Castle Combe Circuit
Encyclopedia
Castle Combe Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Wiltshire
, England
, approximately 20 miles (32 km) from Bristol
. The circuit used to be the perimeter track of a World War II
airfield
, and opened to racing in 1950.
The Castle Combe airfield opened in May 1941. The land which the airfield occupied belonged to the Castle Combe estate, which was owned by the Gorst family. The RAF Castle Combe
airfield functioned for seven years before being decommissioned in 1948.
Castle Combe Circuit opened in 1950, and the first meeting was staged on July 8 by the Bristol Motorcycle & Light Car Club. Over the next few years, the circuit attracted star names such as Stirling Moss
, Mike Hawthorn
, Roy Salvadori
and John Surtees
.
Castle Combe has staged many different motorsport disciplines over the years. In 1997, Nigel Greensall established a new lap record. His Tyrrell
022 lapped the circuit at 130.93 mi/h. However, this was the last year that the circuit would remain unaltered. A tragic accident involving the death of a spectator forced the owners into installing two new chicanes in order to slow the cars down. The new layout was slightly longer at 1.85 miles (3 km), and was completed over the winter of 1998-1999.
Formula Three
returned to Castle Combe in 2001. However, it would not stay long. In 2005, the circuit was issued with a noise nuisance order, which meant that the circuit had to reduce its noise level. The British Formula Three Championship
and the British GT Championship were both louder than permitted, and so were prevented from returning.
The local championships dedicated to Saloon Cars, GTs and Formula Ford
are instead still active, with packed grids and exciting races. Since 2001 Rallyday
, an annual demonstration event for rally cars, has been held at the circuit.
Motoring shows Top Gear and Fifth Gear
have both used this circuit to race or test cars on. One such race was British motorcycle racer Leon Haslam
on a Ducati 1098
vs Fifth Gear presenter Tiff Needell
driving a Lamborghini Gallardo
Superleggera, the bike came out on top. Top Gear (2002 TV Series) used the circuit for the '70's Supercar challenge. In this episode The Stig
lapped a Vauxhall Astra
. Richard, James, and Jeremy failed to beat the Stig's time. Jeremy Clarkson
said "Its a fierce track, one of the fastest in Britain
."
Once a year, the circuit hosts races of MC 750
and the Formula Ford Carnival.
One aspect of the circuit which has remained unchanged throughout the years is the large population of rabbits who live in the extensive tyre barriers around the circuit.
When not in use for racing, the circuit is the venue for a regular car boot sale
. In May it also hosts an annual steam rally.
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, approximately 20 miles (32 km) from Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. The circuit used to be the perimeter track of a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airfield
Class A airfield
Class A airfields were military installations originally built for the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. Several were transferred to the U.S...
, and opened to racing in 1950.
History
RAF Castle Combe
RAF Castle Combe was a Second World War Royal Air Force station situated half a mile southeast of Castle Combe in Wiltshire, England.The Castle Combe airfield opened in May 1941. The land which the airfield occupied belonged to the Castle Combe estate, which was owned by the Gorst family.It was...
airfield functioned for seven years before being decommissioned in 1948.
Castle Combe Circuit opened in 1950, and the first meeting was staged on July 8 by the Bristol Motorcycle & Light Car Club. Over the next few years, the circuit attracted star names such as Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
, Mike Hawthorn
Mike Hawthorn
John Michael Hawthorn was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.-Racing career:...
, Roy Salvadori
Roy Salvadori
Roy Francesco Salvadori is a former motor racing driver and manager from England. He participated in 50 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 12 July 1952, and achieved two podiums, scoring a total of 19 Championship points.During a varied career he also won the 24 Hours of Le...
and John Surtees
John Surtees
John Surtees, OBE is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver from England. He was 500cc motorcycle World Champion in 1956 and 1958–60, Formula One World Champion in 1964, and remains the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels...
.
Castle Combe has staged many different motorsport disciplines over the years. In 1997, Nigel Greensall established a new lap record. His Tyrrell
Tyrrell Racing
The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...
022 lapped the circuit at 130.93 mi/h. However, this was the last year that the circuit would remain unaltered. A tragic accident involving the death of a spectator forced the owners into installing two new chicanes in order to slow the cars down. The new layout was slightly longer at 1.85 miles (3 km), and was completed over the winter of 1998-1999.
Formula Three
Formula Three
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
returned to Castle Combe in 2001. However, it would not stay long. In 2005, the circuit was issued with a noise nuisance order, which meant that the circuit had to reduce its noise level. The British Formula Three Championship
British Formula Three Championship
The British Formula Three Championship is an international motor racing series that takes place primarily in the United Kingdom with a small number of events in mainland Europe. It is a junior-level feeder formula that uses small single seater Formula Three chassis. Its current official title is...
and the British GT Championship were both louder than permitted, and so were prevented from returning.
The local championships dedicated to Saloon Cars, GTs and Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
are instead still active, with packed grids and exciting races. Since 2001 Rallyday
Rallyday
Rallyday, is an annual demonstration event for rally cars held at Castle Combe racing circuit in Wiltshire, England.The inaugural event took place in 2001 and was organized by Brian Stubbings and Darin Frow of the Mitsubishi Lancer Register, the UK owners club for Mitsubishi Lancer cars...
, an annual demonstration event for rally cars, has been held at the circuit.
Motoring shows Top Gear and Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...
have both used this circuit to race or test cars on. One such race was British motorcycle racer Leon Haslam
Leon Haslam
Leon Lloyd Haslam is a motorcycle racer from England. He began racing at an early age and by the time he was in his late teens, he had raced in most of the significant British and international championships. Between 2005 and 2008 he was a regular front-runner in the British Superbike Championship...
on a Ducati 1098
Ducati 1098
The Ducati 1098 is a sport bike manufactured by the Italian motorcycle company Ducati since 2007. There were three different versions, called the 1098, 1098S, and 1098R...
vs Fifth Gear presenter Tiff Needell
Tiff Needell
Timothy "Tiff" Needell isa British racing driver and television presenter. He is best known as a former co-presenter of Top Gear and current co-presenter of Fifth Gear.-Biography:...
driving a Lamborghini Gallardo
Lamborghini Gallardo
The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production...
Superleggera, the bike came out on top. Top Gear (2002 TV Series) used the circuit for the '70's Supercar challenge. In this episode The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...
lapped a Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Astra
Astra is a model name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors , on their small family car ranges since 1979. Astras are technically essentially identical with similar vehicles offered by GM's German subsidiary Opel in most other European countries...
. Richard, James, and Jeremy failed to beat the Stig's time. Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
said "Its a fierce track, one of the fastest in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
."
Once a year, the circuit hosts races of MC 750
750 Motor Club
750 Motor Club is an auto racing club in the UK. It was founded in 1939 and was originally for Austin 7 fans . It later led to racing and the 750 Formula where specials were raced...
and the Formula Ford Carnival.
One aspect of the circuit which has remained unchanged throughout the years is the large population of rabbits who live in the extensive tyre barriers around the circuit.
When not in use for racing, the circuit is the venue for a regular car boot sale
Car boot sale
Car boot/trunk sales or boot/trunk fairs are a mainly British form of market in which private individuals come together to sell household and garden goods.The term refers to the selling of items from a car's boot or trunk...
. In May it also hosts an annual steam rally.