Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is the hilly circuit in the Kent countryside southeast of London where the very first corner, Paddock Hill Bend, drops away from you over a blind crest. It hosted the British Grand Prix 12 times, it’s where the British Touring Car and British Superbike seasons usually come to a head, and from 2027 it’s set to host Formula E. Here’s everything you’ll want to know before you watch a race, book a track day or try it in a sim: the name, the history, a corner-by-corner lap, the lap records, what races there and how to visit.
Brands Hatch at a Glance
Length 3.916 km / 2.433 mi Grand Prix circuit; the Indy circuit is 1.944 km / 1.208 mi
Turns 11 official count for the GP circuit: 8 rights and 3 lefts, run clockwise
Gradient About 8% the downhill plunge through Paddock Hill Bend
Opened April 16, 1950 as a paved circuit; racing on the site goes back to 1926
Location & owner West Kingsdown, Kent off the A20 near the M25, owned by MotorSport Vision since 2004
Race lap record 1:12.276 Adam Carroll, A1GP, 2009
Brands Hatch, the Indy Circuit and the GP Circuit
There’s no sponsor to untangle here. Brands Hatch was originally the name of a grassy hollow on Brands Hatch Farm, a natural amphitheater in the North Downs, and the racetrack simply kept it. When people say “Brands,” they mean this place.
What does trip people up is the layout. Brands Hatch has two: the short Indy circuit, 1.944 km (1.208 miles), which stays inside the bowl around Paddock Hill Bend and Druids, and the full Grand Prix circuit, 3.916 km (2.433 miles), which adds a loop out into the woods. The short track used to be called the Club circuit. It was renamed the Indy circuit in 1978, in honor of the American USAC Indy car teams that raced there that year; Rick Mears won for Penske. The name stuck, and Champ Cars came back in 2003, when Sébastien Bourdais won the London Champ Car Trophy on the Indy layout.
Since January 2004 the circuit has belonged to MotorSport Vision (MSV), the company run by former Formula 1 driver Jonathan Palmer, which also owns several other British tracks.
Brands Hatch History
Brands Hatch started out as a muddy field used by cyclists and motorcycle racers and grew into one of the most important circuits in Britain. For two decades it shared the British Grand Prix with Silverstone, and since then it has hosted just about everything: sports car races, Champ Cars, A1GP, DTM, World Superbike and, in 2026, its 100th year of racing.
- 1926 The first race on the site is held between cyclists and cross-country runners, after cyclists spotted the field on Brands Hatch Farm. Motorcycle racing on the grass follows in the early 1930s, running counter-clockwise.
- 1950 A paved track opens on April 16 as England’s first purpose-built postwar circuit, built for 500cc Formula 3 cars. Don Parker wins the first race.
- 1954 The climb to Druids is added and racing switches to the clockwise direction still used today.
- 1960 The Grand Prix loop through the woods opens in August, and Jack Brabham wins the Silver City Trophy.
- 1964 Brands Hatch hosts its first British Grand Prix, won by Jim Clark in a Lotus 25. It alternates the race with Silverstone until 1986.
- 1965 The Race of Champions begins, a non-championship Formula 1 race that runs until 1983, when Keke Rosberg wins the last one.
- 1976 The Formula Ford Festival moves here from Snetterton, starting a fall tradition for young drivers that is still going.
- 1985 Nigel Mansell scores his first Grand Prix win at the European Grand Prix. Two years earlier, Nelson Piquet won the first European GP held here.
- 1986 Mansell wins the last British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch in a Williams-Honda. From 1987, the race stays at Silverstone.
- 1993 World Superbike begins a run of 16 rounds here that lasts until 2008, drawing some of the biggest crowds the track has ever seen.
- 2003 The current Indy and Grand Prix layouts are set, and Champ Cars race on the Indy circuit.
- 2004 MotorSport Vision completes its purchase of the circuit in January.
