Donington Park resurfacing works

The Brief

Donington Park is one of the world’s most iconic race venues, hosting some of motorsport’s most prestigious national and international events. Since being acquired by MotorSport Vision Ltd. (MSV) in 2017, significant investment has been made into the venue – however the track hasn’t been resurfaced in almost 20 years.  

In 2022, MSV set out to find a partner to resurface the prestigious circuit.  

With more than 6,700 tonnes of asphalt needing to be removed and replaced in a relatively short time frame, the brief called for skilled and technical expertise, the latest technologies and innovations and a high quality product that would meet the high performance demands of the circuit.

The SOLUTION

To meet the brief, Aggregate Industries worked together with track-owners MotorSport Vision (MSV), track designers Driven International and a complex supply chain to provide more than 5,000 tonnes of its specially formulated high-grip SuperPrixmat™ Ultra asphalt, designed exclusively for demanding high-performance motor racing circuits. The team also provided 846 tonnes of binder course and 740 tonnes of stress-absorbing membrane interlayer, SuperSAMI.

The project began with early engagement with MSV to understand the scope of work and plan a safe, timely and within budget project which was completed over a 22 day programme to minimise client disruption, which totalled over 10,700 hours worked.

Dual supply plants, at Bardon Hill and Tinsley on the outskirts of Sheffield, were used when laying the 10mm SuperPrixMat™ Ultra to allow for a continuous supply of product, and for it to be laid at a consistent speed in echelon to achieve a jointless surface.

Complex on and off-site trials – both in the pit lanes at Donington and at Aggregate Industries’ asphalt plants – allowed the project team to test-run the recommended materials, equipment and capabilities to ensure time on-site was maximised, and any risk was mitigated ahead of cold milling or surface works. 

The team also utilised high-tech LiDAR scanning equipment during the works, which was used to produce digital recreations of the track. This mapped the exact profile of the track; to ensure cold milling works were completed to specification; and to re-profile the track once surfacing was complete.

Through a combination of specialist equipment and high technical capability across the team, a superior level of grip (0.6) was achieved on the track immediately after the works were complete. An average International Roughness Index (IRI) of less than 1.0 was specified, however a tight tolerance of 0.3 was achieved around the track – an exceptional result.

Vicky Smith, Regional Director for Surfacing Solutions at Aggregate Industries, said: “Working together with both MSV and an extensive supply chain has required exacting levels of technical capability and advanced innovative solutions from across the Aggregate Industries team.

“The resurfacing of any major project requires meticulous planning and a true collaborative approach across all involved contractors. The resurfacing of Donington Park was no different, and we’re delighted with the end result – a bespoke solution that meets the durability requirements of one of the world’s most iconic race tracks.”

Find out more at the Donington Park project page, here.