The Thruxton Circuit is a motor-racing circuit located near the village of Thruxton in Hampshire, England, United Kingdom, about north of Southampton.
It has hosted motorsport events including the British Touring Car Championship, British GT Championship, British Formula One Championship, British Formula Three, and GB3 Championship. It is often referred to as the "Fastest Circuit in the UK" where drivers can reach speeds of over . To illustrate this, Damon Hill drove his Williams Formula One car around the circuit at an average speed of in 1993.
The site also houses the headquarters of the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC).
History Background (1942–1967)
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.
Establishment (1968–1999) The circuit, which follows the line of the airfield's perimeter road, was established in 1968. From 1950 to 1965, motorbike races had taken place on the runways and perimeter road.
Modern developments (2000–present) Thruxton Circuit was resurfaced in 2000, resulting in lap times dropping considerably compared to the previous year. In 2020, further safety developments were completed at Church, one of the fastest sections of the Thruxton Circuit. A new spectator viewing area has been constructed around Noble, extending through towards Goodwood. In 2025, Thruxton introduced a new spectator area known as the Woodham Hill Bank, located on the approach to the Club chicane.
Motorsport activities
Owing to planning restrictions, the circuit can only run 12 days of motorsport each year. Currently, three are devoted to motorbike racing, with a weekend dedicated to the British Superbike Championship, Britain's premier motorcycle racing category; with the third day being used for club racing.
The remaining days are devoted to car and truck racing with weekends being used for the TOCA British Touring Car Championship, the British Truck Racing Championship, the Thruxton Retro and the remaining days are allocated to other organising clubs, such as the 750 Motor Club or the Classic Sportscar Club. Owing to the relative infrequency of race meetings, Thruxton continues to be a popular part of the motorsport calendar.
Events Current
May: British Truck Racing Championship July: British Touring Car Championship, F4 British Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, Thruxton Retro August: British Superbike Championship, Moto4 British Cup, BMW F900R Cup
Former
BOSS GP (1996, 1998–2000) British Formula 3 International Series (1977–2008, 2010, 2014) British GT Championship (1994–1996, 2000–2005, 2007–2008) European Formula 5000 Championship (1970–1971, 1974–1975) European Formula Two Championship (1968–1984) FIM Endurance World Championship Thruxton 500 (1960–1964, 1969–1977) International Formula 3000 (1985) TCR UK Touring Car Championship (2024)
Lap records
The all-time outright unofficial track record is 0:57.6 seconds, set by Damon Hill in a Williams FW15C, during a demonstration run in 1993. As of August 2026, the fastest official race lap records at the Thruxton Circuit are listed as:
CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent Main Circuit (1968–present): Formula 3000 1:01.960 Earl Goddard Reynard 95D 2000 Thruxton EuroBOSS round Formula Three 1:06.752 Jean-Éric Vergne Dallara F308 2010 Thruxton British F3 round Formula Two 1:07.370 Johnny Cecotto March 822 1982 Thruxton F2 round Group C 1:07.460 James Weaver Porsche 956 GTi 1986 Thruxton Interserie round Formula One 1:09.430 Emilio de Villota Lotus 78 1979 2nd Thruxton British F1 round GT1 1:10.785 David Warnock Lister Storm GT 2002 Thruxton British GT round Formula 4 1:10.848 Alex Dunne Tatuus F4-T421 2022 1st Thruxton British F4 round Formula 5000 1:11.000 Vern SchuppanIan Ashley Lola T332Lola T330 1974 2nd Thruxton F5000 round1975 1st Thruxton F5000 round Porsche Carrera Cup 1:12.823 Robert de Haan Porsche 911 (992 I) GT3 Cup 2023 Thruxton Porsche Carrera Cup GB round Super Touring 1:13.272 Jason Plato Vauxhall Vectra 2000 Thruxton BTCC round N-GT 1:13.303 Nathan Kinch Ferrari 360 Modena GTC 2004 Thruxton British GT round GT2 1:13.437 Tim Mullen Ferrari 360 Modena GTC 2005 Thruxton British GT round Group 6 Prototype 1:14.000 John Burton Chevron B19 1971 2nd Thruxton RAC BSC round Superbike 1:14.539 Bradley Ray Yamaha YZF-R1 2025 Thruxton BSB round Formula BMW 1:14.709 Mygale FB02 2004 Thruxton Formula BMW UK round NGTC 1:15.254 Ashley Sutton Ford Focus ST 2025 Thruxton BTCC round Group 7 Racing Car 1:16.200 Jo Siffert Porsche 917 1971 1st Thruxton RAC BSC round Supersport 1:16.384 Jack Kennedy Honda CBR600RR 2024 Thruxton BSS round BTC Touring 1:17.303 Yvan Muller BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Coupe 2002 Thruxton BTCC round Group 4 Sports Car 1:17.400 Brian Redman Lola T70 Mk.3B GT 1969 Embassy Trophy Sports 2000 1:17.880 Ray Bellm Chevron B36 1984 Thruxton Thundersports round Sportbike 1:19.768 Ash Barnes Suzuki GSX-8R 2025 Thruxton British Sportbike round TCR Touring Car 1:20.485 Fynn Jones Cupra León TCR 2025 Thruxton Britcar round Group A 1:20.640 Dave Brodie Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth 1989 1st Thruxton BTCC round Group 5 Sports Car 1:21.000 Peter Brown Ferrari 512 M 1972 Thruxton MN GT round BMW F900R Cup 1:21.051 Nikki Coates BMW F900R 2025 Thruxton BMW F900R Cup round Moto3 1:21.145 Marco Holt Honda NSF250R 2026 Thruxton Moto4 British Cup round Truck racing 1:34.526 Michael Oliver MAN TGS 2025 Thruxton BTRC round Main Circuit (1952–1964): Formula Two 2:00.000 Tony Rolt Connaught Type A 1953 Bristol MC & LCC Race Sports car racing 2:05.200 Jimmy Stewart Jaguar C-type 1953 Thruxton National Sports Car race
See also Thruxton 500
Notes
References
External links