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PRESS
RELEASE FROM DONINGTON PARK 27 MAY 2010
After
months of speculation and
adverse media exposure one of Britain's
great motor racing
circuits is in new hands and once again looking forward to an exciting
and
optimistic future.
Donington
Park
has been part of the
fabric of British motor racing for 80 years but in recent times it
found itself
mired in operational and financial turmoil. The euphoria of being
awarded the
British Grand Prix ahead of Silverstone was swiftly followed by the
reality of
delivering on massive intentions and promises during the simultaneous
financial
downturn.
The
future of the facility has been
in doubt ever since. However a team has now emerged to secure the site
lease
and in so doing almost certainly left more fancied bidders scratching
their
heads.
The
Worcestershire based Adroit Group
faced stiff opposition from experienced motorsport names, but their
mixture of
acute business sense, realism and genuine enthusiasm for motor racing
was
enough for owner Kevin Wheatcroft to opt for their brand of drive,
honesty and
authenticity.
The
family owned, £16m turnover
company is a construction, modular buildings and property investment
specialist
concentrating on : water, energy, infrastructure, renewable energy,
health
& education and rail. With its head office in Bromsgrove,
Adroit is
perfectly positioned to tackle many of the pressing tasks at hand on a
site
that has been unused since September 2009 and all operational duties
will be
taken over by the newly established arm of the Adroit Group.
Group
MD David Broome commented, “It
is a big task and nobody is under any illusions about that. We intend
to bring
the site back up to a world class standard.
The entire site needs attention whilst much of it will
require a total
overhaul from the track itself to the medical centre, hospitality
suites,
phone, radio and PA systems, IT systems, CCTV and general ground work.
There is
no magic wand, but through a calm, cautious, credible and sensible
approach we
know that we have the experience, expertise and absolute commitment to
bring
the glory years back to Donington.
“I
believe the very fact that we
fully understand the task at hand and were able to convey our realism
and
pragmatism were factors in us winning out over the other
parties,” he added.
Geoff
Allchurch MD of Adroit
Construction Services plc and David Larner Head of Operations stated
that they
were wholly behind the Groups approach to Donington and they were
determined to
see the first phase of the reconstruction delivered on time and to the
highest
standard demanded by the MSA, and that further reconstruction would be
treated
with the same level of commitment.
Kevin
Wheatcroft enthused “We are particularly pleased that after a
long interview
process, we feel that we have found the right people to move Donington
forward
into a new and exciting future. David and Steve impressed us from the
first
time we met them and we have every confidence in their ability and
vision for
Donington”
The
new operator will take over the
entire site which straddles the Leicestershire and Derbyshire border.
Apart
from the famed race track and all its attendant operational, pit and
spectator
facilities the lease includes: exhibition facilities, the Donington
Grand Prix
Collection - housing the world's largest collection of GP cars and
driver’s
crash helmets, the Norton motorbike factory, all woodland areas and
extensive
parking.
Operations
Director Steve Watton
said, “It is a vast and multi-faceted site and our approach
will dictate that
no one element will suck the attention, life and finances from any
other. Quite
the opposite, everything must enhance everything else.
Not only will we bring existing aspects back
up to scratch but we intend to make exciting new introductions that
will not
demand huge capital outlay but will make best use of what we already
have on
our doorstep. We will develop new income streams whilst broadening the
range of
facilities and events from exhibitions to new sports.
A
great deal of work has already been
put in by Kevin and his team, John Symes from the RAC Motor Sports
Association
and Duncan Green from Pick Everard.
They
have provided a detailed list of specific requirements in order for us
to
regain the circuit's essential FiA Grade 2 Licence.
We will comply fully with these requirements
in order to meet the all important MSA track inspection scheduled for
the
beginning of August.
It
is also critical to us that we
work with the Castle Donington community - the newly elected MP, the
residents,
councillors, businesses, schools and the neighbouring East
Midlands
airport. It is as much
their facility as anyone's and we want them to feel part of it and be
proud of
it. We should be a massive element of a thriving area and want to play
our part
to ensure that is the case.
This
will also provide financial
security for the employees currently working at Donington. Robert Fearnall will
continue to coordinate
all motor sport matters and the track maintenance team will also be
taken on. Couple
this with Kevin Wheatcroft and Neil
Leavesley remaining active for a transitional period and John Greaves
continuing to look after catering and event management and you have a
facility
which will very quickly be hosting events across the board, from the
forthcoming Master Series which is scheduled for the 3rd,
4th
and 5th September to the British Touring Car
Championship which also
remains on the race calendar”
Watton,
a club racing driver for more
than 20 years added; “Donington
Park
is one of Britain's
big three alongside
Silverstone and Brands Hatch. It has the most fantastic heritage
stretching
back as far as the 1930’s when legends such as Tazio
Nuvolari, Bernd Rosemayer
and Richard Seaman were competing there. Ayrton Senna drove what many
consider
the greatest opening lap in Grand Prix history there and of course it
has
become one of Europe’s
great motorcycle racing venues. This is going to be
a dynamic new era but we want to preserve and celebrate such rich
heritage.”
One
such feature which will be
entirely cosmetic yet appreciated by racing fans the world over is the Dunlop
Bridge.
This will be
reintroduced. Previous
occupiers however
had dismantled it and new clearance regulations mean that it could no
longer
straddle the track in its original dimensions, however the new team
intend to
resurrect it elsewhere on site where it will be seen by the maximum
number of
visitors.
They
now have until August 1st
to ready the circuit for MSA
inspection and admit the
time line is short but added that a programme is in place and they are
working
tightly to programme. A projected £1.5-2.0m will be spent on
the track by the
end of the year and the first phase begins immediately.
David
Broome concluded, “There is a
'Save Donington' Facebook site with 14,500 members. I'm looking forward
to
welcoming each and every one of those enthusiasts to a 'Donington is
Saved' group! In March 8,500 people turned up to show their support for
the
venue and, although it must be a business venture too, together with
the
community these are the people we are doing this for. The racing world
needs to
see Donington put back on its feet and that is exactly what we are
going to do.”
The
new operator is also striving for
a new strong identity so when people see an arrangement of colours or
logo they
will recognise it immediately as Donington
Park
and they'll know that
stands for great racing, great entertainment and wonderful facilities.
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