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Donington Park 13/14 October


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#1 Cavalier53

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Posted 30 September 2012 - 12:08

I'm not sure thisis the correct place to ask, but here it goes: I hope to be in the area for business and spend the weekend at Donington for my 1st visit.

What are the best spots to watch the action, corners, infield/outfield?

Any suggestions for (economic) place to stay are welcome as well, preferably within crawling distance of a public house :drunk: You can pm if you deem that more appropriate.

Jan.

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#2 Pink Snail

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Posted 30 September 2012 - 12:39

Hi Cavalier, the Masters meeting will be a great one to attend - always plenty of action and cars on track :smoking: ! With regards to viewing areas, you`ll find that the whole circuit is very open and you can normally go wherever you want :up: . The paddock and pits are free to wander areas so long as you do not interrupt busy mechanics and drivers are mostly happy to talk if asked any questions. The best area to watch is Redgate corner down through Hollywood and the Craners somewhere around the DPRAC enclosure.
Another favourite of mine is to hang around the pits just before a race, take pictures and movie footage of drivers and teams getting ready to go to grid and then skip up to the pitlane entrance grandstand to watch the race.
With regards to places to stay, I am staying at Travelodge on the M1 services area 5 minutes drive from the circuit. There are places also in Kegworth and Castle Donington itself and also a great place in a village 1 mile from the circuit called Kings Newton. It all depends on your budget for the weekend as to where you stop. I will come back and let you know about the place in Kings Newton. Hope I have been of some help...for now!!
....checked it out! The pub is called the Hardinge Arms and is frequented by some of the competitors from time to time. As I said earlier, I`m at the Travelodge but there are others (East Midlands Airport - Radisson Blue) available to budget.

Edited by Pink Snail, 30 September 2012 - 13:00.


#3 TimRTC

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Posted 01 October 2012 - 09:17

In my opinion the best spots to watch are from the inside or outside of the Craner Curves near the Old Hairpin.

For the outside, simply head around the outside of the track, takes about 15 minutes. There is a big grassy bank before the bridge where you can sit quite close, or further up to see over the fencing.

For the inside, from the paddock, take the tunnel into the infield and then continue straight on past the maintenance building and staff car park. Again, good banking but only low wooden fence, you can sit right up to it, or further up the banking.

From either location you get a fantastic view of the cars coming down the wonderful trackwork and in the first laps there is often some very close driving. Both spots are great for photography.

A couple of shots from the outside, from the Donington Historic event earlier this year:

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The Furiani/Stipper Alfa Romeo leads the U2TC field into Old Hairpin by Tim R-T-C, on Flickr

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The Buxton/Steele Cortina takes a trip through the gravel by Tim R-T-C, on Flickr

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1960s British GT racers by Tim R-T-C, on Flickr

#4 Stephen W

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Posted 01 October 2012 - 09:29

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Does that Debris Fence go all the way round the circuit?


#5 TimRTC

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Posted 01 October 2012 - 10:06

Most of the way around the outside, yes. The pit straight is pretty much impossible for photography as a result. However, you can photograph over it at the outside spot I mentioned (it just appears in that shot because the car is quite a long way from the track). The inside spot does not have anything except a low wooden barrier, both at the inside of the Old Hairpin and Redgate which allows for much easier photography and quite close to the action too.

They are going to be doing a major restructuring of the infield over the next two winters, so hopefully this will not mean unnecessary Silverstone style fencing across the whole infield.

#6 Giraffe

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Posted 09 October 2012 - 12:13

Provisional entry list:

http://www.themaster.....st 081012.pdf

...& timetable:

http://www.themaster.....Version 4.pdf

#7 Phil Rainford

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Posted 10 October 2012 - 12:42

Yep ..to avoid the fences the inside of Redgate and Craner Curves are fine

Having said that you can get right up to the fence at the Chicane and shoot through it....

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...having said that if the sun is out you cannot take any shots at the Chicane in the morning


PAR

#8 Pink Snail

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Posted 10 October 2012 - 18:08

Phil, I do believe the picture of Martin S in the chicane was at the Festival, set fastest lap in Qualifying and hit the edge of the gravel at Coppice :smoking: , pit box was after the timing beam so pole stood :eek: . I could/may be wrong on that but stand to be corrected as ever :rolleyes: !! The right rear tyre in the picture looks like it`s ready to go west.....great shot by the way!! :wave:

#9 David Lawson

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Posted 10 October 2012 - 20:13

I agree with the suggestions already made for taking pictures at Donington and I would add that you can also take pictures through the debris fencing at other corners as well.

