Donington chief '100% confident' GP will go ahead
The 2010 British Grand Prix will go ahead at Donington Park despite fresh doubts over the venue, according to the circuit's leaseholder Simon Gillett.
A council meeting on Tuesday evening could revoke planning permission for upgrades to the Leicestershire circuit.
Gillett's company Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd also faces legal action over unpaid rent to the track owners.
But Gillett told BBC Sport: "We are 110% committed to making this happen and 100% confident that it will."
He added: "We have our little trials and tribulations but we are still confident the Grand Prix is coming to Donington next year.
"We know what is going on behind the scenes and there is a lot going on in the background that gives us confidence."
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606: DEBATE
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A North West Leicestershire District Council meeting on Tuesday will vote on whether to rescind planning permission that was granted to lengthen the track and upgrade the facilities.
The council gave Gillett's plans the green light in January but the leaseholder still needs to meet the council's demands and prove his development plans are on track.
If the council does not think Gillett is on schedule then they could revoke the permission or give him until 31 May to prove otherwise.
Gillett, however, was confident the meeting was merely a formality and that it would not affect his hopes of staging the British GP at Donington next year.
"The meeting is about Section 106, which refers to agreements after planning permission has been granted," he explained.
"This section is about the way we behave, for example handling transportation for construction traffic and provision for police and emergency services.
"We have negotiated those terms and it is now down to signatures on the document."
Gillett was equally optimistic that his dispute with track owners Wheatcroft & Son Limited will also be resolved in the coming weeks.
 Donington Park was the host of the 1993 European Grand Prix
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It emerged last month that owner Tom Wheatcroft is seeking £2.47m in rent arrears from DVLL, who secured the 150-year lease in 2007, as well as forfeiture of the lease.
"We will be in a position to be able to sort that out very soon," said Gillett, who conceded the Donington development had been slowed by the global economic downturn.
"We are in in-depth meetings to button down the finances and you should see a resolution on this situation soon."
Donington Park secured a 10-year contract to host the British GP at the expense of current hosts Silverstone and is due to stage its first Formula 1 Grand Prix since 1993 in July next year.
Silverstone, which is owned by the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC), stalled over signing a new deal and F1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone was impressed by Gillett's plans to redevelop Donington.
However, Gillett's £100m-development has been delayed by a series of "trials and tribulations".
Firstly, the Motor Sports Association refused to grant the track a safety certificate which led to a cancellation of a number of events.
The debenture scheme to raise private investment was also due to launch at the end of March but has failed to get off the ground.
The legal dispute with the track owners, the council's concerns and the BRDC's insistence the race should return to Silverstone have added to Gillett's headaches.
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I'm still working to the mantra that it's Donington or the Grand Prix goes outside of the UK
Donington leaseholder Simon Gillett
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Despite the delays, Gillett is optimistic he can meet his self-imposed deadline of 1 April 2010 to revamp the track.
"We have a nine-month construction programme and that has never changed," said Gillett.
"We have always known we could construct everything we have to in nine months but we have the construction in hand.
"We need to be in a position to roll everything out by July 2009 but we are not panicking yet."
Gillett is determined to get Donington ready in time to ensure the British race, one of the sport's oldest Grands Prix, remains on the F1 calendar.
"I'm still working to the mantra that it's Donington or the Grand Prix goes outside of the UK," he said.
"We are here to try and save the British Grand Prix not to jeopardise it.
"At the moment the British Grand Prix doesn't have a home, we have stepped in and given it a lifeboat.
"Without the Donington circuit being available it would have gone already - we are here to make sure it stays here."
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