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[scotty]

Donington's Grand Prix hopes fade

Donington Park's hopes of staging the British Grand Prix from 2010 look to be over after the operators' latest fund-raising attempts fell through.

Earlier this month Donington launched a bond issue in an attempt to raise £135m, but that has now been withdrawn.

Silverstone is ready to step back in if guaranteed the British Grand Prix would remain at the circuit long-term.

Donington, whose operators are yet to comment, have missed several deadlines to provide financial guarantees.

In June, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said there would definitely be a British Grand Prix in 2012, and that it would be at Silverstone if Donington failed to come through.

But more recently he has backtracked and said it is not certain there will definitely be a Grand Prix in Britain next year at all.

Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd, the company that operates the track, has faced legal and planning problems since being given the rights to stage the race.

Chief executive Simon Gillett was initially given a deadline of the end of September to demonstrate the funding was in place to carry out the planned multi-million pound revamp of the circuit and its facilities. That deadline was extended by a few days until 3 October.

Motor racing at Donington ceased in September so work could begin to prepare the venue for next year's race.

Silverstone has hosted every British Grand Prix since 1987, while Donington, which is synonymous with MotoGP, has held only one F1 race, the European Grand Prix in 1993.

This is basically confimation that it's not happening next season by any stretch of the imagination.

This 606 comment says it all for me: "This leaves Donington with no F1, no MotoGP and a half-built track and no money". you Gillett.

[Gilles 27]

Donnington will be ok i think, the Wheatcrofts own the circuit and the bill will be picked up by Gillet one way or another

[EwanM]

Donnington will be ok i think, the Wheatcrofts own the circuit and the bill will be picked up by Gillet one way or another

Yup, but in the end it damages their market value. They wont be as marketable to series now.

[Gaz]

i was kinda hoping for donnington because its not far from where i live.

But the wrong guy was in charge of this...what a Gilliet is.

Hope Silverstone gets it now

[Frosty]

Gillet has probably broken his lease contract now so hopefully the circuit will return to the original owners.

[henners88]

I'm probably abit biased in commenting on this but I live 10 miles from Silverstone and am keen to see the British GP remain there. Donington is a great track for motorcycles etc and the access is appalling IMO.. Silverstone have spend millions of pounds improving the access to the track and I must say its a hundred times better than it was when I was a child. I'll be pleased if Silverstone retains the rights as its a fast track that the drivers love. Sorry but Donington has been thrown too many life lines already..

[McLaren]

I'm probably abit biased in commenting on this but I live 10 miles from Silverstone and am keen to see the British GP remain there. Donington is a great track for motorcycles etc and the access is appalling IMO.. Silverstone have spend millions of pounds improving the access to the track and I must say its a hundred times better than it was when I was a child. I'll be pleased if Silverstone retains the rights as its a fast track that the drivers love. Sorry but Donington has been thrown too many life lines already..

Sums it up for me aswell.The fact that since i've been going its always been there.OK the circuit has changed, but its still great standing down the bottom of the hanger .Like you say far easier to get out now aswell

[henners88]

I'm probably abit biased in commenting on this but I live 10 miles from Silverstone and am keen to see the British GP remain there. Donington is a great track for motorcycles etc and the access is appalling IMO.. Silverstone have spend millions of pounds improving the access to the track and I must say its a hundred times better than it was when I was a child. I'll be pleased if Silverstone retains the rights as its a fast track that the drivers love. Sorry but Donington has been thrown too many life lines already..

Sums it up for me aswell.The fact that since i've been going its always been there.OK the circuit has changed, but its still great standing down the bottom of the hanger .Like you say far easier to get out now aswell

Indeed the boom of the engines and the cracking sound as the cars down shift into Stowe has always been a favourite of mine when at the British GP.. Plus Club has always been the best place to get decent panning photos of the cars, which is something i'll miss should the GP move. Too many fences and not enough vantage points for me at Donington, but hey if they pull the money out of the bag Bernie will be happy and the fans will have to accept.. That life I suppose..

[Juliet P]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/17d272c4-bf3a-11de-a696-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss

As predicted, the bond failed to garner enough interest, despite the frankly ridiculous terms on which it was being offered.

Sorry, the FT is subscription based - and they don't allow you to cut and paste!

[Jensonb]

Hopefully Bernie will do a fair deal with Silverstone and we can put this ugliness behind us

[headless]

Shame for Donington the track.
What a massive balls up

[FerrariFan63]

I'll offer them the money in my pocket, £8.72, if they give me a lifetime free ticket.

[7UpJordan]

And now thanks to this complete balls-up there will be NO racing at Donington next year.

[scotty]

And now thanks to this complete balls-up there will be NO racing at Donington next year.

Wait, not even BTCC?

[7UpJordan]

And now thanks to this complete balls-up there will be NO racing at Donington next year.

Wait, not even BTCC?

Well, I assume so judging by the amount of digging up that's been carried out on the track and assuming Donington won't be able to pay up in order to get the track back up to scratch for BTCC, MotoGP etc.