Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch was the home of 500cc Formula 3 racing when it opened for cars on 16 April 1950.

Country

Britain

Location

Fawkham, Kent

Co-ordinates

51.360304, 0.260384

Latest Race

2021 Brands Hatch British F3

First Race

1956 Brands Hatch F2

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Brands Hatch was the home of 500cc Formula 3 racing when it opened for cars on 16 April 1950. By 1964 the circuit had been extended and the direction of racing reversed, changes that allowed it to become a full Grand Prix venue. Jim Clark scored a convincing home win in the first British GP held there. Brands Hatch then alternated with Silverstone, holding 14 Grands Prix (twelve British and two European) before Silverstone won an exclusive contract to stage the British GP from 1987. Although the Kent venue eventually won its own exclusive contract to hold the Grand Prix from 2002, new owners Octagon Motorsports eventually decided it would be cheaper to lease Silverstone rather than upgrade Brands to F1 standard. The circuit was then acquired by Jonathan Palmer’s newly formed Motor Sport Vision concern in 2004 and MSV have restored Brands Hatch to its former glory. The full circuit is one of the most demanding in the world and the Indy circuit offers fans some of best viewing possible. Short run-off areas made safety an issue as illustrated by the injuries sustained by Johnny Herbert and Michel Trolle during the 1988 Formula 3000 meeting. However, recent modifications have alleviated the problem.

Grand Prix Circuit

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Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.433 (Miles)

Fastest Race Lap

Paul di Resta (Mercedes-Benz C63 DTM), 1m19.943, 109.564 mph, DTM, 2018

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz C63 DTM), 1m17.948, 116.866 mph, DTM, 2018

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.301 (Miles)

Fastest Race Lap

Adam Carroll (Ferrari A1GP), 1m10.902, 116.832 mph, A1GP, 2009

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Adam Carroll (Ferrari A1GP), 1m12.276, 114.611 mph, A1GP, 2009

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.423 (Miles)

Fastest Race Lap

Nelson Angelo Piquet (Lola A1GP-Zytek), 1m16.547, 113.954 mph, A1GP, 2005

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Nelson Angelo Piquet (Lola A1GP-Zytek), 1m14.965, 116.358 mph, A1GP, 2005

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.6082 (Miles)

Change

Chicane at Dingle Dell Bend (Sheene's) bypassed

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.6228 (Miles)

Change

Graham Hill Bend re-profiled

Fastest Race Lap

Takuma Sato (Dallara F301-Mugen), 1m18.372, 120.478 mph, F3, 2001

Fastest Qualifying Lap

James Courtney (Dallara F302-Mugen), 1m18.313, 120.569 mph, F3, 2002

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.6002 (Miles)

Change

Chicane built at Dingle Dell Bend (Sheene's)

Fastest Race Lap

Emanuele Naspetti (Reynard 91D-Cosworth), 1m13.86, 126.736 mph, F3000, 1991

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Alessandro Zanardi (Reynard 91D-Mugen), 1m12.44, 129.220 mph, F3000, 1991

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.6136 (Miles)

Change

Paddock Hill Bend and Cooper Straight modified

Fastest Race Lap

Nigel Mansell (Williams FW11-Honda), 1m09.593, 135.200 mph, F1, 1986

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Nelson Piquet (Williams FW11-Honda), 1m06.961, 140.515 mph, F1, 1986

Type

Permanent road course

Length

2.65 (Miles)

Change

Grand Prix circuit opened

Fastest Race Lap

Niki Lauda (Ferrari 312B3) and Tom Pryce (Shadow DN5A-Ford), 1m21.1, 117.632 mph, F1, 1974 and 1975 respectively

Fastest Qualifying Lap

Niki Lauda (Ferrari 312B3), 1m19.7, 119.699 mph, F1, 1974

Indy Circuit

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Type

Permanent road course

Length

1.208 (Miles)

Type

Permanent road course

Length

1.1986 (Miles)

Type

Permanent road course

Length

1.2262 (Miles)

Type

Permanent road course

Length

1.204 (Miles)

Change

Paddock Hill Bend and Cooper Straight modified

Type

Permanent road course

Length

1.24 (Miles)

Type

Permanent road course

Length

1.24 (Miles)

Change

Track widened, Druids Hill Bend added and direction of racing now reversed to clockwise

Type

Permanent road course

Length

1 (Miles)

Change

Original circuit

Latest Races

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3,223

Championships

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18,281

Results

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17,425

Drivers

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10,686

Teams

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875

Circuits

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