The Half Liter Car Club has a marvelous article on Brands and its inextricable link with 500cc racing over at 500race.org. The original kidney shaped “Indy” circuit at Brands Hatch was a favorite among spectators who could see virtually the entire track from anywhere on the grounds. This plan, published by the club’s 1952 annual report demonstrates just how quickly there were plans in place to expand the track to accommodate Grand Prix racing. The above visualizes an expansion of Brands to meet the minimum length requirements for the fledgling Formula 1 series. After a series of expansions (and change in racing direction from counter-clockwise to clockwise), Brands Hatch hosted her first Formula 1 World Championship event 12 years later.
Head on over for more of Brands fascinating growth and her early dominance by a young Stirling Moss.
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0 replies on “The Track that Might Have Been: Brands Hatch at Early GP Length”
That’s great! It’s actually not that far off the layout of the final grand Prix loop. What’s interesting for me is the lack of the Druids loop and how little infrastructure there is around. Today Brands is encircled not only by all the architectural peripherals of a modern circuit but also the encroachment of suburban sprawl such as housing estates. This looks positively rural!
The Track that Might Have Been: Brands Hatch at Early GP Length http://t.co/skxmftH2xV
The Track that Might Have Been: Brands Hatch at Early GP Length http://t.co/qOPkWJFXqb