Troubled Donington is handed Grand Prix lifeline

Donington Park’s plans to host the British Grand Prix have been given a double fillip. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone announced that he was willing to delay the first British GP at Donington by a year in the wake of Donington Ventures Leisure’s well-publicised financial and planning problems. At the same time, a vital planning deadline has been extended until the end of June.

A deadline for the final piece of the planning permission needed for the track to run the Grand Prix had been at the end of March. That has now been extended until June 30.

That will give Donington boss Simon Gillett time to settle his financial dispute with track owner Tom Wheatcroft. The landowner has to sign the crucial section 106 agreement covering the transport plan and environmental issues as well as the leaseholder.

Gillett maintains that the Donington GP “is safe” and insists that he will not have to take advantage of Ecclestone’s grace period.