Simon Gillett is hoping he can finally sense the animosities receding over his staging of next season's British GP.

Since it was announced last July that Donington Park signed a 10-year contract with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone to host the event, Gillett has been swamped by criticism.

Work, however, is firmly in progress - with a £750,000 access tunnel beneath the track due to be completed shortly. And Gillett is confident it can be a success, he said: "I've this optimism other people don't have,"

Gillett's boundless confidence remains intact, despite the knocks he has so far received and he is at a loss to explain why the snipers continue to line up to take pot-shots but feels he is winning over the doubters, even if it is a slow process.

He added: "When British people see something new, the first thing they want to do is condemn it.

"When someone wants to achieve something, we want to berate them for achieving it - and then when it is achieved, we have a go at whatever goes wrong.

"I just wonder when it will click with people. I keep saying what I will do - and I keep doing it.

"Everything I've said I will do so far, it's fair to say I've delivered.

"I'm hoping one day people will realise I only say things I know I can achieve, but maybe the tide is turning.

"I've seen some of the 'blogs', and people are saying 'give him a break - it's the only chance F1 has got in the UK'. Remember, we didn't steal the grand prix from Silverstone - it was dead. They refused to pick up the contract on the table, and there was no future for grand prix racing in Britain. Realistically, we're the only lifeboat it has got."