Donington Park Getting There

With most people having satnav, there’s little to be gained from various detailed directions. It is the final few miles where a little advise can be an aid to confidence.

There are five routes to Donington Park detailed here, including a route that a satnav may well advise, but should not be heeded. The directions are from the North, East, South and West, with the naughty route also being from the West.

From the North Southbound: M1, Junction 24

6.6 miles, around 13 minutes

  1. Exit the motorway at Junction 24.
  2. At 1.1 miles, at the roundabout, enter the roundabout.
  3. Take the fourth exit (the first after crossing over the M1 motorway) onto the A453.
  4. At 2.1 miles, take the third exit (right) staying on the A453.
  5. At 2.8 miles, go straight on at the roundabout (first exit), staying on the A453.
  6. At 5.1 miles, go straight on at the roundabout (first exit), staying on the A453.
  7. At 5.7 miles, turn right, signposted Donington Park. This is just after passing, on the right, a picturesque white cottage.
  8. After 6.3 miles, turn right, into Donington Park. If you do not have access to the paddock, public parking is ahead and to the right.
  9. At 6.5 miles, at the roundabout, take the first exit. If you do not have access to the paddock, then take the second exit, for public parking.
  10. At 6.6 miles, you have reached the entrance booth to the paddock.

Photographic Guide

7.
Turn right just after the picturesque cottage, signposted Donington Park.
8.
Turn right into Donington Park. You’ll know you have arrived when you see the flags.
9a.
You head straight into the 20mph zone.
9b.
Drive to the roundabout at the end …
9c.
… and then take the first exit for the paddock.

Go right for spectator parking.
10a.
Show your tickets at the pay booth.
10b.
Then drive past the Melbourne Hairpin, on the right, and into the paddock. For the pit lane garages, turn right.

From the East, A6006, Before Zouch

8.7 miles, around 16 minutes

  1. Pass through Zouch on the A6006.
  2. At 0.9 miles, at the traffic lights, turn right onto the A6.
  3. At 3.1 miles, enter the roundabout and take the first exit, signposted  (A453) and Donington Park.
  4. At 4.2 miles, enter the roundabout and take the first exit onto the A453.
  5. At 4.8 miles, enter the roundabout and take the third exit onto the A453.
  6. At 7.2 miles, go straight on at the roundabout (first exit), staying on the A453.
  7. At 7.8 miles, turn right, signposted Donington Park. This is just after passing, on the right, a picturesque white cottage.
  8. After 8.4 miles, turn right, into Donington Park. If you do not have access to the paddock, public parking is ahead and to the right.
  9. At 8.6 miles, at the roundabout, take the first exit. If you do not have access to the paddock, then take the second exit, for public parking.
  10. At 8.7 miles, you have reached the entrance booth to the paddock.

Photographic Guide

7.
Turn right just after the picturesque cottage, signposted Donington Park.
8.
Turn right into Donington Park. You’ll know you have arrived when you see the flags.
9a.
You head straight into the 20mph zone.
9b.
Drive to the roundabout at the end …
9c.
… and then take the first exit for the paddock.

Go right for spectator parking.
10a.
Show your tickets at the pay booth.
10b.
Then drive past the Melbourne Hairpin, on the right, and into the paddock. For the pit lane garages, turn right.

From the South, Southbound: M1, Junction 23A

5.3 miles, around 10 minutes

  1. From the starting point, at 0.6 miles, exit the motorway at Junction 23A.
  2. At 1.5 miles, at the roundabout, take the second exit onto the A453.
  3. At 1.8 miles, go straight on at the roundabout (first exit), staying on the A453.
  4. At 4.5 miles, turn right, signposted Donington Park. This is just after passing, on the right, a picturesque white cottage.
  5. After 5.0 miles, turn right, into Donington Park. If you do not have access to the paddock, public parking is ahead and to the right.
  6. At 5.2 miles, at the roundabout, take the first exit. If you do not have access to the paddock, then take the second exit, for public parking.
  7. At 5.3 miles, you have reached the entrance booth to the paddock.

