Donington Collection Museum announces closure
Getty ImagesA museum housing the world's largest display of Grand Prix racing cars is to close "imminently" after 45 years.
Donington Collection Museum has rare, vintage and modern cars including Ferrari, BRM, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, McLaren and Williams models.
Its owner said the "really difficult decision" was taken due to "family responsibilities".
The museum, based at the Donington Park racetrack in Leicestershire, will close on 5 November.
Getty ImagesOwner Kevin Wheatcroft has been running the museum since his father died in 2009.
He said: "Closing the museum after 45 years has been a really difficult decision, but family responsibilities simply make it the right thing to do."
Frederick Bernard "Tom" Wheatcroft, who made his fortune from his building business, opened the museum in 1973.
In 1964, he bought a 13-year-old Formula 1 Ferrari single-seater racing car "just for fun - and I caught the collecting bug".
Over the following six years, he acquired more historic Formula 1 machines and kept the cars at his Leicester home.
The collection includes:
- BRM group's legendary 1950-55 V16-cylinder design with Rolls-Royce supercharging
- The Lotus 18 which Stirling Moss drove to win both the 1961 Monaco and German GPs
- The very first Formula 1 car built and raced by triple world champion driver Jack Brabham
In 1971, the motor sports enthusiast bought the circuit section of Donington Park and built the museum for his fleet of racing cars.
More of the world's finest cars were later brought or loaned to the collection.
Over 45 years, more than 2.5m people have visited the attraction.
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