of the valley to join the redundant stub of track at the beginning of the current pit straight.
Huzzah! The historic Donington left intact, extra track length and a 200mph straight. Nice.
You may of course think otherwise….

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:17:29 +0000

Do we really believe that the dirtbike track would need to be retained if the F1 requirements justified the use of the infield ?!

By: Donington Reveller

Donington Reveller — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:40:22 +0000

Gday – just to say the inside area that shows on google maps and quickmaps doesnt exist anymore – it is now a dirtbike track that was built this/last year (reason why download festival had to move to the go-kart track area – the concrete area to the left of the track on the maps.).

By: DAVE

DAVE — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:08:59 +0000

This the plan I put forward in 2004 to various Internet sites (long before Donington got the British Grand Prix !).

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k473/dfirvine/DoningtonG.gif

If additional mileage is required some of the track towards the Melbourne could still be included.
It would also be advantageous to include a stand between Starkes and the pits – this could include seating looking in both directions, i.e. some spectators would see Craner Curves, Old Hairpin, etc. whilst others would face towards the new extension and also see relevant sections of the existing track.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:25:59 +0000

Here is my suggestion!
A little bit rough around the edges but i think you got the point.
The new final corner makes overtaking easier at the first corner.
http://www.quikmaps.com/site/73823

By: DG

DG — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:17:09 +0000

I have been thinking that using the Melbourne Loop would be the only way, and I remember thinking the last time I was up there that the perimeter really is close to the neighbours, and those are housing estates too, so the Council will have a ‘hands off’ directive.
Also worth remembering in any redesign is that the main entry is not designed for large volumes of traffic, and the A453 is not dual carrageway. The entrace is shared with the museum, so would that have to move?

By: James

James — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:09:55 +0000

http://www.quikmaps.com/show/73787

That’s wahat i cam up with. Leaves Redgate to Coppice intact. Makes Starkey’s Straight longer by moving The Esses back and reprofiling it slightly, as mentioned in the plans, so that the that part of the track can be the new pit straight. New infield section starts at Goddards and incorporates the long, sweeping curve talked about before rejoining onto Wheatcroft Straight, which the track owner said would be left intact.

By: pazzer

pazzer — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:19:24 +0000

I wish they could just restore the melbourne loop to its original length, imagine the speeds they could attain. I realise they probably can’t though because the old loop is actually in a different county.
If they did do that though the pit complex could be on the new 1.2 mile long straight it would create, and the circuit length would be roughly 3.5 miles long. Bring back the 1930′s!!!!!!!!!!

By: Edd Bird

Edd Bird — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:58:21 +0000

Here’s my guess using information on the net.

http://www.quikmaps.com/show/73681

The changes are a tighter Coppice, the start/finish and pits along Starkey’s Straight, a quicker Esses chicane, and the new infield loop from Goddards to rejoining along Wheatcroft Straight. Redgate to McLean’s stays as it is.