I took these at the recent FIA GT/British GT meeting through debris fencing at the following corners

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Hollywood

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Entry to McLeans with Schwantz Curve behind

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Apex of McLeans

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Coppice

David

#10 Phil Rainford

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Posted 11 October 2012 - 10:12

Phil, I do believe the picture of Martin S in the chicane was at the Festival, set fastest lap in Qualifying and hit the edge of the gravel at Coppice :smoking: , pit box was after the timing beam so pole stood :eek: . I could/may be wrong on that but stand to be corrected as ever :rolleyes: !! The right rear tyre in the picture looks like it`s ready to go west.....great shot by the way!! :wave:


You are quite correct....he set pole time with the tyre halfway off the rim :eek:

PAR

#11 Phil Rainford

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Posted 11 October 2012 - 10:14

I agree with the suggestions already made for taking pictures at Donington and I would add that you can also take pictures through the debris fencing at other corners as well.

I took these at the recent FIA GT/British GT meeting through debris fencing at the following corners

David


David

Just a quick question these pictures mean I will have to get my walking boots on this weekend :) Are you now able to get to Coppice from the chicane or do you have to walk via Redgate, Old Hairpin etc ?


PAR



#12 David Lawson

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Posted 11 October 2012 - 12:26

Phil

I walked clockwise from Redgate round to Coppice but they did have the gates open at the chicane and Coppice so you could go out and back in to cut out the long walk if you preferred.

David

#13 Phil Rainford

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Posted 11 October 2012 - 17:40

Phil

I walked clockwise from Redgate round to Coppice but they did have the gates open at the chicane and Coppice so you could go out and back in to cut out the long walk if you preferred.

David


Thanks David :up:

PAR

#14 john aston

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Posted 12 October 2012 - 06:44

Tempting - as am not very mobile can anybody tell me if I can still park the car next to track near start/finish line. Last visit - early'11- the place was a building site with v restricted access.

#15 Phil Rainford

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Posted 13 October 2012 - 07:57

Tempting - as am not very mobile can anybody tell me if I can still park the car next to track near start/finish line. Last visit - early'11- the place was a building site with v restricted access.


Cars do drive under the track by the chicane and park up on the start finish/straight........but not sure what type off ticket you need to access the area John

PAR

#16 David Lawson

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Posted 13 October 2012 - 13:33

The two tunnels into the infield from the paddock and the chicane are both for pedestrian use only, according to the signs above them. There are usually cars parked inside Redgate and behind the craner curves but I wonder if they are marshals cars rather than spectators?

David

#17 Phil Rainford

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 07:22

Well I enjoyed it on Sunday :)

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PAR

#18 Giraffe

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 12:39

The fabulous JC Bamford McLaren M8F pictured yesterday with Andy Newall behind the wheel

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#19 arttidesco

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 13:07

Lovely pics Phil and Tony :up: Any more ?

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#20 Giraffe

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 17:07

Lovely pics Phil and Tony :up: Any more ?


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Edited by Giraffe, 31 October 2012 - 14:35.


#21 arttidesco

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 17:20

Thanks Tony lppks like an entertaining day at the races, not seen a/the N176 in the flesh since the Nurburgring in 1976 :up:

#22 Giraffe

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 17:22

Thanks Tony lppks like an entertaining day at the races, not seen a/the N176 in the flesh since the Nurburgring in 1976 :up:


James Hagan's MN177 actually, Ralf. :wave:

#23 D-Type

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 20:36

Can I reiterate what I often say on threads like this:
Captions please !
for those who weren't lucky enough to be there and may not recognise every subject.

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#24 Giraffe

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 20:46

For some reason, I cannot edit that post Duncan. However.....

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#25 arttidesco

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Posted 15 October 2012 - 21:06

James Hagan's MN177 actually, Ralf. :wave:


Doh! Never seen one of those in the flesh :blush:

#26 Pink Snail

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Posted 16 October 2012 - 20:07

It says the Ensign M177 is black.....looked like a reddish tint of black to me!!


#27 geordiecraig101

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Posted 23 October 2012 - 13:19

hey there people, abit late getting stuff sorted but better late than never. Managed to get all pics n vids uploaded so pop over have a look n all coments welcome. Craig

http://www.youtube.c...geordiecraig101

http://www.flickr.co...geordiecraig101



#28 Giraffe

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Posted 24 October 2012 - 18:25

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"Well I never!" Simon Hadfield confounds Pink Snail....

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"Here we go again....."

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