Track Focus: Donington Park
Added on Friday, July 24th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Track Focus: Donington Park
The sound of MotoGP machinery will roar down the Craner Curves for the final time this weekend as Donington Park hosts the British Grand Prix for the last time.
After the engines have been switched off on Sunday evening, Donington’s move into the F1 arena means that the British motorcycle Grand Prix will move 65 miles down the M1 to Silverstone in a move that has not gone down overly well with British bike fans.
Critics of Silverstone claim that the circuit is too dull, too flat, too car orientated, all criticisms which cannot be levelled at Donington, but those arguments are for another day. All the attention is on the East Midland’s this Sunday.
Opened in 1931 in the grounds of Donington Hall, the circuit was designed from the outset for motorcycle racing. It was only two years later that car racing was made possible.
The circuit has undergone a number of changes since then to bring it up top Grand Prix standard, the most notable of which being the introduction of the Melbourne Loop in 1985 which meant that the venue complied with MotoGP track length requirements.
Even today, Donington boasts some of the most iconic features in world motor racing. The Craner curves, named after Fred Craner, the man who persuaded the owners of Donington Hall to allow car racing on the circuit, provide riders with plenty of challenges whilst the spitfire sculpture and Starkey’s Bridge are both popular circuit landmarks.
The constant changes in elevation are one of the factors that makes Donington so popular with fans. The infield hill at Coppice in particular provides great views of the circuit all the way from the Old Hairpin and Starkey’s Bridge right up to The Esses corner, the fastest stretch of the circuit.
But Donington has not been without its critics. Whilst the decision to switch to Silverstone may have been met with disapproval, Donington has long been criticised over its facilities, parking and accessibility – all problems that need to be addressed before Bernie Ecclestone and the F1 crowd turn up next year. As for riders, several top riders have never been particularly enamoured with the Melbourne Hairpin and for a number of years the circuit owners have had to refute claims that oil from aircraft arriving and departing from East Midland’s Airport next door has spilled onto the track.
If you want another negative, Donington has only ever seen one British winner from any MotoGP class although to put a positive spin on it, that was last year when Scott Redding became the youngest ever Grand Prix winner in the 125cc championship.
Track Focus: Donington Park
| Location | Leicestershire, UK |
| Opened | 1931 |
| Length | 4.023km (2.5mi) |
| Turns | 12 (5 Left, 7 Right) |
| First MotoGP | 1987 |
| Lap Record | Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 2006: 1:28.714 |
| 2008 Winner | Casey Stoner (Ducati) |