- 2005 A1GP holds its first-ever race here. DTM follows from 2006 and WTCC also visits; the final A1GP race is held here in 2009.
- 2026 The track celebrates its centenary season. In June, Formula E confirms a London E-Prix at Brands Hatch from 2027, and in October Kyle Ryde clinches the British Superbike title at the season finale.
Paddock Hill Bend
Paddock Hill Bend is the corner everyone talks about at Brands Hatch, and it’s the first thing you hit after the start. You come off the Brabham Straight, turn right over a crest and the track simply falls away underneath you. The car goes light at the exact moment you’re asking it to turn, then the suspension compresses at the bottom of the dip before you start climbing toward Druids.
About 8%
The gradient
Paddock Hill Bend falls away at roughly 8%, so the car goes light just as you need it to turn.
Turn 1
Both layouts
Paddock is the first corner on the Indy and Grand Prix circuits, so every race starts with it.
Blind
Over the crest
You turn in before you can see the bottom of the corner, aiming for a reference point rather than the apex.
That combination is why the corner makes or breaks so many races. On a first lap, a whole field of touring cars or superbikes funnels into a fast, downhill, blind corner side by side, and you get the kind of drama that has made Brands Hatch a favorite for TV and spectators alike. From the banks on the outside you can watch cars drop out of sight and reappear at the bottom.
Brands Hatch Track Guide: A Lap, Corner by Corner
Brands Hatch runs clockwise, so most corners are rights. The Indy circuit stays inside the natural bowl: Paddock Hill Bend, Druids, Graham Hill Bend, Surtees, McLaren and Clearways. The Grand Prix circuit leaves the bowl after Surtees and adds a fast, tree-lined loop through Hawthorn, Westfield, Dingle Dell, Sheene Curve and Stirling’s before rejoining at Clearways. Here’s a lap of the full circuit, with the names you’ll hear on TV.
Start
Brabham Straight
The pit straight, named for Jack Brabham. It’s short and slightly off-camber, and it ends at the most famous corner on the lap.
T1
Paddock Hill Bend
A fast right over a crest that plunges downhill. Brake in a straight line, turn in before you can see the exit and let the car settle in the dip.
Climb
Hailwood Hill
The steep run up from Paddock to Druids, named for motorcycle legend Mike Hailwood. The car is still loaded up from the compression as you brake for the hairpin.
T2
Druids
A tight uphill right-hand hairpin and the best overtaking spot on the Indy circuit. Late braking works here, and so does a switch-back on the exit.
T3
Graham Hill Bend
A downhill left that leads onto the Cooper Straight. A good exit matters, because it sets up your speed all the way along the back of the bowl.
T4
Surtees
A quick left kink at the end of the Cooper Straight. On the Indy circuit you turn right at McLaren next; on the Grand Prix circuit you carry on out into the woods.
GP
Pilgrim’s Drop
A fast, plunging straight that drops away from the bowl. With Hawthorn Hill that follows, it’s where the Grand Prix loop has its biggest changes in elevation.
T5
Hawthorn Bend
A high-speed right at the end of the climb up Hawthorn Hill. The approach runs at about 7%, and it’s a serious commitment corner in a fast car.
T6
Westfield
A fast right that dives into the trees. The trees are close in this part of the lap, so build up to it.
Dip
Dingle Dell and Sheene Curve
A compression through Dingle Dell, then Sheene Curve, the old chicane reshaped and renamed for Barry Sheene. Smooth inputs pay off here.
T8
Stirling’s Bend
A tight left that brings you back toward the bowl. It’s a late-braking passing chance on the Grand Prix circuit.
Finish
Clearways and Clark Curve
Two rights that sweep you back onto the Brabham Straight in front of the grandstands. Clark Curve honors Jim Clark, and a good exit here is worth time all the way to Paddock.
