Donington Park has confirmed full details of a complete resurfacing programme after the entire length of the 2.5-mile Leicestershire circuit was renewed by Aggregate Industries ahead of the 2023 season. This is the first time the circuit has been fully resurfaced for over 20 years and improved grip levels have already seen lap records tumble, with the fastest ever Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB) laps set last weekend.

The landmark project is the most significant development to the track itself since MotorSport Vision (MSV) took over the running and operation of the venue in late 2017. The new surface has now hosted the UK’s most prominent series on both two and four wheels, with Bennetts BSB being the first major fixture on two.

There was a marked improvement in the circuit grip and overall performance levels throughout the Bennetts BSB weekend, with lap times substantially faster than those previously seen during the opening practice sessions. This culminated in the Omologato Superpole qualifying session when double race winner Kyle Ryde set the fastest ever Bennetts BSB lap of the venue to take pole position. Ryde’s effort of 1m27.320s was almost a second faster than anything previously achieved in Bennetts BSB at Donington Park.

Ryde’s scintillating qualifying pace was followed by notably improved lap times in the races. Local racer Leon Haslam set a new official race lap record in the BikeSocial Sprint Race on Saturday with a time of 1m27.593s. Just like’s Ryde’s time, Haslam’s record improved on the existing record by approximately one second.

The circuit previously hosted the first of its two 2023 British Touring Car Championship rounds whilst Bennetts BSB will return in October. In addition to hosting major national championships, the venue has hosted club racing on two and four wheels in addition to a full programme of track days and testing plus retail and corporate events.

The circuit is now in a better condition than ever before ahead of the summer period, with the headline round of the FIM MOTUL Superbike World Championship coming up on 1/2 July, when the fastest ever motorcycle laps of the venue could be set if conditions are dry.

The resurfacing was undertaken by Aggregate Industries, who managed the relaying operation between October and December last year following the initial design process by consultants Driven International. Approximately 5,000 tonnes of material were used during the construction of the new surface, with as many as 100 workers on-site at peak times to ensure the project was completed effectively and on schedule.

In the initial stages of the process, 40mm of material needed to be removed from the previous top surface to pave the way for the laying of the new track. Using a digitally controlled road planing process, this both removed any undulations and optimised the drainage as well as the camber of the corners according to the Driven International design. This took place during the first two weeks of work before the new surface could be prepared in earnest. The new tarmac, sourced from three plants, was laid initially in the pit lane and on the iconic section of track between the Craner Curves and the Start/Finish Straight before covering the full extent of the National and Grand Prix circuits.

Materials which were ground up during the initial stages of the process will be reused around the site, with nothing sent to landfill. This will assist in improvements to the campsites, external pathways, and the maintenance yard, enabling other areas of the venue to benefit.

After the work was completed, the circuit was initially re-opened for a handful of test and track days, primarily on four wheels, though there was a single motorcycle day during this period. Early responses from those using the circuit were overwhelmingly positive from all, with a noticeable step up in grip levels reported.

This multi-million pound improvement to the circuit infrastructure follows an extensive, ongoing series of major improvements at the East Midlands venue under MSV’s stewardship. Garage 39 has set a new standard for UK motor racing circuit restaurants since it was opened in 2018, whilst other developments have included paddock resurfacing, a major new grandstand at Hollywood corner and a new main entrance. MSV has also overseen the creation of an impressive new circuit office, four huge new toilet blocks and updated marshal posts.

The biggest project of all now is the creation of a stunning new country house hotel by transforming the magnificent 18th century Donington Hall, next to the circuit, which MSV bought in 2021. The 49 bedroom luxury hotel is due to open in December 2024, alongside Donington Hall Motorhouse, an exquisite storage facility for some of the world’s best supercars and classic cars.

MSV Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer said: “Donington Park is an extremely important circuit in MSV’s portfolio, hosting both World Superbike and British Superbike events, where some of the best international riders push their 220bhp race bikes to the absolute limit. With just two tyre contact patches, the size of the palm of a hand, to be able to rely on the grip and consistency of the surface is critical.

“I was at Donington for the BSB weekend and heard nothing but the highest praise for our new surface, which was immensely satisfying. Riders loved the increased grip, in both dry and wet conditions, and its smoothness. Just a few weeks before, the top British Touring Car Championship drivers echoed these sentiments.

“Motor racing circuit resurfacing is a challenging engineering operation where a lot can go wrong. However I congratulate Aggregate Industries on doing an outstanding job, on budget, on time. And Driven International for their expert design and engineering contribution to set the specification.”

Vicky Smith, Regional Director for Surfacing Solutions at Aggregate Industries, said: “Working together with both MSV and an extensive supply chain has required exacting levels of technical capability and advanced innovative solutions from across the Aggregate Industries team.

“The resurfacing of any major project requires meticulous planning and a true collaborative approach across all involved contractors. The resurfacing of Donington Park was no different, and we’re delighted with the end result – a bespoke solution that meets the durability requirements of one of the world’s most iconic race tracks.” 

Kyle Ryde, Bennetts British Superbike Championship race winner who set the series’ fastest ever lap of the venue on the new surface, added: “It felt great to be able to do that time in Superpole qualifying. We had dry and warm conditions and that lap time was a good 1.2 seconds quicker than I went here last year, so they have done a great job with the resurfacing of the track for sure.

"The new surface is really smooth now and the bumps have gone; the only way I can describe it easily to people is that it is like a snooker table. It is really grippy and even at the test in the colder conditions earlier in the year you could really notice the difference.”