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LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow was left baffled after MotoGP chose to keep the British Grand Prix at Silverstone instead of returning it to Donington Park.
Silverstone replaced Donington as the British Grand Prix host venue for 2010, but Donington was in the running to get the race back when the proposed Circuit of Wales project fell through earlier this year.
However, during the Valencia Grand Prix weekend, Silverstone finally agreed a new three-year deal with series promoter Dorna covering 2018-20.
“Personally I’m disappointed, because why not go back to Donington?” Crutchlow said. “I think the other guys like Donington as well.
“I’d already spoke to Jonathan [Palmer, circuit owner] quite a bit, to Stuart Higgs [British Superbike championship director] quite a bit, but obviously it hasn’t ended up happening.
“I don’t know why they didn’t get the deal done.
“That’s nothing against Silverstone, I just think it would have been nice for a change.”
Crutchlow – who won at Donington on his way to the 2009 World Supersport title – brushed off claims that circuit is too dangerous for modern MotoGP bikes as the barriers are too close to the track.
He underlined Japanese Grand Prix venue Motegi as being far more dangerous in that respect.
“If you look at when they last went there, the bikes were more aggressive than what they are now,” he said.
“Probably we’re able to push more now than they were then, but I know they were discussing moving the barriers back, stuff like that.
“I don’t think it’s too tight. If you look at Motegi, if you’re talking about walls [being too close to the track] there’s no comparison.
“I have a thing about Donington, I haven’t ridden there for years.
“I do like it, it’s a track of two halves. I would have liked to go back there.”