BTTC Donington Park (GP) 2026 | Schedule & Sessions | MotorSportRadar

British Touring Car Championship - Donington Park (GP)

Dunlaing Watches
Event Start

Donington Park (GP)

Dunlaing Watches
0 D
0 H
0 M
0 S

22 - 23 Aug

Donington Park

Donington Park

Some session times for BTTC Donington Park (GP) 2026 have not yet been finalised, they represent possible times in which each race session could occur. Please check back later for more accurate times.

Free Practice 1*
12:00 - Sat, 22 Aug
Free Practice 2*
14:30 - Sat, 22 Aug
Qualifying*
17:00 - Sat, 22 Aug
Qualifying Race*
19:00 - Sat, 22 Aug
Race 1*
13:30 - Sun, 23 Aug
Race 2*
16:30 - Sun, 23 Aug
Race 3*
19:00 - Sun, 23 Aug

Where To Watch BTTC in United States

Where To Watch BTTC in United States
ITV Sport YouTube Qualifying live stream; official Saturday qualifying coverage available in the UK and worldwide.
BTCC TikTok Official worldwide social live feed listed on BTCC's live page.
BTCC Live Timing Official live timing service for BTCC sessions and support races.
BTCC Live Audio Official live audio commentary listed on BTCC's live hub.
NordVPN
Stream BTTC securely from anywhere with NordVPN Traveling abroad or using public Wi-Fi? Protect your connection and access your usual coverage more securely.

Upcoming in BTTC

Upcoming in BTTC
Brands Hatch (Indy)
9 - 10 May
Snetterton 300
23 - 24 May
Oulton Park
6 - 7 Jun
View More

Upcoming at Donington Park

Upcoming at Donington Park
United Kingdom Round (Donington Park)
World Superbikes
10 - 12 Jul

Track Info

Donington Park - Castle Donington, Leicestershire, UK

Historic parkland circuit - clockwise - legendary Craner Curves and Old Hairpin flow into technical late-lap hairpins

First Race
1931
First motorcycle race on Whit Monday, 25 May 1931. First car race 25 March 1933.
Circuit Length
4.020 km
2.498 miles - Grand Prix layout. National layout is 3.149 km.
Turns
12
Redgate, Hollywood, Craner Curves, Old Hairpin, Starkey's Bridge, Schwantz, McLean's, Coppice, Fogarty Esses, Melbourne Hairpin, Goddards.
Lap Record (Race)
1:18.029 - Ayrton Senna (Formula 1), 1993
F1 race lap during the European GP. Outright qualifying benchmark 1:10.458 - Alain Prost, 1993 (unofficial all-time).
Two-wheel Benchmark
1:26.080 - Jonathan Rea (WorldSBK), 2022
New outright motorcycle lap in Superpole on the GP layout.

When was the track built?

Donington was laid out through the Donington Hall estate in 1931 as Britain’s first permanent park circuit, widening in 1933 for cars. It grew through the 1930s, hosted Grand Prix machinery, then closed for WWII. Tom Wheatcroft revived the venue in the 1970s, and the Melbourne Loop was added in 1985, creating today’s 4.020 km GP layout which brought MotoGP and remains the WorldSBK home in the UK.

When was its first race?

The circuit’s first race was a motorcycle meeting on 25 May 1931. The first car meeting followed on 25 March 1933, with the Donington Park Trophy later that year. Pre-war Donington Grands Prix in 1937 and 1938 featured the Silver Arrows era.

What's the circuit like?

  • Craner Curves to Old Hairpin: A fast, downhill left-right-left that rewards commitment and front-end bite. Small mistakes snowball into the Old Hairpin exit speed.
  • Mid-lap rhythm: Starkey's Bridge and Schwantz Curve flow into the technical traction test at McLean's and the double-apex Coppice leading onto Starkey's Straight.
  • Heavy-brake finales: Fogarty Esses set up dives into the Melbourne Hairpin and the final shot to Goddards and the line.
  • Wind and camber: Exposed sections can shift balance lap to lap, while subtle camber changes define the ideal line.
  • Benchmark pace: F1 race lap record 1:18.029 (Senna, 1993). Prost’s 1:10.458 qualifying lap stands as the all-time weekend fastest. WorldSBK’s Superpole mark is 1:26.080 (Rea, 2022).

Lap records and benchmarks (by series)

  • Formula 1 - race lap: 1:18.029 - Ayrton Senna, 1993 European GP.
  • Auto GP - race lap (official track record holder): 1:17.707 - Kimiya Sato, 2013.
  • Group C - race lap: 1:19.380 - Mauro Baldi, Peugeot 905 Evo 1 Bis, 1992.
  • WorldSBK - Superpole (motorcycle outright): 1:26.080 - Jonathan Rea, 2022.
  • MotoGP - final Donington year reference: Pole 1:28.116 - Valentino Rossi, 2009 - race fastest lap 1:31.554 - Jorge Lorenzo (wet-dry).

Why go?

It’s one of Britain’s great driver’s circuits: sweeping elevation, natural amphitheatre viewing and a packed calendar. From F1’s iconic 1993 race to today’s BTCC, British GT and WorldSBK, Donington consistently produces passes into Melbourne and Goddards after flat-out runs through the classic early sector.

Where's the best place to watch?

  • Craner Curves embankments: Pure commitment and line craft as cars or bikes plunge to the Old Hairpin.
  • Old Hairpin outside: See who keeps minimum speed to slingshot up the hill.
  • Coppice exit: Critical traction zone onto the straight that sets up moves at the Fogarty Esses.
  • Melbourne Hairpin and Goddards: Prime overtaking and photo finishes with grandstands close to the action.

Not just F1: headline series at Donington

WorldSBK: Home of the championship’s inaugural round in 1988 and a perennial UK stop - modern bikes reset records here.

BTCC and British GT: Touring cars and GT3 machinery use both GP and National layouts with elbows-out racing into the late-lap hairpins.

MotoGP history: Hosted the British Grand Prix from 1987 to 2009 - the Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo era memories were made on this 4.020 km ribbon.

Hotels & Accommodation

Never Miss Lights Out

Get alerts before every race, across all major series.

Email reminders • Calendar sync • Push notifications