D-DAY FOR DONINGTON

THE future of the British Grand Prix will be decided at a crunch council meeting on Tuesday.

Planning chiefs will consider scrapping permission for the £100million redevelopment of Donington Park following a £2.5m legal row.

But councillors could also give Donington leaseholder Simon Gillett a stay of execution until the end of the month as he desperately tries to rescue his plans for the race.

This summer's grand prix - which was won last year by Lewis Hamilton - will be the last at Silverstone, with Donington holding the rights to stage it from 2010.

But Gillett is in a legal row with circuit owner Tom Wheatcroft which threatens to KO the race. Gillett needs Wheatcroft to sign a Section 106 document - covering spectator safety - to validate the planning consent.

However, Wheatcroft has issued a writ against Gillett's company for £2.47m in unpaid rent and the forfeit of the lease.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has been trying to resolve the squabble.

And North-West Leicestershire council leader Richard Blunt told the News of the World: "I'm still very optimistic the race will take place at Donington.

"If it was not going to happen then Bernie would have killed if off by now. He is an incredibly shrewd businessman. I have spoken to Gillett's people who say the matter will be resolved.

"There will be two recommendations put before the committee on Tuesday.

LEGAL ROW - Simon Gillett

"One, the immediate cancellation of the planning consent. Or two, putting the deadline back until May 31. If the order has not been signed by then that would probably be it for the grand prix as there would not be enough time for the work to take place anyway. The Section 106 document is important and it would be irresponsible of us not to insist on it.

"The British Grand Prix is a major public event. A proper road traffic management and spectator safety policy is the difference between having a great event and a disaster."

Multi-millionaire Ecclestone has called on the Government to back the development plans. Ecclestone, 77, said: "Donington's problem is that it had a deal with a bank but then the credit crisis happened. Maybe the Government can help.

"No one wants a handout but I am sure they can help get a commercial agreement with one of the banks they have a stake in."

However Ecclestone insists he would not switch the race to Silverstone, even if Donington cannot stage the event.

He added: "No way. We have been asking them for the last five years to develop the circuit but nothing has happened."

Yet Britain's former world champion Damon Hill says Silverstone's owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club, are ready save the race.

Hill, president of the BRDC, said: "We would be delighted if there were talks about the race coming back to Silverstone."

• DONINGTON ON ITS BIKE

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