No more pit stops at Grand Prix museum
Last day for public to enjoy Donington collection of cars
A WORLD-famous collection of Grand Prix cars old and new is to close “imminently”, its owners have announced.
The massive collection, which is housed in a museum at the Donington Park racetrack, in North West Leicestershire, dates back 45 years.
The owners have not given a specific reason for the decision to close it, but say it has not been taken lightly.
The collection, which includes a number of motorcycles, was amassed by Leicestershire builder Tom Wheatcroft.
Since Mr Wheatcroft’s death in October 2009, the museum – which includes vintage and modern Mercedes-Benz, McLaren, Williams, BRM and Lotus models – has been run by his son Kevin.
He said yesterday: “Closing the museum after 45 years has been a really difficult decision, but family responsibilities simply make it the right thing to do.”
Its doors will close to the public on Monday, November 5, Mr Wheat- croft said.
Three people who work at the family-run museum have been offered alternative employment.
Mr Wheatcroft said his father was a lifelong motor sports enthusiast who first visited Donington Park in 1935 to watch motor-cycle racing.
Tom previously said: “From then on I was a confirmed enthusiast.
“I saw most of the bike and car meetings that followed, and in 1937 and 1938 I was hanging on the fence with the best of them, watching those giant German cars running in the Donington Grand Prix.”
After six years of Army service during the war, Mr Wheatcroft launched his building business in 1946.
With the business thriving, he bought his first racing car, a 13-year-old Formula 1 Ferrari singleseater, in 1964. He later recalled the purchase was “just for fun – and I caught the collecting bug”.
Closing the museum has been a really difficult decision, but family responsibilities make it the right thing to
Over the following six years he acquired more historic Formula 1 machines, observing “there’s nought so cheap as last year’s racing car”. Initially, the cars were housed in a cramped garage building at his Leicester home. But in September 1971, he bought the space for the museum at Donington Park, opening the collection in March 1973.