Brands Hatch Lap Records
Only times set in a race count as official lap records, and Brands Hatch keeps separate records for each layout. Here are the ones people ask about most. For the record books, the fastest Formula 1 race lap was Nigel Mansell’s 1:09.593 in a Williams FW11 in 1986, but that was on the older, longer Grand Prix layout, so it can’t be compared with today’s times. In GT3 cars, Raffaele Marciello holds the GP circuit record at 1:22.557, set in a Mercedes-AMG in 2022.
1:12.276
Grand Prix circuit record
Adam Carroll set the official race lap record on the current GP layout in an A1GP car in 2009.
0:38.032
Indy circuit record
Scott Mansell lapped the short circuit in a Benetton B197 Formula 1 car in the EuroBOSS series in 2004.
1:24.066
Superbike benchmark
Kyle Ryde set the British Superbike lap record on the GP circuit on a Ducati in 2026, the year he won the title.
0:47.157
Touring car record
Tom Ingram holds the BTCC lap record on the Indy circuit in a Hyundai, set in 2025. He also owns the GP circuit mark, 1:29.596.
Races and Events at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is busy almost every weekend from spring to fall, with club racing, track days and car shows filling the gaps between big events. Dates change every year, so check the official calendar before you book. Here’s what usually runs, with 2026 results and 2027 dates for reference. New to the series? Our guides to the British Touring Car Championship and Formula E explain the basics.
May and October
British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship BTCC
The BTCC visits twice: the Indy circuit in spring and the Grand Prix circuit for the season finale. In 2026 Tom Ingram won twice at the October finale, after Ash Sutton had already wrapped up a record fifth title. The 2027 rounds are May 8–9 and October 9–10.
July and October
British Superbike Championship
British Superbikes BSB
Britain’s superbike series runs here in the summer and again for its October showdown. Kyle Ryde clinched the 2026 title at the finale on October 16–18. For 2027 BSB is back on July 16–18 and for the finale on October 15–17.
May and September
GT World Challenge Europe and British GT
GT World Challenge Europe British GT
GT3 cars race here twice a year. The 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup opened at Brands on May 2–3, and the British GT finale on September 26–27 crowned Simon Orange and Marcus Clutton (McLaren) champions. In 2027 the dates are May 1–2 and September 11–12.
From May 2027
London E-Prix
Formula E is moving its London race to Brands Hatch. A double-header is provisionally set for May 29–30, 2027, on the full Grand Prix circuit with small changes subject to FIA approval. It’ll be the first time the electric series has raced here.
All season
Historic and club racing
Masters Historic Formula Ford Festival
Brands Hatch is a big stop for classic racing, with the Masters Historic Festival (May 30–31 in 2026) and the Legends of Brands Hatch Superprix (July 11–12). The Formula Ford Festival, held here since 1976, closed the 2026 season on October 24–25.
Brands Hatch Race Calendar: 2026 and 2027
Here are the big public weekends at Brands Hatch, so you can plan a trip around the racing you want to see. Club races, track days and car shows fill most other weekends. Dates marked TBA haven’t been announced yet, and it’s always worth checking the official circuit calendar before you book.
