Currently reading: Green light for Donington work

New British GP home granted planning permission for work to start in August

Construction work at Donington Park is set to commence on 1 August as part of its redevelopment ahead of hosting next year’s British GP.

Donington was finally awarded full planning permission from its local council after a long struggle last week, and circuit boss Simon Gillett says work will start later this summer after it hosts rounds of the World Superbikes and British MotoGP.

Gillett said: “It's been a lot of hard work up until this point. It has been like pushing water uphill with a fork occasionally, but the team here are fantastic and we have got clarity of vision and the support of all the right people so here we are.

“The pit and paddock was built over one winter and we are doing a similar kind of thing, just on a slightly larger scale. We were hoping to have started a bit earlier but as I've said we had a problem with our funding source at the time, that's put us back.

“We'll be resolving our funding by the end of July and then we will start putting forks in the ground on the first of August.”

Following the success of the British GP at Silverstone earlier this month, FIA president Max Mosley and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone had suggested that next year’s race may take place at the Northamptonshire circuit after all, and not at Donington, despite Gillett having the rights to stage the race.

Mark Tisshaw

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