Donington Historic Festival - 30 Apr-1 May 11

DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL 2011: INAUGURAL EVENT A HUGE SUCCESS

Posted: May 8, 2011 12:49 PM

Twelve races; 300 historic racing cars out on track; 38 car clubs with 100s of cars on display; 12,000 people and two days of non-stop sunshine. The first ever Donington Historic Festival could hardly be bettered, but plans are already afoot to make the 2012 event even more enticing…
…while keeping true to the Festival’s ethos of family-friendly ticket prices, free access to the paddock and off-track activities, plus a firm focus on top-level racing action from the cream of Europe’s historic cars and drivers.

The variety of motorsport action at the 2011 Festival was enormous, aiming to provide something for everyone: from single-seaters to Touring Cars; pre-War racers to Group C; Astons, Ferraris, Jaguars and Maseratis to Listers, Lolas and Bentleys; and from high-octane racing to demonstrations of Group B rally cars and historic karts.

“This was the first time we’d run the Festival, so we couldn’t be absolutely certain how it would turn out,” said event organiser Duncan Wiltshire, “but it exceeded our most optimistic expectations in every way: the spectators, the weather, the revitalised circuit, but above all the racing.

“We saw huge grids of some of the best historic cars in Europe, with racing that was incredibly close and unbelievably exciting. The advantage of Donington, of course, is that it’s such a spectacular circuit for watching the action: from the restructured infield you have a fabulous view of the twists, turns and gradients. There are few places in Europe which offer such a superb ‘amphitheatre’ from which to watch a race.

“The Group B rally cars and historic karts in action on the Grand Prix loop also proved enormously popular. We’ve had the most fantastic feedback from spectators – and from the 38 car clubs who took part, bringing their treasured classics to park in the infield and provide yet another attraction for visitors. We’re already discussing possible dates for the 2012 Festival, and hope to announce these as soon as possible.”

Donington Historic Festival Pledges ‘Family-Friendly’ Prices

Posted: January 31, 2011 3:13 PM

The Donington Historic Festival – now confirmed as an action-packed two-day event, featuring more than 300 iconic historic racing cars – has pledged ticket prices that will be well below the usual cost of top-quality historic motorsport weekends.

“We know that the cost of taking the whole family to a historic motorsport festival can seem prohibitive,” says event organiser Duncan Wiltshire, “so we have decided to keep ticket prices affordable. The popularity of historic motorsport has rocketed in recent years, with huge numbers of spectators enjoying the sights and sounds of fabulous, famous machinery, flat-out on a race track; but it has also tended to become a very expensive day out. The Donington Historic Festival offers all the thrills of the top, established events, but at a family-friendly price – and at arguably the best spectator circuit in the country.”

Advance tickets will start at just £18 for adults, with free entry for accompanied under-16-year-olds. On-the-gate adult tickets will be priced at £22. So a full day of motorsport, plus plenty of off-track action, entertainment and demos, can cost as little as £36 for two adults and their children. A very busy two days…

Originally conceived as a three-day festival, the Donington Historic now packs all the action into two – Saturday and Sunday, 30th April and 1st May. As Duncan Wiltshire explains,
“Contrary to what many people have assumed, this is not because of a certain wedding that’s taking place on 29th April – but because we have been asked by North West Leicestershire District Council to amend the schedule of the 2011 event. The benefit for spectators, of course, is that there will be just as much action, but all within the two-day weekend.”

For the cost of an entry ticket, spectators will experience an enormous variety of racing action covering the 1930s to the 1980s. The Festival includes Group C Le Mans sportscars, Porsche 917s and Ferrari GTOs, pre-War Bentleys, Bugattis and Alfa Romeos and far more besides. There is free paddock access, allowing everyone to get up close to these outstanding racing machines, plus off-track displays and action, Group B rally cars, historic karts, autojumble and memorabilia stalls, cafés, bars and food outlets – and club displays of selected classic marques, right next to the race paddock and trade village.

Group B Cars at the Donington Historic Festival

Posted: January 8, 2011 9:39 PM

The latest thrilling addition to the Donington Historic Festival on 29 April to 1 May 2011 is the return of the legendary Group B rally cars. Over the weekend of the Festival, spectators will be treated to a full power demonstration of these iconic ‘too fast to race’ rally machines.

From 1972 until the 1990s, Donington was used, on and off, as a stage on the annual RAC Rally. This included the era of the stunning Group B rally cars of the 1980s, when the Group B rules allowed unlimited boost, along with low weight and high-tech materials. The result was genuinely staggering performance, so much so that in 1986 a series of fatal accidents saw the sudden withdrawal of Group B and the outrageously quick rally cars it had spawned.

At the Donington Historic Festival, a line-up of original works rally warriors will be put into action by the ‘Rallying with Group B’ club members, reviving the fire and fury of these spectacular machines. Spectators can expect to see and hear flame-spitting Audi quattros, MG Metro 6R4, Ford RS200, Lancia 037, Porsche 911 RSR, Peugeot 205 T16 – and even an example of the exotic Group B Ferrari 308 GTB. The rally cars will perform their spectacular stuff on a specially designed, all-Tarmac stage on the GP loop, with full, free spectator access.

This is just the latest attraction to complement three days of the very best in historic racing, ranging from pre-1960 Touring Cars to 1977-85 Touring Cars; from pre-War sports cars to Group C sports cars; and from pre-63 GTs to World Endurance Championship sports prototypes from 1968-71 – plus much, much more.

The first annual Donington Historic Festival will take place on the Bank Holiday weekend of 29 April to 1 May 2011.

Event Website:

Posted: January 8, 2011 9:38 PM

Donington Historic Festival