Donington Park thrilled to get British MotoGP back in 2015

Donington Park management have spoken of the ‘great coup’ to get the British MotoGP round back in 2015.

The Leicestershire venue hasn’t been on the world championship calendar since 2009 when it lost the rights to stage the biggest motorcycle race in the UK to Silverstone.

But MotoGP will be back at Donington Park after Dorna and the Circuit of Wales agreed a deal for the 2015 clash.
The new Circuit of Wales, which doesn’t currently exist, has the promotional rights for the 2015 British Grand Prix and negotiated with Silverstone and Donington Park about staging the race next year before the multi-million pound Ebbw Vale project is ready in 2016.

And it was confirmed earlier this afternoon that Donington Park will be back on the schedule, much to the delight of the circuit’s Managing Director, Christopher Tate.

In a statement released by Donington Park, Tate said: “Donington Park has a rich history and was the long-term home of the British round of MotoGP up until 2009; so today’s announcement has been welcomed with great joy by everyone associated with the circuit. It was no surprise that Donington’s name was thrown into the ring when it became clear that a new venue for the 2015 competition was being sought – and the enormous fan enthusiasm for a possible return, as shown in several public opinion polls, really brought home to us how well-loved our circuit is by so many MotoGP fans.”

“In the past three weeks, our team here has worked tirelessly to bring together the commercial arrangements for MotoGP 2015 in a way which supports our continued growth, while also providing the new UK rights holders with a successful event. It is a great honour that those rights-holders, the company behind the yet-to-be-built Circuit of Wales, as well as the MotoGP organisers Dorna Sports SL, have decided that Donington Park is the right venue for the 2015 UK round. There is of course much work ahead of us here, but we are more than excited – we are ready for the task of running MotoGP back at Donington Park.”

“We have the best motorcycle race track in the UK and are firmly at the heart of British motorsport. We start work on 2015 today. As well as being a great coup for Donington Park, the return of MotoGP will also provide an added boost to the regional economy, bringing tens of thousands of motorsport fans, teams and race enthusiasts to North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire. Coupled with the recent arrival of all the teams and factories of Formula E, Donington Park is once again demonstrating its importance to the wider East Midlands economy.”