London, March 29, 2001
F1 In Abundance
If Formula One cars are your passion, then a visit to the Donington Grand Prix
Collection is an absolute must, as it is the largest collection of Grand Prix racing
cars in the world. Even if your interest is general motor sport as opposed to
specifically Formula One, you will find the displays fascinating, and be impressed
by the sheer scale of the collection, plus the variety of cars exhibited.
Boyhood Passion
The collection and the adjacent racing circuit are there through the vision and
passion for motor sport of one man, the founder and owner Tom Wheatcroft, who
through his successful building business has fulfilled a boyhood dream. He
watched the Donington Grand Prix in 1935, having cycled thirty miles to the circuit,
and was mesmerized and enthralled by the sights and sounds of the fearsome
machinery, barely in the control of their brave pilots. The circuit and surrounding
parkland was commandeered by the War Office for the duration of the Second
World War, and subsequently fell into neglect and disrepair upon cessation of
hostile activities, with further degradation as the years passed.
Hard Work Fulfills The Passion
By the early seventies, the young spectator from 1935 had become a successful
local businessman, with sufficient finance to acquire the derelict remains of the
circuit and surrounding parkland. Thus the revival of the circuit, and the
construction of a purpose made building to house his ever increasing collection
of Grand Prix cars commenced. The Donington Grand Prix Collection was
opened to the public in March 1973, whilst the circuit in a re-routed form from the
original, to incorporate safety requirements that were non existent in the thirties,
had its inaugural race meeting in 1977. It had always been Tom Wheatcroft's
ambition to stage a Grand Prix at the new Donington circuit, and this was realised
in April 1993, when the circuit hosted the European Grand Prix, run in appalling
weather conditions. It was won by the legendary Ayrton Senna in a McLaren Ford,
after an inspired drive that left his competitors floundering in his wake, only
Damon Hill finishing on the same lap, some 1min 23secs in arrears. The
winning car from that race unsurprisingly has a special place in the Collection.
Motor Sport From The Moment You Arrive
Upon arrival one finds a large parking area fronting the Collection building
complex, from which a pathway lined by antique petrol pumps, with a large
memorial to two of South America's late and greatest racing drivers, Juan Manuel
Fangio and Ayrton Senna to the right side, leads to the main entrance. Entering
the foyer of the single storey complex, which makes it ideal for the disabled in
wheelchairs, one finds a memorabilia boutique adjacent to the ticket booth, a
large well stocked motor racing equipment and clothing store, the Collection
restaurant off to the left, plus a motoring art display and sales area. There are
also showcases containing some of the Collection's vast motor racing
memorabilia inventory, to wet your appetite for what you will find within. The
attention to detail is superb, even the public toilets have specially commissioned
ceramic tiles on the walls depicting motor racing scenes.
Defying Belief
The Collection display is divided between five halls with link corridors, so that you
pass from one hall to the next, and then retrace your steps, thus taking in all the
exhibits on one side on the way in, and the other side on the way out. Entering
the Collection display area from the foyer, you are met with the vision of Tom
Wheatcroft's correct to the screw thread pitch re-creation of a 1931 Bugatti Type
41 Royale, as none of the six cars originally built was available to purchase. It
would take a lengthy book to describe the collection in adequate detail, as
virtually every one of the 130 cars displayed have an interesting story or stories to
tell, and their drivers have been the greatest names in motor sport over the
decades. As you move from one hall to the next, it can only be described as a
feeling of awe and disbelief that you are witnessing such a vast array of varied
and fascinating cars, surrounded by an outstanding collection of motor sport
memorabilia of every conceivable type, including the World's largest collection of
racing helmets.
Sensory Overload
There are so many things that stand out in the memory after a visit, the
impressive line-up of Williams F1 cars, the Vanwall display including an example
of each car produced, the BRM collection with an example of the legendary
(because of its superb sound and awful reliability) V16 model, the Ferraris and
Maseratis, Jim Clark’s Lotus’, or the 1936 Scuderia Ferrari twin engined (front
and rear) Alfa Romeo Bimotore driven by Nuvolari. However, the one view that
really knocks the senses for a six is the McLaren hall, where upon entering you
are confronted by two rows of bright red and white "cigarette packets" stretching
into the distance, quite an amazing sight, the world's largest display of McLarens
on public view. So many in one place at one time, and with so many different
engines hidden beneath the uniformly garish Marlboro colour scheme that was
the corporate livery for 23 years, Alfa Romeo, Ford, Honda, Offenhauser,
Mercedes, Peugeot, Porsche, and TAG. Apart from the exhibits on view, the
Collection is continually acquiring cars, and has its own workshop for the
restoration and preparation of Collection cars, like the 1939 Auto Union 1.5 litre
Grand prix car, which regularly appear at prestigious events all over the world.
The majority of the exhibits are in full running order, and when presented at public
events are normally used for demonstration runs, as opposed to being a static
display.
Ferrari & Maserati
The collection contains some important earlier models in the history of both
marques. For Ferrari enthusiasts there are the first car obtained for the collection,
a 1949 ex-Peter Whitehead 125 supercharged model, an example of the most
successful Grand prix car of all time, the 500 F2 from 1952, the 375 Tony
Vandervell modified ”Thinwall Special”, and a 312 B driven by Jackie Ickx during
the 1972 season. The earliest Maserati is a 1935 8CM model, chassis number
3018, that was Tazio Nuvolari’s personal car for that season in which he raced at
Donington, then there is the sole surviving Derby Maserati from 1935, plus from
the same year a V8R1 model with a 4.8 litre V8 engine, with the post-war years
represented by a 1948 4CLT and a 1955 250F, whilst a Maserati engine powers
the Cooper-Maserati T81 of 1966.
Second Take Necessary
There is so much to see that it is impossible to take it all in during a single visit,
even if you have the time. It is probably a good idea to take in a broad overview the
first time around, and if you are fortunate enough to live within easy travelling
distance, to take in specific details on subsequent visits.
If you are a fan of motor sport, the Donington Grand Prix Collection should be top
of your priority list of places to visit.
How To Find It
From the M1 motorway leave at junction 23A northbound or junction 24
southbound, from where Donington Park Circuit is signposted, follow the A453
past the East Midlands Airport, and after approximately 2 - 3 miles from the
motorway junction you will see the museum on the right side of the road, with
plentiful free parking available, more >>>
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