The operator of Kent’s most high-profile racing circuit has extended its reach across the UK by buying the rights to host races at the home of the British leg of the World Superbike Championship.

MotorSport Vision, which owns Brands Hatch in Fawkham, where it is also headquartered, will acquire the circuit business of Donington Park in Leicestershire on a 21-year lease, subject to regulatory approval.

The company, owned by former F1 driver Jonathan Palmer and Sir Peter Ogden, also owns Oulton Park, Snetterton and Cadwell Park and expanded into Europe in 2015 when it bought a former military airbase in north-east France, which it is developing into a motorsport village.

Donington held its first event in 1931, hosted the British round of MotoGP for 23 years and held a standalone round for the F1 World Championship in 1993 dubbed the European Grand Prix, won by Ayrton Senna.

MSV will acquire the rights from Donington owner and operator Kevin Wheatcroft, who rescued the circuit from financial collapse in 2009, just as his father Tom had done when he bought it in 1971 after it fell into disrepair.

MSV chief executive Mr Palmer said: “Like many circuits in the UK, Donington has had a turbulent time over the last 10 years, though thankfully Kevin Wheatcroft and his team have now recovered the damage done by the previous owner of the business.

“We plan a great new era for Donington, with some exciting new events and much enhanced quality of experience for all of its customers, whether spectators, competitors and track day participants, together with even better value.”

Kevin Wheatcroft added: “I am particularly pleased to have finally done a deal with MSV’s Jonathan Palmer in what is our 40th year since my father reopened the circuit in 1977.

“Since taking the circuit back under my own control in 2009, huge efforts have been made to bring Donington back to the forefront of British Motorsport, not to mention the many millions it’s taken to do so.

“It seems very fitting in this celebratory year to hand over Donington’s reigns to Jonathan Palmer and his expert team, a man whose business model my late father and I have admired for many years.”