Circuit Length (Miles):
GP - 2.6002
Indy - 1.2036

Of all the circuits in Britain, Brands Hatch is the one that exudes the most character. History seeps from every fibre of its being and, as a spectator venue, it is unsurpassed in what it can offer. The natural amphitheatre that is its 1.2 mile Indy configuration offers unparalleled views of the action, while its sensational Grand Prix circuit remains one of the biggest challenges in UK motor racing.

Brabham Straight

• Start and finish with a start that has a steady rise to Paddock Hill Bend

Paddock Hill Bend

• Spectacular corner both for riders and spectators
Normal speed – around 100mph (depending on the machine class)
Approach to Paddock Hill is blind and undulating
Good overtaking spot
From the apex of the bend the track falls steeply downhill
If wet, the foot of the hill is very slippery

Hailwood Hill

• Acceleration is quick going into Hailwood Hill
It is a step straight uphill which assists in braking around the bridge area before Druids Bend

Druids Bend

• Approach to Druids is steep uphill, and the corner itself is a wide hairpin on a slope
Track is wide and quite smooth
This bend is quite quick
Popular spectator area as it is on the inside of the track
Incidents are common on this bend
Crucial element at Druids is the drive out without running too wide
Exit is quite steep into Graham Hill

Graham Hill

• Out of Druids is quite steep down to Graham Hill Bend
Riders will accelerate fast down this part of the circuit and will move across to the right hand side prior to entering Graham Hill Bend

Graham Hill Bend

• Fast in – fast out corner
Riders usually brake late into this bend
There is a surface change at the slight dip between the first apex and the second apex
Riders usually use the kerb on exiting as long as it is in the dry as this kerb is relatively flat
Speed going into the next straight is usually down to how you have taken this bend

Cooper Straight

• Cooper straight is governed by how the rider has exited Graham Hill Bend
There is a surface change towards the end of this straight, which then leads the rider into the difficult apex of Surtees

Surtees

• The approach into Surtees is straighter and wider than the Indy Circuit approach
Common overtaking spot due to the natural wide entry line
The apex comes late and is not that obvious, also has a steep rise through the corner
Riders can’t afford to turn in too shallow or they will destroy their run uphill
If the entry point to this apex was wrong then the riders acceleration up the hill that follows will suffer - therefore a good exit from Surtees is critical
Just beyond the immediate exit of Surtees the straight continues to turn left before opening out

McLaren

• Slight bend to the right going up to Pilgrims Drop then straight through to Hawthorn Hill to the approach to Pilgrims Drop

Pilgrims Drop

• The Mobil Bridge seems quite low to the riders as they accelerate through McLaren under the bridge ready for Hawthorn Hill
The bikes are usually flat out in top gear at this stage

Hawthorn Hill

• Riders will normally be on the left side of this part of the circuit
After the dip there is a surface change before the steep uphill
The bike slows right down as the rider is braking uphill ready for the Hawthorn Hill Bend, this is sometimes an advantage to some riders!

Hawthorn Bend

• A Sensationally fast corner
This is the quickest bend on the circuit
Overtaking is still possible at this stage before the apex
Acceleration begins before the apex as the bend continues to climb
Sometimes the turn in to the apex feels too fast and too early
This bend is not a corner for errors because of its high speed

Derek Minter Straight

• After the acceleration out of Hawthorn Hill Bend there is a surface change going into the Derek Minter Straight
Riders will normally remain on the left hand side of the track ready to take the line into Westfield Bend

Westfield Bend

• This bend is approached at high speed, and it has a blind crest at the first apex
Riders say that this bend can be trickier than it actually looks and is rather intimidating
Braking can be brief but fierce
The track falls away between the first apex and the second apex
Over the brow on the second apex there is a steep downhill eventually rising through Dingle Dell into Sheene Curve
Riders are usually on full power as soon as it is possible

Dingle Dell

• The track drops away initially and then steeply rises to Sheene curve

Sheene Curve

• Replaced the old ‘Dingle Dell Corner’
The entry line into Sheene Curve is critical
Even with the smoothing out (surface change) of this curve it is still challenging to all riders as it has been made faster with the flatter approach but has a better run off
The majority of riders will keep it tight to the kerb on this apex for the best possible exit speed

Stirling Bend

• With the surface change on the right hand side of the track before the apex, riders will brake briefly after a short burst of speed coming out of Sheene Curve
The track here is slightly downhill
There is a steepening camber on the right hand side, which assists in turning the bike in enabling the rider to carry plenty of speed in to the apex
It is important for riders to get in tight to the apex as the camber is most pronounced here
The camber does help in preventing riders from running wide
A fast exit out of Stirling’s is essential for a quick lap

Clearways

• After leaving Stirling’s, the bike runs downhill accelerating hard as you move over to the left hand kerb

Clark Curve

• Riders use the obvious bridge as the brake marker
The turn in can be progressive and on the brakes - but not in the wet!
Track begins to fall away as you get closer to the apex
There is a patch with a bump very close to the apex which is very slippery when wet
Riders tend to clip the inside kerb towards the end of the apex as it is a steep downhill into a dip (the dip requires the rider to use subtlety of throttle and line)
Riders usually use more of the track after this dip increasing the throttle ready for Brabham Straight over the grid line
Very popular curve with the spectators
Coming back into Brabham Straight riders usually delay accelerating until they have past the bumps at the end of the pitwall, the speed through Bradham is usually 120mph