Donington Festival to Celebrate 1993 Grand Prix
One of the most memorable events in the history of Donington Park, the rain-soaked 1993 European Grand Prix, will be celebrated at this year’s Donington Historic Festival (May 4th, 5th and 6th) with on-track F1 car demonstrations on the Saturday and Sunday of the event, plus static displays on all three days. In addition, DHF visitors will be invited to get involved by sharing their own memories of the race before and during the Festival.
The 25th anniversary activities add a further exciting dimension to the event at which visitors will enjoy three days of world-class historic motorsport from an outstanding line-up of grids featuring an incredibly diverse range of racing machines spanning nine decades.
The Festival’s anniversary theme celebrates that unforgettable day in April 1993, when the crowds flocked to Donington Park as the circuit played host to its first Grand Prix in 55 years. Torrential rain made the track treacherous as, starting from 4th position, Ayrton Senna battled it out with Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher to win by an incredible 80-seconds.
The F1 cars on show pay tribute in particular to Ayrton Senna, and were either driven by him or against him during his career up to 1993. They include:
• The Toleman TG-184-01 Hart Turbo in which Senna caused a sensation for Friday practice at the 1984 British GP
• A Camel Lotus/Judd 101/3 campaigned in 1989 by Nelson Piquet and Satoru Nakajima
• Gerhard Berger’s 1992 Canadian GP-winning McLaren MP4/7A-8 (courtesy of the Donington Collection museum)
• A 1993 Benetton B193B raced that year by Michael Schumacher and Riccardo Patrese
• The McLaren MP4/8 that was Senna’s test car for the 1993 Donington Park race (courtesy of the Donington Collection museum)
DHF visitors will be invited to share their memories of that famous race on display boards at the Festival and, prior to event, motorsport fans will be invited to send in their own images and memories of the race, which will be printed out and put up on a ‘scrapbook’ board for everyone to enjoy.
