Track Guide: Donington

• 2010-01-04
• NFSDrew
• 0 Comments

  Sadly, today is the final day of guides and we're showing you Donington. It is a four-kilometer (2.5 mile), 12-turn circuit located in North West Leicestershire, England, and was set to become the home of the Formula One British Grand Prix before the track filed for bankruptcy in late 2009. In racing, Donington Park is probably best known for hosting the 1993 European Grand Prix, an event that was dominated by two things: rain, and the outstanding performance of the late Ayrton Senna, who led the race nearly from wire-to-wire, moving from fifth to first during the first lap, and defeating second-place Damon Hill by more than one minute. A memorial to Senna, who was killed in a horrific crash one year later, still stands outside a gift shop on the site. The circuit has a colorful history, as it was closed in 1939 after being requisitioned by the British Ministry of Defense at the outbreak of World War II. Donington Park was used as a storage facility for military vehicles until 1971, when it was bought by businessman Tom Wheatcroft, who re-opened the circuit to racers in 1977. In music, the site is well-known for being the host of the Download Festival, a three-day rock concert that in 2009 featured Def Leppard, Slipknot and Mötley Crüe on the main stages and drew 80,000 fans. Enjoy!       We hope you enjoyed the holidays and the guides.  I guess it's time for us to get back to work.  What a minute!!  I've been working the whole time...lol.Cheers Everyone!- NFSDrew