FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[EwanM]

Donington Park refused racing licence due to safety concerns• Donington's track improvements deemed not up to scratch
• But next year's British grand prix will not be affected


Donington Park has seen its racing licence refused by the Motor Sports Association due to safety concerns over some of its recent track improvements. But the setback has no bearing on the circuit's ability to stage next year's British grand prix, it has been underlined.

The Leicestershire venue has been dogged by rumours and controversy since being awarded a 10-year contract to welcome the top flight and host the blue-riband event on the British racing calendar, with whispers over the past few weeks that one of the banks involved in the project has since withdrawn its support due to the global credit crunch and many surmising that there is no feasible way that the track will have been brought up to formula one standard by next summer. The latest revelation will only add fuel to their fire.

The construction work to improve the circuit has had the knock-on effect of reducing the run-off area by the new tunnel, which leads to where the new pit-lane is to be built. That has prompted "significant issues" on the safety front, with claims that much work will be required to resolve the problem.

A temporary racing licence has been approved to allow Donington to go ahead with its MG Car Club Championships and the Historic Sports Car Club Trophy Races this weekend – and Simon Gillett's Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd (DVLL) company is adamant that preparations to welcome formula one next year remain well on-course.

"The Motor Sports Association has been working closely with Donington Park in recent days to address the issue of the track licence," explained the MSA chief executive Colin Hilton. "A temporary arrangement has now been agreed to enable this weekend's events to take place, after which we will continue to work with the circuit to address any outstanding issues. It should be understood that this matter is not in any way connected to Donington Park's contract to host the British grand prix from 2010."

"It's in danger of getting out of proportion," added an MSA spokesman, when questioned on the matter by Crash.net. "The local press got hold of something and linked it to the grand prix, when in fact it's got nothing to do with the grand prix. It's simply to do with the domestic racing licence.

"They have made some changes, and we need to make sure those changes fit in with safety for the track licence. We will sit back down after this weekend and work out what's going to happen."

Silverstone has played home to the British grand prix on no fewer than 42 occasions since the official inception of the world championship back in 1950. Donington has only once before welcomed formula one, having staged the rain-lashed European grand prix in 1993 – an event famously won by the legendary Ayrton Senna.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/apr/03/donington-park-licence-refused-safety-fears

[texasmr2]

I hope they can overcome this hurdle as all the 'up in the air crap' is getting rather annoying.

[racechick]

I hope they can overcome this hurdle as all the 'up in the air crap' is getting rather annoying.

This is exactly what Bernie wanted!

[The Oz]

I think its rather good news. I prefer a Race at Sliverstone.

[racechick]

I think its rather good news. I prefer a Race at Sliverstone.

Oh me too!! Just think bernie will use it to have no British GP at all.

[Jabberwocky]

I think its rather good news. I prefer a Race at Sliverstone.

Oh me too!! Just think bernie will use it to have no British GP at all.

Agreed

[texasmr2]

Off with Bernies head!!!!

[darwin dali]

Off with Bernies head!!!!

This?


Or the more high-tech (F1 like) option?

[texasmr2]

I like the first choice because a bad aim could lead to suffering, kinda like the way he is making F1 fans suffer as of late.

[EwanM]

Donington British F3 race postponed http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74474

By Ben Anderson Tuesday, April 14th 2009, 15:56 GMT


The British F3 championship's annual visit to Donington Park has been postponed due to ongoing issues with the circuit's track licence.

The UK's motor racing governing body - the Motor Sports Association - has yet to grant the Leicestershire venue a licence to hold race meetings in 2009, because of safety concerns over construction work for the British Grand Prix in 2010, and AUTOSPORT understands the circuit is unlikely to obtain that licence before British F3's planned visit on April 25/26.

The building of an access tunnel has dramatically reduced the run-off on either side of the track between McLeans and Coppice, and the MSA has requested work to be done to make the area safe for racing before granting Donington its licence.

British F3 series boss Stephane Ratel told AUTOSPORT last week the Donington round would be postponed rather than cancelled if the circuit could not obtain its licence in time.

A new provisional date has now been pencilled in for the weekend of July 18/19 - the same weekend as the World Touring Car Championship's visit to Brands Hatch.

A few problems it seems.

[McLaren Fan]

Are there any pictures, so we can judge how big a safety concern this is?

[Gilles 27]

I've seen some somewhere, you definitely wouldn't want F3 or GT cars going off there. Nothing compared to places like Macau or Bathurst but still quite a problem. They had the corners in question covered by yellow flags during the whole meeting at the last club events to take place there.

[scotty]

I've seen some somewhere, you definitely wouldn't want F3 or GT cars going off there. Nothing compared to places like Macau or Bathurst but still quite a problem. They had the corners in question covered by yellow flags during the whole meeting at the last club events to take place there.

Yeah, basically some run off areas were drastically modified to account for a new access tunnel that was being/had been built... the only way i can describe it is as a sort of 'bottleneck' of tyre barriers. It'll be rectified, no worries.

[EwanM]

I've seen some somewhere, you definitely wouldn't want F3 or GT cars going off there. Nothing compared to places like Macau or Bathurst but still quite a problem. They had the corners in question covered by yellow flags during the whole meeting at the last club events to take place there.

Yeah, basically some run off areas were drastically modified to account for a new access tunnel that was being/had been built... the only way i can describe it is as a sort of 'bottleneck' of tyre barriers. It'll be rectified, no worries.

Aye I seen a picture of it, it'll get fixed, but it's certainly not safe atm.