Donington Park Stage Rally 2026: Photographing Round 7 of the Circuit Rally Championship

During the latter stages of my drive to Donington Park, it quickly became clear I wasn’t the only one heading there. “Civilian” rally cars—representing both past and present—filled the roads, their exhausts popping and banging. WRC stickers adorned rear windows, proudly declaring allegiances. And that familiar phrase echoed in spirit if not in voice: “If in doubt, flat out.” Some things in rallying never change.

Like a few others, I’d arrived early for Round 7 of the Circuit Rally Championship—the Zone Systems Dukeries Rally. My early start was intentional. I had a specific shooting location in mind, one that had been frustratingly crowded on my previous visit.

Location One: A Familiar View (and a Few Obstacles)

As the cars warmed up in the paddock, I realised I might have been a little too early. Only a handful of spectators had gathered, leaving plenty of space. Perfect? Not quite.

From a photographer’s perspective, the scene was cluttered—bright red bins, traffic cones, and all the usual trackside distractions. I’m convinced someone at MotorSport Vision has invested heavily in both.

Still, I say that with a smile. The sun was shining, engines were roaring, and the day had all the ingredients for great motorsport photography.

Interestingly, the crowds never materialised at this spot. Last time, I’d been forced to shoot over people—resulting in some unexpectedly strong foreground compositions. This time, that opportunity never came. Rather than wait and hope, I made the call to move on.

Location Two: McLeans to Coppice – Reliable Angles

For those who haven’t visited Donington Park, it’s a large circuit. Not quite Silverstone Circuit in scale, but big enough that planning your movements is essential.

With over 100 cars running across seven stages, I sacrificed part of the lower running order to reach my next location. Normally, I’d try to see every car, but with rain forecast later, making the most of the light became the priority.

The section between McLeans and Coppice is a favourite. Accessible via a tunnel from the infield, it offers a variety of angles—but space is limited. This time, luck was on my side: just one other spectator was there. I took a few practice shots as the last cars passed through and quickly found a rhythm.

A brief attempt at Coppice didn’t work—the safety fence caught the sunlight and created too much glare. McLeans, however, delivered as always. It’s a bit of a hike, but it consistently provides those “banker” shots—clean, sharp images you can rely on. In motorsport photography, those are essential. The standout, award-winning shot might come with luck and timing—but the keepers are what matter every time.

Location Three: Chasing Light Before the Rain

I’d built some flexibility into my schedule, and it paid off. The sunshine faded, replaced by heavy cloud and a noticeable drop in temperature. With the weather turning, I tried something different—a two-part sequence. First, panning along the straight toward the Foggy Esses, then quickly reframing for corner shots as the cars turned in. It worked well, and I was happy with what I captured. But the window was short.

Philip House and Nick Beaumont, the sound from the #14 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Rally was just fantastic.

Rain began to fall, the stage ended, and I found myself sheltering in a tunnel, reviewing images as the tannoy announced a delay for stage reconfiguration and lunch. With the conditions worsening—and it being Mother’s Day—I decided to call it a day. Sometimes, knowing when to leave is part of the process.

Photographic Post Script

For this event, I primarily used a Nikon D500 paired with a 70–200mm f/2.8 lens—an ideal combination for flexibility and speed.

I also carried a Nikon 300mm f/4E PF ED VR along with a 1.4x teleconverter. The 300mm came into its own at the far reaches of the circuit, particularly around McLeans.

With the D500’s crop sensor, extra reach isn’t always necessary—but having the teleconverter in the bag is worthwhile. It’s compact, lightweight, and offers that additional flexibility with minimal impact on image quality or autofocus performance.

Final Thoughts

Despite leaving early, it was a rewarding day at Round 7 of the Circuit Rally Championship. Good light (for a while), varied shooting locations, and the constant challenge of adapting to conditions made it a thoroughly enjoyable outing.

Not every visit produces the shot—but every visit should produce good shots. And this one certainly did. If you are interested in the camera settings I used for these images they are available when you open the image. Click the i button and all is revealed.

Overall Top ten Results Donington Park Stage Rally 2026

Pos	Car	Crew
1	2	Michael Igoe / Kirsty Riddick
2	1	John Griffiths / Emma Morrison
3	8	John Stone / John Cope
4	4	Daniel Bird / Malcolm Bates
5	5	Stuart Maloney / Steve McNulty
6	103	Philip Hopkins / Craig Fleming
7	11	Tom Stockdale / Neil Chambers
8	6	Alfie Threlfall / Patrick Cross
9	102	Bradley Carroll / Gareth Short
10	15	Mark Jasper / Don Whyatt

Over all winner of the Donington Park Stage Rally 2026, Michael Igoe and Kirsty Riddick in the Citroen C3 Rally 2.

---