The Donington Historic Festival, one of Europe's biggest celebrations of retro motorsport, returns to the East Midlands circuit this weekend (29/30 April). Tickets are available on the gate for full weekend and individual day entry. Under-13s get in for free. Click here for more information.
A sensational line-up of racing machinery spanning seven decades will provide the on-track highlights, with saloons, sports cars and even pre-war machinery filling the busy race schedule. Dozens more will take to the track in dedicated parades.
There's much to see away from the circuit too, with huge displays featuring hundreds of classic road cars and a paddock retail area offering memorabilia, rarities and specialist items.
1993 European Grand Prix anniversary celebration
This year's festival will mark 30 years since Donington Park hosted a one-off Formula One race, which memorably featured Ayrton Senna's opening 'lap of the Gods'. Period F1 cars will take to the circuit for special demonstration laps with more on display around the venue.
The F1 cars scheduled to appear include:
- 1993 Williams FW15C (static) - driven to wins by Alain Prost and Damon Hill
- 1993 Benetton-Ford B193 (track demo) - driven by Michael Schumacher and Ricardo Patrese during the 1993 season
- 1992 McLaren MP4/7A (static) - driven to wins by Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger
- 1990 Benetton-Ford B190 (track demo) - driven to victory by Nelson Piquet
- 1984 Toleman TG-184 (track demo) - driven by Ayrton Senna in the 1984 Detroit GP and in qualifying for that year's Monaco and Brands Hatch Grands Prix
- 1998 Minardi M198 (track demo) - raced in period by Shinji Nakano
Furthermore, there will be a special exhibition in the Pit Lane Suite (by Garage 39) focusing on Donington Park and its history, plus a Q and A on Sunday with key figures from that legendary F1 race 30 years ago.
Tickets for the Donington Historic Festival are available on the gate from £30 with reductions for 13-15-year-olds and free entry for under-13s. For more information, click here.