24 January 2014

Breedon Aggregates, the UK's largest independent aggregates business, is supporting a major new development at the Donington Park Racing Circuit, which is due to become the new home of electric Formula car racing later this year.

Breedon has been awarded a contract to supply aggregates and ready-mixed concrete to Donington Park to prepare the site for development.  Main contractor Vinci will then construct nine new buildings at Donington Park, six of which will become the headquarters of Formula E, the new FIA Championship using electric single-seater race-cars capable of speeds in excess of 225km/h - essentially the electric version of Formula 1.

The new facilities will be located in Donington's Western Paddock, just 100 metres from the circuit at the Melbourne Hairpin entry, and will comply with 'Very Good' BREEAM sustainable construction standards as well as the UK Government's Low Carbon Economy and the National Planning Policy Framework requirements.

Commenting on the contract Tim Hall, chief executive of Breedon Aggregates England, said: "It's great to be literally in on the ground floor of this exciting new development, which will put Donington Park at the centre of the new global sport of electric Formula motor racing.

"We're delighted to be working with both Donington Park and Vinci on this high-profile project and look forward to playing our part in making this state-of-the-art facility the envy of the motor racing world."


Notes to editors:


Formula E is a new FIA championship featuring Formula cars powered exclusively by electric energy.  It represents a vision for the future of the motor industry over the coming decades, serving as a framework for research and development around the electric vehicle, accelerating general interest in these cars and promoting sustainability.  Commencing in September 2014, the Championship will compete in the heart of 10 of the world's leading cities - including London, Beijing and Los Angeles - racing around their iconic landmarks.  For the inaugural season, 10 teams, each with two drivers, will go head-to-head creating a unique and exciting racing series designed to appeal to a new generation of motorsport fans.  Operating as an 'open championship', the series gives car manufacturers and constructors the opportunity to showcase their electrical energy innovations in a racing environment, designing cars to the technical specifications set out by the FIA.


Donington Park is a major UK race circuit which hosts the British Touring Car Championship, World and British Superbikes Championships, the Donington Historic Festival and the Classic Motorcycle Festival and runs 60 days of racing every season, with busy test and track days throughout every week.  The famed circuit lies at the heart of Britain's Motorsport Valley.  Donington showcases the very best in world and British motor racing at its FIA and FIM licenced circuit.  The funding for Donington Park's selection by Formula E as their international teams base has been provided by the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, by way of a multi-million pound loan facility.  The loan has been awarded by the LLEP from its £12.5 million Growing Places Fund (GPF).  This funding has in turn been provided by the Government for investment in local schemes which will create jobs and promote economic growth.  The GPF loans are repaid within three to four years, enabling the funds to be re-invested in the local economy.

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