Donington restoration bill to reach £600,000
Simon Gillett's company (DVLL) went into administration shortly after the grand prix deal fell through
Wednesday, 06, Jan 2010 01:15
By Adam Leveridge
The owners of Donington Park say they will have to spend £600,000 on restoring the Leistershire circuit back to its former glory after the deal to host the British grand prix in 2010 fell through.
Donington was awarded the rights to host the British round of the formula one world championship from 2010 onwards back in 2008, but lost the contract when it failed to organise its finances by the deadline set by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Work on developing Donington into a grand prix standard venue had already begun by the time the deal fell through and circuit remains a construction site with sections of the track still missing.
Kevin Wheatcroft, son Tom Wheatcroft who owned the circuit until he passed away in 2009, told the Derby Telegraph that he expects the bill for the restoration to reach the £600,000 mark.
"We have been assessing what is required to put things back as they were. We reckon this will cost in the region of about £600,000, but to get it up to grand prix standard you could add a couple of '0's," said Wheatcroft.
"We want to get the place operational again.
"The first thing has been to try to save as many jobs as possible.
"As of this week, we have re-opened the museum and cafe and race control office."
The British grand prix will be hosted by Silverstone for the next 17 years after weeks of negotiations between the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC), who own the Northamptonshire circuit, and the sport's commercial rights holder Ecclestone resulted in a deal.