Zoom Work resumes at the new venue for the British Grand Prix

Work on Donington Park's necessary Formula One upgrade has resumed, following a delay while the local North West Leicestershire District Council reconsidered permission for the project.

The reconstruction had halted at the circuit, scheduled to host the next 17 British Grand Prix, due to doubts about the financing plans and also legal action - now resolved - with the landowner.

But CEO Simon Gillett on Friday signed the council paperwork, namely a Section 106 agreement, green-lighting work to resume immediately.

"It's great to have cleared another hurdle and to see the hard work of the entire team at the circuit paying off," he confirmed in a statement.

"There's no denying that we still have a lot of hard work ahead but we'll continue to remain positive and do everything that we can to deliver against the promises that we have made," Gillett added.

Donington's F1 bid has been dogged by constant negative speculation, worsened last weekend when Bernie Ecclestone promised that if the track is not able to deliver, Silverstone will be back on the 2010 calendar.

At the same time Silverstone owner the BRDC's chairman Robert Brooks also doubted the financial viability of Gillett's plans - criticism now slammed as "nonsense" by ISG, Donington's external marketing representative.

"Without doubt, as paying customers, motorsport fans are ready for the same level of quality that fans of other leading sports have become accustomed to, and there is no reason that Donington Park cannot provide that," said ISG's chief executive Andrew Hampel.

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Source: GMM