2026 season
| Dates | Event | Series | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2–3 | GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, Round 1 | GT World Challenge Europe | Done |
| May 9–10 | BTCC (Indy circuit) | British Touring Car Championship | Done |
| May 30–31 | Masters Historic Festival | Historic racing | Done |
| Jun 6–7 | American SpeedFest | Euro Series stock cars and support races | Done |
| Jul 11–12 | Legends of Brands Hatch Superprix | Historic racing | Done |
| Jul 17–19 | British Superbikes | British Superbike Championship | Done |
| Sep 26–27 | British GT season finale | British GT | Done |
| Oct 10–11 | BTCC season finale (GP circuit) | British Touring Car Championship | Done |
| Oct 16–18 | British Superbikes season finale | British Superbike Championship | Done |
| Oct 24–25 | Formula Ford Festival | Club and junior racing | Done |
2027 season
| Dates | Event | Series | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1–2 | GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup | GT World Challenge Europe | Upcoming |
| May 8–9 | BTCC (Indy circuit) | British Touring Car Championship | Upcoming |
| May 29–30 | London E-Prix (double-header) | Formula E, provisional | Upcoming |
| Jul 16–18 | British Superbikes | British Superbike Championship | Upcoming |
| Sep 11–12 | British GT | British GT | Upcoming |
| Oct 9–10 | BTCC season finale (GP circuit) | British Touring Car Championship | Upcoming |
| Oct 15–17 | British Superbikes season finale | British Superbike Championship | Upcoming |
| TBA | Historic meetings and Formula Ford Festival | Historic and club racing | Date TBA |
Brands Hatch Weather by Season
Brands Hatch has a mild, damp English climate: rarely very hot, rarely freezing, and with rain possible in any month. The numbers below are 1991–2020 averages from the Met Office station at East Malling, about 10 miles (16 km) from the circuit, which gets about 670 mm (26 in) of rain a year.
11–17°C
Spring · Mar–May
Daily highs of 11–17°C (52–63°F) and lows of 4–8°C (39–46°F), with about 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain a month. The season opens here in early May with GT3 cars and the BTCC, so pack a warm layer and a rain jacket.
20–23°C
Summer · Jun–Aug
Daily highs of 20–23°C (69–73°F) and lows of 11–13°C (52–55°F). It’s the driest and warmest stretch, though it still rains about 40–55 mm (1.7–2.2 in) a month. Superbike weekend in July is usually the warmest big event of the year.
11–20°C
Fall · Sep–Nov
Daily highs fall from about 20°C (67°F) in September to 11°C (52°F) in November, with lows of 5–10°C (41–51°F). October and November are among the wettest months, at about 75 mm (3 in), and that’s exactly when the BTCC and BSB finales run.
8–9°C
Winter · Dec–Feb
Daily highs of 8–9°C (46–48°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with 50–70 mm (2.0–2.8 in) of rain a month. There’s no big racing, but track days and testing carry on when it’s dry.
Visiting Brands Hatch: Getting There, Where to Watch and Tips
Brands Hatch is one of the easiest big circuits in Britain to reach from London, and the bowl around the Indy circuit means you can see a lot of the action from one place. Tickets for each event are sold on the official Brands Hatch website.
Getting there
- By car. The circuit is on the A20 at West Kingsdown, about 3 miles (5 km) from Junction 3 of the M25 at Swanley. For spectator parking, the official sat-nav postcode is DA3 8PE.
- By train. Trains run from London Victoria to Swanley, and there’s a taxi rank at the station. On selected major race days a shuttle bus runs from Swanley to the circuit.
- By bus. The Go Coach 429 between West Kingsdown and Dartford runs Monday to Saturday.
- By air. London Gatwick is about 30 to 45 minutes away by road.
Where to watch
- Paddock Hill Bend. Watch cars disappear over the crest and drop into the dip. On a first lap it’s the best seat in the house.
- Druids. The hairpin at the top of Hailwood Hill is where most of the passing happens on the Indy circuit, and the banks around it look down over much of the bowl.
- Clearways and Clark Curve. Watch the final corners and the run to the line, close to the pits and the start.
- The Grand Prix loop. On GP-circuit weekends, walk out toward Hawthorn and Westfield to see cars at full speed between the trees. It’s quieter out there.
Tips
Kent weather changes fast, so bring a waterproof jacket even in summer, plus good shoes for the grassy banks and slopes. Arrive early on BTCC and BSB weekends, which draw the biggest crowds, because the A20 and the car parks fill up. If you’re coming from London without a car, check whether your event has the Swanley shuttle before you set off.
Can You Drive Brands Hatch?
Yes. MSV Trackdays runs car and motorcycle track days here, including novice-only days for first-timers, and it also runs ARDS race license tests if you want to go racing.
