Donington Park owner Kevin Wheatcroft 'tried to shield dying dad from track crisis'
Donington Park owner Kevin Wheatcroft has told how he tried to keep much of the crisis surrounding the track from his dying father.
The circuit lost a 17-year deal to host the Formula One British Grand Prix last year after failing to raise the £120m needed to upgrade the track.
Mr Wheatcroft said his father, Tom, who bought the circuit in 1971, was heartbroken when he realised his dream of holding F1 racing had been dashed.
He died in October at the age of 87 after a battle with cancer.
Speaking about his father, Mr Wheatcroft said: "By the time it was going wrong, he wasn't well enough to visit the site. I kept him informed, but minimised the bad news because of his state of health.
"It broke his heart to see the way it was going. This had been his baby for 40 years.
"My father's illness worsened at a time when I was trying to wrestle this back from administration. I should have been spending the last few weeks with him, not trying to rescue this."
Donington Ventures Leisure, the track operator fronted by businessman Simon Gillett, went into administration in November after the F1 deal collapsed.
Redevelopment work was left unfinished, putting the future of the venue as racing circuit in doubt.
Mr Wheatcroft hopes to name a new circuit operator on Sunday, March 7, after drawing up a shortlist of five from 20 serious bids.
The chosen company will be given a long-term lease and charged with making the track useable again and attracting back prestigious events, such as the MotoGP and World Superbikes, which were lost to Silverstone.
Mr Wheatcroft said it will cost £1m to restore the track, but racing should return this summer.
He added: "There's a desire by everybody to secure the big events that we have lost. The riders are keen to come back to Donington. It's something we are aiming at for next year."
Mr Wheatcroft said he still hoped to bring F1 racing back to the track one day. The last F1 event at Donington was the 1993 European Grand Prix.
"I'd naturally love to see it," he said. "It was my father's dream and it's mine too. But I do not want to do this to the detriment of the proper running of the circuit.
"This is why we are taking our time in choosing the people we go with so we are not back here in 12 months' time."
Mr Wheatcroft said he had re-employed six of the 40 staff who lost their jobs when the previous operator went into administration in November.
2 Comments
by Dave, Croft, Leicester
Tuesday, February 16 2010, 11:31AM
“I have been to watch touring cars, trucks, bikes, etc.. at Donington for over 15 years now and its very good news that they are getting back on track, as its an amazing place to see the racing! Smigg if you read the article its not the Park owners that let the Bikers go but the track operators - which are now being replaced and hopefully all types of motorsport will be back on at such a good venue. Silverstone is good but you cant see as much as the track spectating as you can at Donnington.”
by Smigg, Huddersfield
Tuesday, February 16 2010, 10:41AM
“After over 30 years of attending Donnington to watch BSB, WSB and Moto GP I find it sad that all these are now gone because some fool chased the F1 prize and with no concern for the bike brigade. Now its all gone Pete Tongue with F1 suddenly they want the bikes back, well I hope they stay at Silverstone and you get your just rewards. F1 may bring in more money but you will find us bikers very loyal when we are treated right and not so loyal when treated like Donnington has treated us. Good luck Silverstone with all your events.”