Donington Park is one of the best race circuits in the country, hosting both race days and trackdays. But getting in to the circuit itself can be a little confusing, so this article will give you all the information you need on how to get to there and going to the right Donington park main entrance.
Contents
what is the postcode for Donington Park race circuit?
The official postcode for Donington Park race circuit is DE74 2RP. Put this in on Google maps and this will drop a pin right in the centre of the circuit as shown below.
is Donington Park in Castle Donington?
Castle Donington is a small town just to the north-west of Donington Park circuit. The track itself isn’t actually in Castle Donington, so don’t put the village in your satnav if you’re trying to get to the circuit.
If you are heading to Donington Park from the North and travelling down the M1, your satnav may well take you through Castle Donington on the way there.
how to get to Donington Park
Donington Park is in Leicestershire and is probably the most centrally located race circuit in England. It is located smack bang in the centre of the Midlands. It’s an hour south of Sheffield, 45 minutes north-east of Birmingham and 1 hour 45 minutes away from north London. It sits in the middle of the Nottingham – Derby – Leicester triangle.
Donington Park is surrounded closely on three sides by main roads; to the north the A50, to the south the A42 and to the east the M1. Pretty much which ever direction you are coming from to get to the circuit you will end up on one of those roads
As the circuit is so close to each of these three main roads, it means you only have to take smaller B-roads for a few minutes to get to the circuit. No spending the last hour of your journey winding your way through B-roads to get to the track, as you would with Anglesey or Cadwell.
Junction numbers:
- On the A50 take Junction 1
- On the A42 take Junction 14
- On the M1 South take Junction 24
- On the M1 North take Junction 23A
Donington Park main entrance locations / directions
There are two main entrances to Donington Park circuit. One is known as the Main Entrance, and one is known as the East Entrance. These entrances are not always both in use depending on what event is on. Depending on where you are planning on parking at Donington, you might want to aim for one or the other.
Additional if you are spectating at a big race meeting, you may want to head for one entrance or the other depending on the viewing location you have chosen.
Donington Park main entrance for trackdays and racedays
If you are driving on a Donington trackday or competing in race event, the Main Entrance is the one you want. This gives you the most direct access to the circuit and paddock area where the trackday will be hosted.
Click this link for a Google maps pin right at this entrance location.
The Main Entrance is accessible off Melbourne road, and you will know you’re in the right place when you see the big wide entrance and the large Donington Park sign in the middle of the road. On the road this is brown signposted as the Donington Park Main Entrance.
Once you have turned in to the main entrance, follow the road straight up until you get to a roundabout. Take the 1st exit at this roundabout, past the man mowing the grass, until you reach a booth with another person who’ll probably ask if you’re here for a trackday or raceday, and will tell you where to go from there.
Don’t head to the East entrance to get in to the circuit on trackdays. There is a service road (highlighted in the red rectangle below) that’s normally closed which goes between the East entrance gate and the roundabout. If it is closed you will be turned around by a worker at the East entrance and directed to the Main entrance anyway. This service road is more likely to be open on racedays.
For reference, the 2 images below show the East entrance. It is a slightly smaller entrance than the Main entrance. The brown road sign also states this is the East entrance.
Donington Park main entrance for spectators
If you are a spectator at an event at Donington Park, both the Main and East entrances are likely to be open. The race event itself provide more specific details on the correct Donington Park main entrance to head for, given your allotted spectator area. The spectator areas differ depending on which circuit configuration and track length is in use.
The below map shows not only the two above entrance locations from the road, but also the entrances to the different spectator areas withing the circuit itself. This was from a weekend when the British Superbike Championship was held at Donington.
Also open during this event was the West entrance, slightly further west along Melbourne road than the Main entrance. This entrance is also likely to be open for other big race events held at Donington such as the BTCC.
Click here for a full-res PDF download of the above map.
If you are heading to Donington as a spectator, driver or team member, make sure you check out our complete guide to Donington Park circuit before you go.
Donington Park entrance for camping
If you are camping at a Donington race weekend in the official infield campsites, you need to enter the circuit via the East entrace. If you are camping at the outfield circuit during a WSB weekend, you need the Main entrance.
