Follow the signs from the M1 or the A50. Easy peasy.

If taking the A50 eastbound, beware that the sign off the A50 is a little squiffy. You *do* take the first signed exit off the A50, and then go all the way round the roundabout. Then go through the village of Castle Donington, and past the runway for East Mids airport. You'll then be brought out right past the entry to Donny itself.

If you're coming from the South / South-west an alternative is to join the M42 from the M40 or M5. Follow the M42 north until it becomes the A42. Then just follow the signposts. If camping, watch out for the road leading to the paddock entrance. The signpost is usually hidden by vegetation, and the turning is blind coming from this direction.

The entrance to the infield is through the underpass at Coppice near the museum. The entrance of the Castle Donington road will bring you at the right end of the circuit, rather than the paddock entrance. It also keeps you out of all the Sunday maket traffic. Go through the underpass and follow the track ahead, passing the new moto-x track on your left, follow this track with race control and the pits above to the left, and the "football pitch" on the right. The track goes downhill with trees on the right towards Redgate. Opposite the paddock tunnel turn right towards the Craner Suites where there is ample parking. Sign on is at the bottom end of the suites, Donington ES on the left, organising club on the right. At some meetings when numbers are low to spread manpower effectively you may be asked to sign-in with the organising club and then go next door to be allocated. Please don't be too annoyed about having to queue twice - its just to try and get an equal spread of people around the circuit.

Do come and visit the ES Team as we have Tea, Coffee, Toast & Bacon Butties for sale when volunteers allow.

The "Infield entrance" is just about where post 25 is marked on the map above. The road takes you past the stray 17 which is marked in the middle of the map and then left along where it says Wheatcroft Straight and then to where it says Craner Curves.

Access route changed - 2007

Access to sign-on is (normally) via the tunnel at Coppice. Follow signs for the Donington Collection (the museum) and then signs for the infield access. The gate is behind post 17 on the map. Then make your way down to the sign-on as described in the notes above.

Signing on is at the craner Curves suite, the road down to which is near the tunnel under the start line. Often has two signing on points next to each other, one for the native Donington ES team and one for those who signed on via BARC. Best to ask somebody with a Donington patch on their back where to go.

Sign on is usually at 07:45 but can be earlier for the bigger meetings, check your passes when you receive them

Two circuit configurations

National Circuit - 1.95 miles

This is the better of the two from a racing perspective.

Grand Prix Circuit - 2.5 miles - Adds the Melbourne loop

Tends to spread the cars out to much as a result of the stop-start nature of the loop with its two haipins

Post numbering can be confusing as posts are numbered according to an FIA directive relating to 'phone points - some of which no longer have phones.

Note - posts 25 - 33 are only used on the GP circuit - so if you get sent there for a National circuit meeting you have probably upset someone!

Post 1 - Start Finish Straight. On inside of circuit opposite the pits

Post 2 - Redgate In. Outside of circuit at end of hospitality suites just before corner

Post 3 - Redgate Out. Outside of circuit just after main apex of corner

Post 4 - Redgate Out. Outside of circuit just after main apex of corner.

Post 6 - Top of Craner Curvers. On outside at top of Craner Curves.

Post 7 - Craner Curves. On outside of circuit part way down hill - just look for the tall tower!

Post 9 - Old Hairpin. On outside at straight-on point for cars failing to get round the hairpin

Post 11 - Starkeys Bridge. On inside of circuit, just after the bridge with Bluebird on

Post 12 - Schwanse Curve. On inside of circuit part way up the hill

Post 13 - On inside on approach to Macleans

Post 14 - Macleans. On outside at straight on point

Post 16 

Post 15 - On outside halfway along the straight

Post 17 - Coppice In. On outside at straight on point

Post 18 - Coppice Out. On outside at exit of corner

Post 19 - On outside part way along Starkeys Straight

Post 21 - On outside just before the footbridge

Post 23 - Foggarty's In. On inside over the tunnel

Post 25 - Foggarty's Out. On outside at exit of corner

Melbourne Loop 26 to 33 - One of the Iconic corners in the UK. After a long straight charge down from Foggarty's Chicane (often referred to as The Esses), drivers have to haul on the brakes to scrub their speed down to a crawl to get around the 180 right hander. Post 29 is on the pit straight side of the loop but has to man the inside, underneath the lager can. Make sure you have bottles and have agreed your hand signal policy with the observer before the green flag goes out if you're on the inside. I recommend only doing one session before rotating the post as it can make you dizzy after a while trying to keep up with whats happening 306 degrees around you. Best place to park your car is probably between the Craner Curves Suite and the Start line Straight Tunnel, then it's just a shortish walk through the tunnel and around the back of the Paddock to get to post. (Go to the collection area to get onto the circuit). Post has good facilities because it's near the paddock so it's handy for toilets, shops and the café or Burger vans. 10/10 to Donington for providing huts and kit lockers at most posts.

Post 26 - On 'central reservation' of the loop

Post 27 - Melbourne In

Post 29 - Melbourne Out. On exit of Melbourne hairpin at end of hospitality units

Post 33 - Halfway up the return leg of GP loop against paddock fence

Post 38 - The Cage. Big white metal cage between Foggaty's and Goddards hairpin/chicane

Post 39 - On inside at exit of Goddards

No notes yet added.

Prone to late finishes. Often long walks to post. Posts can be confusing for the begginer to get to. Locals V.Friendly. Circuit underneath glidepath for East Midlands Airport so don't bother taking your earplugs out after the racing if you're camping - you'll need them in to get some sleep. Classic circuit with some great overtaking points and corners that really test driver skill to the limit.

Don't forget the museum, if your up for the weekend and get the chance its well worth a visit. Most of the cars are runners, but the days are long gone wen Tom used to turn up and take one for a spin (literally some times).

donington have possibly three;
166.7625 main one
169.0125 ch 2
169.3375 ch 3

Diane Hardy for Incident / ES Team, contact details via www.marshals.co.uk

No notes yet added.

In what is known as paddock 3 - you will require a vehicle pass to get in though. Paddock 3 is the grassy area on the left, just inside the main paddock entrance. Showers are available from either the portable units in Paddock 3 or better ones in the drivers changing room in paddock 2 - by the underpass to the infield.

Don't bother with Redgate - expensive beer - try the Bull in Wilson, about a half mile walk but well worth it, apparently their food is excellent but you would have too book.

Food at the Bull is excellent - but it is "posh" food - expensive and smallish portions, not for those on a tight budget.

There have been two recent occasions where Donnington have accomodated marshals in a private campsite behind the pub/hotel next to the main paddock entrance. This site is a superb facility (I believe it is a camping & caravan club site of some kind). and well worth considering for smaller meetings.

If you are camping in paddock 3 - take a big mallett and strong pegs as the ground is a bit stoney. No such trouble on the previously mentioned private site.

Diane Hardy for Incident / ES Team, contact details via www.marshals.co.uk.

Flags / Obs / Off Course via org. club.