Round 7

The British GT Championship arrives at Donington Park for Round 7 of the 2026 season. This race serves as one of the final rounds before the championship concludes. Donington Park hosts both GT3 and GT4 classes, with 26 cars on the provisional entry list. The circuit also features support races from the GB3 Championship, GB4, TCR UK Championship, Ginetta Juniors, Ginetta GT Academy, and the Ginetta GT Championship.

The Circuit

Donington Park stands as the UK's first true road circuit and the oldest still in operation. The venue opened in 1931 near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England. The Grand Prix Circuit measures 4.020 km (2.498 mi) and features 12 turns. The layout combines high-speed straights with tight corners and elevation changes. The circuit can accommodate 120,000 spectators.

Key corners include Redgate, Hollywood, the Craner Curves, the Old Hairpin, Schwantz Curve, McLean's, Coppice, and Goddard's Chicane. These sections test driver skill and car setup across a variety of challenges.

Race Format and Technical Details

The British GT race at Donington Park runs for two hours. Teams must complete mandatory pit stops and driver changes during this time. Strategy plays a central role, as success penalties add pitstop time for previous podium finishers. The Balance of Performance (BoP) system ensures competitive racing across different manufacturers.

For 2026, the championship has refined driver gradings. GT4's Silver class no longer carries additional ballast or extra pitstop time handicaps. Instead, performance balancing uses longer Pitstop Compensation Times for the Silver class. GT3 Pro-Am or Silver-Am crews with 'Bronze Plus' drivers carry an additional 25kg.

GT3 cars follow the FIA International Sporting Code Appendix J Art. 257A regulations. GT4 cars run to GT4 technical specifications and must conform to their specific Technical Form and SRO GT4 Bureau notifications. The SRO GT Bureau can adjust the Balance of Performance at any time.

Participants and Teams

The 2026 British GT Championship features 15 GT3 entries and 11 GT4 entries. Manufacturers represented include Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Ginetta, Aston Martin, BMW, and Porsche.

GT3 Class

Barwell Motorsport enters three Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2s. 2 Seas Motorsport, the defending Teams Champions, runs a two-car Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo program. Rodin Motorsport debuts in the series with a Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. Optimum Motorsport fields multiple McLaren 720S GT3 Evos.

Additional GT3 teams include Beechdean Motorsport with Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo, Paddock Motorsport with McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, Century Motorsport with BMW M4 GT3 Evo, Herberth Motorsport with Porsche 911 GT3 R, Orange Racing by JMH with McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, and Mahiki Racing with McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.

GT4 Class

The GT4 field includes Aston Martin, BMW, Ginetta, McLaren, and Porsche entries. Toro Verde GT competes with a Ginetta G56 GT4 Evo and a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS. MK Racing runs Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 Evo, while Century Motorsport fields BMW M4 GT4 Evo.

Drivers

The grid mixes professional racers with Bronze-rated amateurs in Pro-Am pairings. Notable drivers include ex-BTCC racers Colin Turkington and Rob Collard, IMSA competitor Ross Gunn, Aston Martin Driver Ambassador Jessica Hawkins, and multiple Le Mans class winner Darren Turner.

Donington Park History

Racing at Donington Park began with a motorcycle race on May 25, 1931. The circuit was created from the roads of the Donington Hall estate. By 1933, the track was widened and sealed for car races. During the late 1930s, Donington Park hosted Grands Prix featuring the German Silver Arrows of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union. Winners included Bernd Rosemeyer and Tazio Nuvoldi.

The Ministry of Defence requisitioned the circuit during World War II and used it as a military vehicle depot. The facility fell into disrepair until businessman Tom Wheatcroft revived it in the 1970s. Racing returned in 1977. The Melbourne Loop was added in 1985, creating the current Grand Prix layout.

Donington Park hosted the 1993 European Grand Prix, the circuit's only Formula One World Championship race. Ayrton Senna delivered a famous wet-weather performance that is often cited as one of the greatest drives in F1 history.

The venue has also hosted the Download music festival and was once home to the Donington Grand Prix Collection, one of the foremost collections of Formula One cars. In 1992, the circuit hosted "One Step Beyond," described as the world's largest outdoor all-night party. MotorSport Vision (MSV) currently owns the circuit business and leases the property from the Wheatcroft family until 2038.

What Makes This Event Notable

Round 7 at Donington Park represents one of the final opportunities for teams to score championship points. The two-hour race format demands both speed and consistency. Strategy decisions around pit stops and driver changes can determine race outcomes. The circuit's mix of corner types and elevation changes creates multiple overtaking opportunities.

The diverse manufacturer representation in both GT3 and GT4 classes ensures varied racing. The Balance of Performance system keeps different car models competitive. The refined driver grading system for 2026 aims to create closer racing across all classes.

Donington Park's long history adds context to the modern British GT Championship event. The same corners that challenged pre-war Grand Prix drivers now test contemporary GT racers. The circuit's layout rewards precise driving while punishing mistakes, creating compelling racing for both competitors and spectators.