So, what's your favourite UK circuit and why? I hope I've included all of them above and apologise if I have made any glaring omissions. Some like Brands, Silverstone, Donington etc all have more than one variation but rather than have all the various options we'll stick to just the one option per circuit for now rather than all the configurations.

Personally, I love Brands, Castle Combe and Cadwell - all have great atmosphere and "personality" - the bumpiness of Combe, the beauty of Cadwell, the spectator benefits of Brands Indy or the walk in the woods for the GP circuit etc...need I say more?! <thumbs>

So come on then, let's hear some more opinions other than just mine!

Oulton is my first love, followed by the Old Anglesey. Can't comment on the new Anglesey as no one has raced there yet!

Also have nothing but good comments about Combe & Cadwell.

Easy.

Rockingham.

Best facilities
Best specator viewing
Great paddock addcess.

That is a very tough question.

I have marshalled at Silverstone, Rockingham, Donington, Brands, Mallory and Pembrey and I like each of them for different reasons.

Mallory & Pembrey because they have that small, friendly clubbie atmosphere.

Donington and Brands for some truly great corners.

Rockingham for the views and Turn 4.

And Silverstone for the history, atmosphere and the crack in the startline office.

For me, it just has to be Mallory. It's a lovely little circuit and even from the Pit Lane, I can enjoy watching the racing while I'm working!

Oh, and the breakfasts are legendary! <eat>

Brands Hatch GP and Oulton Park are my favourites. Never been to either but I like their layouts; they have a good combination of corners.

Easy. Oulton Park. Lots of happy memories of the Gold Cup!

Rockingham does have some good facillities BUT it's not a Family Friendly place.

I don't go anymore as it's not somewhere that I can take the little 'uns.
They simply wouldn't/couldn't sit on a grandstand seat all day watching the racing.

All the other track allow you to "Wander" - some even have swings etc to keep the kids happy.

Nothing against Rockingham and I've only been there once (2003 for F Ren / BTCC) but although was in the grandstand at turn one, it was like the Lausitzring, Germany for me - the road course is a bit mickey mousey and cars get too far away - in comparison to say the Brands Indy circuit where everything is a lot "closer" and you can keep up with the action better.

When I was there there was a big thunderstorm at the end of the day meaning most of the top areas of the grandstands were closed off, but that's that!

Pembrey!

And the old Anglesey too

And for all it's faults, Silverstone

Has to be Castle Combe,it's where it all began and it's my local <cool> ,then it's Silverstone....many happy years there and also Pembrey <thumbs>

interesting no one's voted for Cadwell yet.

Being from the states, I've only been to Silverstone. So, I'm not qualified to vote.

Some of us <rolleyes> had three favourites and had to decide on just the one!

I had 3 favorites and voted for them all (!)

was this supposed to be a single choice poll?

Maybe.... <rolleyes>

As you were! :D

At the risk of throwing a spanner into the works, I think Goodwood is my favourite circuit. In fact here is a photo of me assessing whether to get it tattooed on my knuckles...one day! It has the most fabulous views, amazing speed, bumps in the most difficult places and that awesome history of racing from 1948 - 1966. The Revival Meeting is only adding to that history now. It's beyond compare.

In the poll, however, I went for Oulton Park. I grew up on 15mins from the place and all my childhood heroes were from days sat on the banking above Knickerbrook...Mark Hales, Johan Rajamaki, Ian Flux, Gabriele Tarquini, etc! The whole place is a wonder. I only managed to get to 3 meetings there last year as I now live in Leeds but it still made me smile just wandering around. The gradients and mixture of corners is spot-on and the parkland setting is fabulous. It just feels like home.

Sorry Gilles for not having Goodwood on there...I thought about that one (as well as Crystal Palace which to be fair is actually mine!) but went for the more "regular" circuits.

Interesting to see re Oulton. I haven't been there but hope to get there for at least one meeting this season and hopefully will see what everyone is saying! <thumbs>

I need some advice. I'm in the states and I'm unfamiliar with the racing scene in England. I've been to the BGP and I'm headed to the Goodwood revival this summer. What event should I plan to attend to see in the future to get a taste of club racing. Is there an event in England like the SCCA runoffs in the US?

Maybe this should be a new topic.

Personally,if it's good honest rapid fire Club racing you're after,then you won't be disappointed in going to a 750MC or MGCC meeting <cool>
Also Castle Combe (for my part :D ) and Mallory Park, offer quick fire,no nonsense Club racing at it's best <thumbs>

Will work on a thread that outlines what there is in terms of UK Motorsport.

Be sure to include Rally Cross, Trucks, Sprinting and Me!

You? What is so great about you?

Apart from the fact you are part of the Orange Army.

I'm unique! not every circuit has a resident Stig y'know.

Don't forget me either! I'm unique too!

Not every circuit has it's own resident broomstick owner!

flood1 - feel free to drop me a PM with the dates you're over here and I'll try and help you out otherwise Startline Ed's thread is a good place to start.

Thanks for the offer. I'll do just that.

You're welcome - pleased to help! <thumbs>

Back to the question in hand - visiting Mallory for the first time in about ten years next weekend - really looking forward to it!

Seems like we have a winner in Brands then, with Oulton second and a tie for third place...

and Thruxton gets its 1st Vote... At last

No problem re Goodwood; holding 1 meeting a year hardly makes it regular but it is SO stunning and breath-takingly fast. I'm the world's most posi person but I'm sad for at least a week after the revival is over as I know I have to wait another year to return. What an idiot!

I'd strongly recommend the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton. It has the odd star turn and the racing as superb. It's the only chance to see a full grid of Chevron sports racers and the mighty F5000 cars of the Derek Bell trophy at Oulton so it's worth it for that alone! Being an HSCC meeting, the running is like clockwork and it features a rally stage with Group B demos...what more could you ask for?!

I wish I lived nearer to Brands and could get there more...have been to Champ Cars and the HSCC Superprix but that's it. It's a 5/6hr drive from Leeds and my budget is virtually non-existent! Would also like to see Combe next time I'm over that way; might try the Rally day they hold in July for something different.

What a great thread! Will hopefully see some of you guys at some of the discussed circuits over the coming season. My better half quite fancies 750MC at Mallory on Sunday so weather permitting we'll be there. I won't have "GOOWOOD" on my knuckles this time...!

Not an idiot at all...glad you enjoy it! That's the most important thing, after all :D

I'd like to get to a Gold Cup meeting at Oulton but last year's clashed with 750MC at Silverstone and personally that's where priorities lie - will get there at some point, though.

If you do get to Mallory might see you there.

What about a trip to Cadwell as well? 750 are there at the beginning of July IIRC. Fantastic scenery, great area and circuit - really worth a trip. If you really want to push the boat out you could always stay and have a good night out in Louth - had a good pub crawl and Indian there last year! <thumbs> Three nights of fun...hms yep, def need to revisit! <wine>

Yeah I enjoy it more than I have the vocabulary to describe. I went to my first meeting aged about 5 or 6 and my mother came along in case I was scared by the noise or didn't enjoy it. