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Brands Hatch is a circuit in Kent, southeast of London, near the village of West Kingsdown. Between 1964 and 1986 it hosted the British Grand Prix twelve times, and the European Grand Prix twice more. Since then, the local council allowed housing to be built within 100 meters of the track, and the new residents have imposed restrictions on the track, which will prevent Formula One from returning.

Circuit History[]

Before the creation of the racing track, Brands Hatch was the name of a grassy hollow that a formed a natural amphitheatre in West Kingsdown of Kent. In 1926, a group of motorcyclists began to explore the land and began to use the Brands Hatch amphitheatre as a staging ground for local motorcross races. 

The first races were very informal and the motorcycle riders simply raced with the permission of the local land owner, Harry White. It was not until 1932 that a group of four local motorcycle clubs decided to purchase the circuit to make Brands Hatch an official motorcross circuit. It was then used extensively as a motorcross venue until the beginning of the Second World War.

During the War, Brands Hatch was acquired by the British Army as a military training ground. As such, it was often made a target for bombing by the Luftwaffe. At the conclusion of the War, as the Army disbanded the Brands Hatch base, they left many tonnes of gasoline lying around the remains of the old circuit. The motorcycle clubs immediately moved back into the course, acquiring all the leftover gasoline barrels from the military for their racing needs.

In 1948, Brands Hatch got its first true publicity when the BBC decided to televise one of the motorcross meetings at the circuit. This was the first televised motorcycle race in Brands Hatch's history. However it was not until motor cars became involved at Brands Hatch that it was considered a truly professional motor racing circuit.

In 1950, tarmac was added to the circuit and the circuit hosted races for the British Formula Three championship. A very young Stirling Moss was one of the drivers to carry out the opening demonstration runs to which he competed in the inaugural race.

Now getting some true publicity as well as professional motor racing, a proper pit complex was installed in 1953, and the Druids Hill Bend track extension was added to the circuit. Brands Hatch also opened up a driving school to which one of the first people to sign up for these circuit lessons was Graham Hill.

In 1954, it was decided the track would now race in a clockwise direction rather than in the anti-clockwise direction that it had been traditionally raced. The circuit was also widened to allow larger cars and categories to compete. Following these modifications, British Formula One teams began to test on the circuit, the first race with Formula One cars on the circuit was a Formula Libre race which was won by Archie Scott-Brown in a Connaught in 1956.

The first true Formula One race to be hosted at the Brands Hatch circuit was the non-championship 1960 Silver City Trophy. The race was won by Jack Brabham in a Cooper. Brands Hatch hosted the Silver City Trophy once again the following year which was won by Stirling Moss.

In 1964, the RAC were delegated the organising body responsible for preparing the British Grand Prix by the FIA. This came after long competition between the BRDC and BARC. Rather than using the traditional circuits of Silverstone and Aintree, the RAC chose to nominate Brands Hatch as their venue for the British Grand Prix. The first British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch was won by Jim Clark.

Subsequently, Brands Hatch would alternate with Silverstone as the venue of the British Grand Prix until 1986. The venue was known for its infamous duel between Jo Siffert and Chris Amon in 1968, the disqualification of James Hunt in 1976, and for Nigel Mansell's first two wins in 1985 and 1986.

The circuit, however was failing to keep up with the ever growing demands in both safety and professionalism to host a modern Formula One race. This was confirmed in its final hosting of the British Grand Prix in 1986 when a multi-car pile-up saw Jacques Laffite break both his legs in a career ending crash. 

Circuit Layouts[]

Previous Layouts[]

Current[]

Event history[]

The following is a list of Formula One World Championship events held at the Brands Hatch circuit:

