I attended the Dukeries Rally last weekend, which is round seven of the Protyre Circuit Rally Championship (CRC). Initially, three of us from the Pistonclick team planned to shoot this event, but due to other commitments, I ended up going alone. This required more effort on my part to cover the track and plan a variety of shots for my motorsports photography report.

The Dukeries Rally digital program, available for download from the MSV website a few days before the event, proved invaluable. It included stage maps, which are essential for navigating Donington’s extensive use of space, such as access roads and dirt tracks. A detailed circuit map also guided the large crowd that attended.

Dukeries Rally Plan

Although I didn’t need the circuit map as I know Donington well, the stage maps were crucial. I studied them the night before and realised that photographing this event would be challenging. My previous plans from CRC meetings at Donington didn’t align with the stage plans for last weekend.

Donington Park Infield

Determined not to improvise, I mapped out six different locations. From experience, I knew each spot would offer multiple shots. Starting at the infield, I found the spectator viewing area somewhat disappointing. It was adequate for the general public but not ideal for photographers like me.

I managed to capture a few decent shots, but nothing particularly interesting. The off-road section of the first and second stages had cars transitioning from Redgate to the Craner Curves. I moved to Craners, hoping for better opportunities.

This was more to my liking, with different angles, fewer people, and a solid set of shots. Some cars were pushing hard, making it an excellent location for both photography and spectating. The transition from tarmac to gravel caught a few drivers off guard, with some returning to the track a bit sideways!

Roberts

My next location was a bit of a trek, Roberts. This area typically holds safety and recovery vehicles, which can obstruct your view of the track from the infield. Fortunately, there were none on this occasion, providing great unobstructed views of cars braking hard from the Starkeys straight.

Tyre walls had been set up as a temporary chicane, so there was plenty of sideways action. Not many spectators had made the walk to the inside of Roberts, and even fewer were at my next location, Coppice.

Coppice

I aimed for two shots at Coppice: the Bridge and Coppice outside. The bridge shot depends heavily on the number of people present. It’s a tight space; only two or three can use this location at a time. Only a few spectators had ventured this far around the track. I started at the bridge for the first few cars, then moved to the outside of Coppice for the rest.

Reviewing the images between stages, I was pleased with my progress. There’s always another spot to shoot from at Donington, so it was time to relocate again.

McLeans

The McLeans corner, like Coppice, is a fair distance from the thick safety fences. I used a crop sensor Nikon D500 for the day, which has a 1.5x magnification factor. Combined with a 300mm f4 PF lens, it effectively makes the focal length 450mm, more than enough for photographing cars at Donington Park. For all the other locations the motorsport standard 70-200mm f2.8mm lens works just fine.

Foggy Esses

For stages 5 and 6, the rally cars would be head-on and going the wrong way around the Foggy Esses. I made the long walk back to the Esses in plenty of time to meet the first car coming through. I spent some time here just watching the car slide around the tight tyre wall chicane.

Paddock

My final stop was where I usually begin: the outside of Redgate on the paddock side. I noticed from the stage maps that there would be a head-on long shot. As is typical at these events, there are always masses of cones. You can get a clean shot with a little perseverance, as the crowds do move around.

I decided to take a quick look around the paddock. It was the usual spanner-wielding, bacon-smelling, and colourful gazebos of any rally paddock. It was time to head home.

The Dukeries Rally Conclusion

The Dukeries Rally is a great day out for circuit rally fans. Access to the stages is somewhat limited, similar to road rally events these days. However, this doesn’t detract from the event. Donington is so large that with a bit of walking, if you’re not satisfied at one spot, you have plenty of others to choose from.

As a photographer, you can leave this event with a nice set of images for your portfolio. I didn’t capture anything outstanding photographs, but nonetheless, I was happy with what I had. That’s what truly matters to me: enjoying a day out that makes me happy. Job done.

Dukeries Rally Results

We are not a results service, however. Here are the Dukeries Rally 2025 class winners: A special note must be made of Chris West/Keith Hounslow in Car 4. An electrical issue on stage four held them back, but they powered through to take the Class C win.

Previous 2024/25 Protyre Circuit Rally Championship Reports