Noise is the thing to check first. Brands Hatch color-codes its diary, and normal public track days run at 105 dB(A) static and 92 dB(A) drive-by. Plenty of modified cars, and some loud stock ones, will struggle with the drive-by limit, so check your car before you book.
If you’d rather not bring your own car, the circuit sells driving experiences, from single-seater sessions in the F4 Master to rally and off-road options and passenger rides with professional drivers. There’s also YoungDrive!, which lets 11- to 17-year-olds learn to drive on private roads at the circuit.
On a screen, Brands Hatch is easy to find. It’s in iRacing, Assetto Corsa Competizione, rFactor 2 and Forza Motorsport (both layouts were added in 2024), and the original Assetto Corsa offered it as paid DLC. Learning Paddock Hill Bend in a sim first is a good idea, because the blind crest is just as unnerving in real life.
Talk Brands Hatch With Other Enthusiasts
Heading to the BTCC finale, booking your first track day or planning a trip for Formula E? Share what you’ve learned, ask questions and find people going the same weekend in the AutoGathering community.
- Track-day experiences
- Best viewing spots
- Paddock Hill Bend photos
- BTCC finale weekend
- Noise limits and exhaust setups
- Race weekend meetups
- Sim racing lap times
- Formula E at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch FAQ
How long is Brands Hatch?
The Grand Prix circuit is 3.916 km (2.433 miles) long. The shorter Indy circuit, used for many club races and the spring BTCC round, is 1.944 km (1.208 miles).
What is the difference between the Indy and GP circuits at Brands Hatch?
The Indy circuit stays inside the natural bowl around Paddock Hill Bend and Druids. The Grand Prix circuit leaves the bowl after Surtees and adds a fast loop through the woods via Hawthorn, Westfield, Sheene Curve and Stirling’s.
Why is it called the Indy circuit?
The short layout, once called the Club circuit, was renamed the Indy circuit in 1978 in honor of the American USAC Indy car teams that raced there that year.
Did Brands Hatch host Formula 1?
Yes. Brands Hatch hosted the British Grand Prix 12 times between 1964 and 1986, alternating with Silverstone, plus European Grands Prix in 1983 and 1985 and the non-championship Race of Champions from 1965 to 1983.
What is the lap record at Brands Hatch?
The official race lap record on the current Grand Prix circuit is 1:12.276, set by Adam Carroll in A1GP in 2009. On the Indy circuit it’s 0:38.032, set by Scott Mansell in 2004.
Is Formula E coming to Brands Hatch?
Yes. The London E-Prix moves to Brands Hatch from the 2026–27 season, with a double-header provisionally set for May 29–30, 2027, on the Grand Prix circuit.
How do you get to Brands Hatch by train?
Take a train from London Victoria to Swanley, then a taxi from the station. On selected major race days a shuttle bus also runs from Swanley to the circuit.
Can you drive your own car at Brands Hatch?
Yes. MSV Trackdays runs car and bike track days, including novice days. Normal public days have a 92 dB(A) drive-by noise limit, so check that your car is quiet enough before you book.
Explore More Racing Circuits
Brands Hatch is one of 40 tracks in our European racing circuit directory. If you’re touring English circuits, Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix, is on the other side of London in Northamptonshire.
Photo credits
- Header image: BWard 1997, CC BY 4.0, cropped and resized.
- A Honda Civic Type R touring car…: Martin Lee from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- Two British Touring Car Championship cars nose…: Martin Lee from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- A pack of British Superbike riders leaning…: Smudge 9000, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- A Ferrari 488 GT3 rounds Druids during…: Interceptor73, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.
- W Series single-seaters on the Grand Prix…: Matt Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- A red Ferrari 312P sports prototype approaches…: Martin Lee from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- Track map of Brands Hatch showing the…: Will Pittenger, Public domain, cropped and resized.