Year Event Winning Driver Winning Constructor Report
1960 United Kingdom Silver City Trophy Australia Jack Brabham United Kingdom Cooper-Climax Report
1961 United Kingdom Silver City Trophy United Kingdom Stirling Moss United Kingdom Cooper-Climax Report
United Kingdom Guards Trophy Australia Jack Brabham United Kingdom Cooper-Climax Report
United Kingdom Lewis-Evans Trophy United Kingdom Tony Marsh United Kingdom BRM-Climax Report
1964 United Kingdom British Grand Prix United Kingdom Jim Clark United Kingdom Lotus-Climax Report
1965 United Kingdom Race of Champions United Kingdom Mike Spence United Kingdom Lotus-Climax Report
1966 United Kingdom British Grand Prix Australia Jack Brabham United Kingdom Brabham-Repco Report
1967 United Kingdom Race of Champions United States Dan Gurney United States Eagle-Weslake Report
1968 United Kingdom Race of Champions New Zealand Bruce McLaren United Kingdom McLaren-Ford Cosworth Report
United Kingdom British Grand Prix Switzerland Jo Siffert United Kingdom Lotus-Ford Cosworth Report
1969 United Kingdom Race of Champions United Kingdom Jackie Stewart United Kingdom Matra-Ford Cosworth Report
1970 United Kingdom Race of Champions United Kingdom Jackie Stewart United Kingdom March-Ford Cosworth Report
United Kingdom British Grand Prix Austria Jochen Rindt United Kingdom Lotus-Ford Cosworth Report
1971 United Kingdom Race of Champions Switzerland Clay Regazzoni Italy Ferrari Report
United Kingdom World Championship Victory Race United Kingdom Peter Gethin United Kingdom BRM Report
1972 United Kingdom Race of Champions Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi United Kingdom Lotus-Ford Cosworth Report
United Kingdom British Grand Prix Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi United Kingdom Lotus-Ford Cosworth Report
United Kingdom Rothmans 50,000 Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi United Kingdom Lotus-Ford Cosworth Report
United Kingdom World Championship Victory Race France Jean-Pierre Beltoise United Kingdom BRM Report
1973 United Kingdom Race of Champions United Kingdom Peter Gethin United Kingdom Chevron-Chevrolet Report
1974 United Kingdom Race of Champions Belgium Jacky Ickx United Kingdom Lotus-Ford Cosworth Report
United Kingdom British Grand Prix South Africa Jody Scheckter United Kingdom Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth Report
1975 United Kingdom Race of Champions United Kingdom Tom Pryce United States Shadow-Ford Cosworth Report
1976 United Kingdom Race of Champions United Kingdom James Hunt United Kingdom McLaren-Ford Cosworth Report
United Kingdom British Grand Prix Austria Niki Lauda Italy Ferrari Report
1977 United Kingdom Race of Champions United Kingdom James Hunt United Kingdom McLaren-Ford Cosworth Report
1978 United Kingdom British Grand Prix Argentina Carlos Reutemann Italy Ferrari Report
1979 United Kingdom Race of Champions Canada Gilles Villeneuve Italy Ferrari Report
1980 United Kingdom British Grand Prix Australia Alan Jones United Kingdom Williams-Ford Cosworth Report
1982 United Kingdom British Grand Prix Austria Niki Lauda United Kingdom McLaren-Ford Cosworth Report
1983 United Kingdom Race of Champions Finland Keke Rosberg United Kingdom Williams-Ford Cosworth Report
Europe European Grand Prix Brazil Nelson Piquet United Kingdom Brabham-BMW Report
1984 United Kingdom British Grand Prix Austria Niki Lauda United Kingdom McLaren-TAG Porsche Report
1985 Europe European Grand Prix United Kingdom Nigel Mansell United Kingdom Williams-Honda Report
1986 United Kingdom British Grand Prix United Kingdom Nigel Mansell United Kingdom Williams-Honda Report

Notes[]

V T E Circuits
AdelaideAidaAin-DiabAintreeAlbert ParkAlgarveAnderstorpAustinAVUSBakuBarcelonaBoavistaBrands HatchBremgartenBuddhBuenos AiresCaesars PalaceClermont-FerrandDallasDetroitDijonDoningtonEstorilFujiHanoiHockenheimHungaroringIgora DriveImolaIndianapolisInterlagosIstanbulJacarepaguáJaramaJeddahJerezKyalamiLe MansLong BeachLosailMagny-CoursMarina BayMexico CityMiamiMonsantoMonte CarloMontjuïcMont-TremblantMontrealMonzaMosportMugelloNivelles-BaulersNürburgringPaul RicardPedralbesPescaraPhoenixPort ImperialPrince GeorgeRed Bull RingReimsRiversideRouenSakhirSebringSepangShanghaiSilverstoneSochiSpa-FrancorchampsSuzukaValenciaWatkins GlenYas MarinaYeongamZandvoortZeltwegZolder
Other Circuits
BrooklandsDavidstowFioranoGoodwoodLinas-MontlhéryOntarioOulton ParkPauPosillipoRicardo TormoSnettertonSolitudeSyracuseVallelungaWestmeadLas Vegas
Bold indicates a circuit on the 2022 calendar.
The Red Bull Ring was previously known as the "A1-Ring" and before that the "Österreichring".
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