MSV acquires Donington Park
Motor Sport Vision has secured a deal to acquire Donington Park and will lease the Donington Park Estate for an initial 21-year period.
MSV, which currently owns Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Oulton Park, Cadwell Park and Bedford Aerodrome, has extended his British circuit portfolio with the purchase of the Donington Park Estate which includes the circuit, the Donington Park Grand Prix collection and also hosts the Download music festival.
MSV owner Jonathan Palmer has paid huge credit to the Wheatcroft family who initially developed the circuit into an iconic British motorsport venue that has hosted F1 and MotoGP before restoring it back to its former glory after the failed Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd almost saw the Leicestershire track go out of business.
"I am thrilled that MSV has now acquired the Donington circuit business," Palmer said. "Donington has incredible history, being the first permanent road circuit in the country and the only circuit upon which the mighty pre-war Auto Unions and Mercedes Grand Prix cars raced in the 1930s.
"Its modern day existence is purely down to the vision and energy of Tom Wheatcroft, whom I admired enormously. Like many circuits in the UK, Donington has had a turbulent time over the last ten years, though thankfully Kevin Wheatcroft and his team have now recovered the damage done by the previous owner of the business.
"Donington is a good British circuit that deserves further investment, energy and expertise in order to make it truly outstanding, and MSV will provide this. We plan a great new era for Donington, with some exciting new events and much enhanced quality of experience for all of its customers, whether spectators, competitors and track day participants, together with even better value."
MSV currently holds the commercial and running rights for the British Superbike championship and the BRDC British Formula 3 championship.
In 2015, MSV expanded into Europe by purchasing of a former military airbase in north-east France, which it is currently under development into a motorsport facility named Laon Autodrome.
Currently, Donington Park hosts the British round of the World Superbike championship as well as BSB and BTCC.
The deal cannot be formally confirmed without clearance from the regulating authorities who will need to give approval to the acquisition.
