Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit

Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit

Address: Snetterton Circuit Norwich Norfolk NR16 2JU
Snetterton , Norfolk , England , GB
Route type:	permanent race track
Opening:	1948
Time zone:	UTC ( GMT )
Track layout
Route data
Important events:	BTCC British F3 Championship British Superbike
Route length:	4.779  km (2.97  mi )
Records
Track record: (automobile)	0: 56,095 min. (Klaas Zwart, EuroBoss Super Prix, 2007)
http://www.snetterton.co.uk/

Coordinates: 52 ° 27 ′ 59 ″  N , 0 ° 56 ′ 45 ″  E

The Snetterton Circuit is based on the runways of a former airfield motorsport race in the British county of Norfolk near the village Snetterton , about 30 kilometers south of the city Norwich .

history

RAF Snetterton Heath

Aerial view of the airfield, 1945

Today's Autodrome is located on the site of a former military airfield of the Royal Air Force (RAF), which during the Second World War as a Royal Air Force Station Snetterton Heath (short RAF Snetterton Heath was called).

The first user of the station, which was opened in 1943, was initially to be the RAF. However, RAF Snetterton Heath was chosen as one of 28 bases to be used by the 8th Air Force .

The facility was initially expanded and from September 1943 to June 1945 Thurleigh was the headquarters of the 45th Combat Bombardment Wing (later 45th Air Division ), part of the 3rd Bombardment Division . As early as June 1943, the 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) , which was equipped with four squadrons of Martin B-26B / C Marauder , was relocated to RAF Boxted after a few days as a flying formation . Shortly afterwards, the 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy), equipped with four squadrons of B-17 Flying Fortress , moved to Snetterton. Since the headquarters of the 3rd Air Division was not far from Snetterton, high commanders like General LeMay regularly personally led the air strikes on the territory of the German Reich . In November 1945 the bombers were relocated back to the United States and the group was disbanded. The airfield was finally closed in 1948.

Racing Circuit

Comparison of route variants from 1963 and 2011

After the airfield was closed, the facility was used for various motorsport events from 1948, with most of the route sections being long straights due to their former function as a runway . The home and back straights are still in the area of ​​the former runways.

In the 1960s and early 70s, the course was 4.4 kilometers long and was partly used as a market place on Sundays. Due to numerous accidents at the pit entry, a chicane was opened in front of the start and finish straight , which bears the name of the former racing school operator Jim Russell. This chicane was replaced two years later by a smoother right-left curve.

In 1974, in addition to the existing route, a shortened variant with a length of just over 3 kilometers was created. This used an old runway from the airport, which runs almost parallel to the start and finish straight. From the 1980 season, operations on the long route were discontinued.

In 1990 the last bend was converted into a chicane again - as in 1965 and 1966. As this turned out to be too tight, it was modified the following year.

The track has been owned by MotorSport Vision since 2004 under the direction of former Formula 1 driver Jonathan Palmer .

Extensive construction work was carried out for the 2011 season, which expanded the route to include a new part inside the previous course. The second corner was rebuilt and the Russel chicane replaced by a left-hand corner. The longest route variant (called Snetterton 300 ) has since been 4.779 kilometers.

According to the FIA classification , all vehicle classes with the exception of Formula 1 are allowed to use the track.

Racing events

From 1980 to 1994 the first 24-hour race on British soil, the so-called Willhire 24 Hour , was held here.

For many years now, the British Formula 3 , the British Superbike Championship (BSB) and the BTCC , the highest national touring car racing series in Great Britain, have been guests in Snetterton . In 1999 the BTCC held their first night race in Snetterton.

The circuit was regularly used as a test track by the former Formula 1 team Lotus and Racing Norfolk Co , a regionally based participant of the Le Mans 24 Hours .

gallery

• 

  B-17 of the 96th Bombardment Group

• 

  The Russel chicane in 2006

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  BTCC racing scene in Snetterton in 2007

• 

  Mini Se7ens in 2011

Web links

• Route description on btccaction.com (English)
• Route description on racingcircuits.info (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Snetterton ( EN ) In: racingcircuits.info . Retrieved May 17, 2019.
2. ↑ MSV . September 27, 2011.
3. ^ Alan Hyde - The Interview ( EN ) In: btccpages.com . 2001. Retrieved May 17, 2019.