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The Thruxton Circuit is a 2.356 mi (3.792 km) motor-racing circuit located near the village of Thruxton in Hampshire, England which hosts motorsport events including British Touring Cars and Formula 3 racing. It is often referred to as the "Fastest Circuit in the UK" where drivers can reach speeds of over 190 mph (300 km/h) and has earned the reputation of being a true driver's track. To illustrate this, Damon Hill drove his Williams Formula One car around the circuit at an average speed of 147 mph (237 km/h) in 1993.

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Thruxton Motorsport Centre

Location	Hampshire, England
Time zone	GMT (UTC+0) BST (April–October, UTC+1)
Coordinates	51°12′37″N 1°36′2″W
FIA Grade	3
Opened	1950
Major events	Current: BTCC (1979–present) BSB (1996–2019, 2021–present) British Truck Racing Championship Former: FIM Endurance World Championship Thruxton 500 (1960–1964, 1969–1977) British F3 (1977–2008, 2010, 2014) Formula 3000 (1985) Formula Two (1968–1984) Formula 5000 (1970–1971, 1974–1975)
Main Circuit (1968–present)
Length	3.793 km (2.356 miles)
Turns	12
Race lap record	1:01.960 (Earl Goddard, Reynard 95D, 2000, Formula 3000)
Main Circuit (1952–1964)
Length	4.437 km (2.757 miles)
Turns	8
Race lap record	2:00.000 (Tony Rolt, Connaught Type A, 1953, Formula Two)
Original Circuit (1950–1952)
Length	3.042 km (1.890 miles)
Turns	6

The site also houses the headquarters of the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC).[1]

History

The site was originally constructed in 1942 as RAF Thruxton, a World War II airfield which was home to both the RAF and USAAF and was used for troop-carrying aircraft and gliders, including operations during the D-Day landings. Also, the paratroopers who took part in the successful Bruneval Raid (Operation Biting), in which German radar equipment was seized on the coast of France, took off from here.

The circuit, which follows the line of the airfield's perimeter road, was established in 1968. From 1950 to 1965, motorbike races had taken place on the runways and perimeter road.[2]

Motorsport activities

Owing to planning restrictions, the circuit can only run 12 days of motorsport each year. Currently, three are devoted to motorbike racing, with a weekend dedicated to the British Superbike Championship, Britain's premier motorcycle racing category; with the third day being used for club racing.

The remaining days are devoted to car racing with weekends being used for the TOCA British Touring Car Championship, the British Formula 3 and British GT Championship package and the Dunlop Great and British Festival, which features rounds of the British Truck Racing Championship, the International Truck Racing Challenge as well as the staples of the festival, including the Radical endurance races. Two separate one day meetings are run for amateur championships of the BARC, one of which is titled the Thruxton Classic, which features races for Classic Touring Cars, Classic Formula Ford 1600 and Formula Ford 2000. The remaining day is allocated to other organising clubs, such as the 750 Motor Club and Historic Sports Car Club. Owing to the relative infrequency of race meetings, Thruxton continues to be a popular part of the motorsport calendar.[3]

Lap records

The official race lap records at the Thruxton Circuit are listed as:

Category	Time	Driver	Vehicle	Event
Main Circuit: 3.793 km (1968–present)
Formula 3000	1:01.960[4]	Earl Goddard	Reynard 95D	2000 Thruxton EuroBOSS round
Formula Three	1:06.752[5]	Jean-Éric Vergne	Dallara F308	2010 Thruxton British F3 round
Formula Two	1:07.370[6]	Johnny Cecotto	March 822	1982 Thruxton F2 round
Formula One	1:09.430[7]	Emilio de Villota	Lotus 78	1979 2nd Thruxton British F1 round
Formula 4	1:10.848[8]	Alex Dunne	Tatuus F4-T-421	2022 1st Thruxton British F4 round
Formula 5000	1:11.000[9][10]	Vern Schuppan[lower-alpha 1] Ian Ashley[lower-alpha 1]	Lola T332[lower-alpha 1] Lola T330[lower-alpha 1]	1974 2nd Thruxton F5000 round[lower-alpha 1] 1975 1st Thruxton F5000 round[lower-alpha 1]
Super Touring	1:13.272[11]	Jason Plato	Vauxhall Vectra	2000 Thruxton BTCC round
BSB	1:14.655[12]	Josh Brookes	Ducati Panigale V4 R	2019 Thruxton BSB round
Formula BMW	1:14.709[13]	Stian Sørlie	Mygale FB02	2004 Thruxton Formula BMW UK round
NGTC	1:16.206[14]	Tom Ingram	Toyota Corolla (E210)	2020 Thruxton BTCC round
BTC Touring	1:17.303[15]	Yvan Muller	BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Coupe	2002 Thruxton BTCC round
Group A	1:20.640[16]	Dave Brodie	Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth	1989 1st Thruxton BTCC round
Main Circuit: 4.437 km (1952–1964)
Formula Two	2:00.000[17]	Tony Rolt	Connaught Type A	1953 Thruxton F2 round

Medical and safety services

Thruxton has a medical centre in line with Motor Sports Association standards.

The MSA circuit licence requires a minimum of two doctors and two rescue units for a race meeting. Most meetings are operated with three rescue units plus a medical car, along with ambulances and first aiders.

Points of interest

During race weekends, a radio commentary service called Radio Thruxton operates in the FM band on 87.7 MHz. This has commentators at key points of the track as well as a pit reporter, who conducts interviews with the race winners.

Outside of motor racing, the circuit offers a driving school for aspiring racing drivers. It has featured as the venue for BBC3's 2005 series Stars in Fast Cars.

The "Thruxton" heritage

As a result of its racing associations, the name "Thruxton" has been used for:

• Triumph Thruxton, a series of café racer motorcycles
• Velocette Thruxton, a sport motorcycle
• Thruxton handlebars, a type of motorcycle handlebar that is shaped to provide a clip-on-type handlebar position, but which clamps on top of the yoke rather than onto the fork stanchions. Thruxton handlebars are also known as "Ace 'bars" or "Clubman 'bars".

Thruxton Hospitality Centre

The Thruxton Hospitality Centre was opened in June 2018 by Nigel Mansell and Murray Walker. The £2million flagship building is the latest addition to the circuit, forming part of the track's modernisation project. The new building is a 1415m² facility with more than ten conference and function rooms as well as hospitality suites, a restaurant and bar, an exhibition space and catering facilities. A first floor terrace and balcony provides a view of the first-corner and across the venue.

Driving experiences

Aside from hosting major motor racing events, Thruxton Motorsport Centre offers driving experiences. Next to the main circuit is the 1,200 yd (1,100 m) long Thruxton Karting Circuit.

See also

• Thruxton 500

Notes

References

External links

• Official website

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