Photographic Guide

4.
Turn right just after the picturesque cottage, signposted Donington Park.
5.
Turn right into Donington Park. You’ll know you have arrived when you see the flags.
6a.
You head straight into the 20mph zone.
6b.
Drive to the roundabout at the end …
6c.
… and then take the first exit for the paddock.

Go right for spectator parking.
7a.
Show your tickets at the pay booth.
7b.
Then drive past the Melbourne Hairpin, on the right, and into the paddock. For the pit lane garages, turn right.

From the West, A50

11.4 miles, around 18 minutes

This route begins on the A50, 6.4 miles before the first turn off. The reason for that distance being that this starting point is the same as that on the next page, making it easier to compare the two routes and make a decision. The advice is to take this route and avoid that on the next page.

  1. After 6.4 miles, at Junction 1, take the exit for the B6540.
  2. At 6.7 miles, at the roundabout, take the fifth exit.
  3. At 7.3 miles, at the roundabout, take the first exit, onto Station Road.
  4. At 7.4 miles, at the roundabout, take the first exit, onto Station Road.
  5. At 9.2 miles, at the roundabout, take the second exit.
  6. At 9.4 miles, at the roundabout, take the first exit.
  7. At 10.0 miles, drive past the Donington Park East entrance, on the right. This no longer provides circuit access.
  8. At 10.1 miles, at the T-junction, turn right onto the A453.
  9. At 10.6 miles, turn right, signposted Donington Park. This is just after passing, on the right, a picturesque white cottage.
  10. After 11.1 miles, turn right, into Donington Park. If you do not have access to the paddock, public parking is ahead and to the right.
  11. At 11.3 miles, at the roundabout, take the first exit. If you do not have access to the paddock, then take the second exit, for public parking.
  12. At 11.4 miles, you have reached the entrance booth to the paddock

Photographic Guide

7a.
At 10.0 miles, drive past the Donington Park East entrance, on the right.
This no longer provides circuit access.
7b.
The East Entrance. Security will turn you back.
49
Turn right just after the picturesque cottage, signposted Donington Park.
10.
Turn right into Donington Park. You’ll know you have arrived when you see the flags.
11a.
You head straight into the 20mph zone.
11b.
Drive to the roundabout at the end …
11c.
… and then take the first exit for the paddock.

Go right for spectator parking.
12a.
Show your tickets at the pay booth.
12b.
Then drive past the Melbourne Hairpin, on the right, and into the paddock. For the pit lane garages, turn right.

From the West A50, Unadvised

7.2 miles, around 13 minutes

This route begins on the A50, at the same point as the route in the previous page, making it easier to compare the two routes and make a decision which to take. The advice is to take this route and avoid that on the next page.

  1. After 1.3 miles, at Junction 3, take the exit for the A514.
  2. At 1.7 miles, at the roundabout, take the fourth exit, onto the A514.
  3. At 2.7 miles, enter Swarkestone Bridge, a narrow walled section begins that traverses wetland. This is the reason for avoiding this route. Whilst wide enough for a car and trailer or caravan, it is not comfortable.
  4. At 3.8 miles, exit Swarkestone Bridge. This ends the unsuitable section of the journey.
  5. At 5.4 miles, at the T-junction, turn left.
  6. After 6.9 miles, turn left, into Donington Park. If you do not have access to the paddock, public parking is ahead and to the right.
  7. At 7.1 miles, at the roundabout, take the first exit. If you do not have access to the paddock, then take the second exit, for public parking.
  8. At 7.2 miles, you have reached the entrance booth to the paddock.

Photographic Guide

8.
Turn left into Donington Park. You’ll know you have arrived when you see the flags.
9a.
You head straight into the 20mph zone.
9b.
Drive to the roundabout at the end …
9c.
… and then take the first exit for the paddock.

Go right for spectator parking.
10a.
Show your tickets at the pay booth.
10b.
Then drive past the Melbourne Hairpin, on the right, and into the paddock. For the pit lane garages, turn right.

Page updated by Peter Tattersall, March 2024