Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch in Kent: a 3.916 km circuit set in a natural amphitheatre, host of Grands Prix and endurance races.
Brands Hatch is a circuit in Kent, England, south-east of London. It has been owned by MotorSport Vision since January 2004. The site is a natural grassy hollow shaped like an amphitheatre, on Brands Farm.[1],[2]
The Grand Prix circuit is 3.916 kilometres long with 9 turns, and is run clockwise.[1],[2]
At a glance
| Place | Kent, England[1],[2] |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Layout | Grand Prix Circuit |
| Endurance series | Le Mans 24 Hours (historic) |
| Period | 1950-present |
| Grand Prix circuit | 3.916 km, 9 turns[1],[2] |
| Tarmacked | 1950 (opening meeting on 16 April 1950)[1] |
| Owner | MotorSport Vision (since 2004)[1] |
Landmarks of the circuit
- Paddock Hill Bend
- A downhill right-hander with gradients of about 8%, one of the few overtaking spots on the circuit.[1]
- Druids
- A hairpin taken after an uphill braking zone at Hailwood Hill.[1]
- Graham Hill Bend and Surtees
- Graham Hill Bend is a downhill, off-camber corner; further on, Surtees is a decreasing-radius turn before the back straight.[1]
- Hawthorn, Westfield and Dingle Dell
- The Hawthorn section has the biggest elevation changes of the lap. Westfield and Dingle Dell form a dip of mid-speed corners in the woodland.[1]
Key dates
- 1926 — The first actual race on the site pits cyclists against cross-country runners, over about 6.4 km.[1]
- 1950 — The circuit is tarmacked; the opening meeting is held on 16 April 1950.[1]
- 1964-1986 — The British Grand Prix is held there 12 times, in alternate years with Silverstone; the European Grand Prix is held there in 1983 and 1985.[1],[2]
- 1966-1988 — The Brands Hatch 1000 km is run; the 1985 race, on 22 September, is the second British round of the World Endurance Championship.[1],[2]
- 2003 — The Grand Prix circuit takes its present form.[1]
In the game
This circuit is part of the Circuit game: a heavily zoomed photo of one of its landmarks that you have to recognise. Play Circuit
Sources
The numbers in brackets refer to the sources listed at the bottom of the page.