Thruxton Circuit | |
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Track Map | |
Location | Thruxton Circuit |
Course length | 3.793 km (2.356 mi) |
Turns | 11 |
Major events | British Touring Car Championship |
Race lap record | 1:09.451 (Mike Bell, Ford Team Mondeo, 2000, BTCC) |
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 1950–1965, motorbike races had taken place on the runways and perimeter road.