Win a pair of tickets to the 2016 Donington Historic Festival
Competition time
This time we are offering 3 readers the chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2016 Donington Historic Festival. The Donington Historic Festival is a must attend event for any Classic Motorsport fan. You’ll see wonderful racing cars and be able to get up close to the cars and drivers, in a very relaxed environment. It’s very cool.
Whether you’re a long-time enthusiast or have never seen a historic racing car in action before, you’ll find plenty to entertain you at the Donington Historic Festival. After five very successful years the event is firmly established as a major fixture on the international historic racing calendar, attracting many thousands of spectators, hundreds of world-class historic racing cars and huge numbers of classic car club displays.
Donington Park has a fabulous history, from the days of the pre-War Silver Arrows GP cars right through to modern times, and the Festival calls upon all that history, creating a fantastic atmosphere at what is arguably the best spectator circuit in the country.
As well as watching such iconic machines fighting it out on track, spectators can wander round the race paddocks, enjoying free access and getting up close to the cars and stars. And there are always plenty of off-track attractions and live action – including legendary Group B rally cars, autojumble and memorabilia stalls, cafés, bars and food outlets – and extensive club displays of classic cars from the dozens of car clubs that create a ‘living motoring museum’ right in the heart of the infield.
To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets tell us an interesting fact about Donington race circuit. The more you put in the more you’re likely to get out!
It was during a significantly wet 1993 European Grand Prix when Ayrton Senna won what is considered to be one of the best races of his motorsport career at Donington. Senna progressed from fifth to first place during the opening lap, and finished over one minute ahead of runner up Damon Hill.
Wow Leane, that’s some research.
Donington was launched as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship.
Donnington Park was the first permanent park circuit in England.
It’s first motorcycle race took place on Whit Monday 1931 on the narrow lanes of the Donington Hall Estate. 1933 the track was widened, made permanent and became a venue for Grand Prix car racing.
The second world war put an end to all racing at the circuit in 1939, after being requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence to be used as a military vehicle depot.It was Used as a military vehicle storage depot during World War II, it fell into disrepair until bought by local construction entrepreneur Tom Wheatcroft.
Revived under his ownership in the 1970s, it hosted a single Formula One race, but became the favoured home of the British round of the MotoGP motorcycling championship.
In 1987, with the staging of the FIM World Championship British Motorcycle Grand Prix, Donington helped turn the event around in terms of spectator appeal, bringing in record numbers through the turnstiles.
It became the favoured home of the British round of the Moto GP motorcycling championships and British Superbike Championships. Probably because the circuits twists and turns provide the crowd with a racing spectacle and the rider’s skills are really put to the test.
Donington is a fans favourite with too many spectacles’ to list but who could forget Barry Sheene, the last British 500cc world champion, returning to Donington Park after that terrible crash at Silverstone riding a Yamaha.
Leased by Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd in 2007 the hope that Formula One racing could return to the track, the incomplete venture failed to raise sufficient financial backing during the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. DVLL consequently lost the rights to the British rounds of both Formula1 and MotoGP, and in its bankruptcy returned the track to the Wheatcroft family in December 2009.
The only proposed race meeting that was announced prior to recent developments was the BTCC meeting. However, in October 2010, it was confirmed that the UK round of the WTCC would move from Brands Hatch to Donington for the 2011 season.[1] Also at the end of 2010, it was announced that Donington would become home to an annual historic motorsport event, the Donington Historic Festival (April 30-May 1, 2011). However, in 2010, the Fogarty Esses were modified for faster exit speeds.[2] World Superbikes held the European Round in 2011 and 2012 at Donington but as from 2013 there will be no European round and the British round will move from Silverstone to Donington.
The Donington Park circuit was England’s first-ever permanent park circuit. Its creation in 1931 ended Brooklands’ race circuit domination in the country, which had been England’s only motorsport venue since 1907.
war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship. Used as a military vehicle storage depot during World War II, it fell into disrepair until bought by local construction entrepreneur Tom Wheatcroft. Revived under his ownership in the 1970s, it hosted a single Formula One race, but became the favoured home of the British round of the MotoGP motorcycling championship. Leased by Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd in 2007 the hope that Formula One racing could return to the track, the incomplete venture failed to raise sufficient financial backing during the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. DVLL consequently lost the rights to the British rounds of both Formula1 and MotoGP, and in its bankruptcy returned the track to the Wheatcroft family in December 2009. The only proposed race meeting that was announced prior to recent developments was the BTCC meeting. However, in October 2010, it was confirmed that the UK round of the WTCC would move from Brands Hatch to Donington for the 2011 season. Also at the end of 2010, it was announced that Donington would become home to an annual historic motorsport event, the Donington Historic Festival (April 30-May 1, 2011). However, in 2010, the Fogarty Esses were modified for faster exit speeds. World Superbikes held the European Round in 2011 and 2012 at Donington but as from 2013 there will be no European round and the British round will move from Silverstone to Donington.
There’s a ‘Backwards Race’ every year at the track, where everyone has to reverse around the course as quickly as they can. The winning time last year equaled the ‘Forwards Race’ – amazing!
Donington Park was used as a Prisoner of war camp during World War 1. In 1915 German pilot Gunther Pluschow was captured and kept at Donington but managed to successfully escape, becoming the only German to escape from British POW camp. His story became known worldwide and he commented later of his love for Donington Park. In 1939 the circuit closed again during WW2 for the Ministry of Defense to use as a vehicle depot.