Skip to main content

Britain By Car - A Motoring History


Created Date:

22 October 2013

Last Modified:

18 December 2023
Castle Donington

Donington Grand Prix Collection

At one time, the largest display of grand prix racing cars in the world.

Location
Donington Park, Castle Donington, Leicestershire DE74 2RP

Date
1973 - November 2018

  • Some of the Williams cars on display, © Tony Thorpe.
    Some of the Williams cars on display, © Tony Thorpe.
  • Some of the Williams cars on display, © Tony Thorpe.

Commentary
The Collection was started in 1964 by local businessman and owner of Donington Park Race Circuit, Tom Wheatcroft.  At its peak, more than 130 cars were on show, including major displays of BRMs, McLarens, Vanwalls and Williams.  Other exhibits included motorcycles and vehicles from World War Two.

In 2018, MotorSport Vision took over the operational lease of Donington Park and agreed to keep the Museum open for one further season.  However, in October of the same year it was announced that the Museum would close.  Some of the exhibits on loan to the Museum have been returned to their owners and, most of the remainder, placed in storage while Tom Wheatcroft's family decides how to proceed.