Donington Grand Prix Collection

The Donington Grand Prix Collection was a rare and delightful collection of motor sports vehicles through the years

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The Donington Grand Prix Collection was the world’s largest collection of grand prix racing cars. Over one hundred and thirty cars in five halls telling the story of motorsport from the turn of the twentieth century to the present day.

Cars which were driven by many of motor racing’s all time greats including Moss, Hunt, Mansell, Clark, Fangio and many more including Tazio Nuvolari, who won the 1938 Donington Grand Prix.

The Collection was opened in 1973 by Donington Park and Collection owner Tom Wheatcroft, and it includes the largest collection of McLarens on public display, an incredible line-up of Williams, the most complete display of the British Racing Green Vanwalls in the world, a fabulous line-up of BRMs and Tyrrells driven by Jackie Stewart, and Ronnie Peterson’s 6-wheeler.

Also on display was renowned motorsport photographer Keith Sutton’s collection of Ayrton Senna images and there is also a newly expanded gift shop, Grand Prix Collectables, and Cafe Grand Prix which provides light meals and refreshments.

Donington Park is the only circuit in the country with its own racing car collection. Car racing started there in 1933, and the Donington Grands Prix culminated in the 1937 and ’38 events, both of which saw the massive German Auto Union and Mercedes Benz works teams competing.

Racing returned to Donington in 1977, and Grand Prix racing came back in 1993 when Ayrton Senna won the European Grand Prix. None of this would have been possible were it not for Tom Wheatcroft who had witnessed the pre-war races as a young schoolboy enthusiast. He bought the derelict circuit in the early 1970s and has continued to invest millions in order to bring the sights and sounds of the world’s most exciting race series to Britain’s best circuit – and rekindle the memories of the past through his amazing racing car collection.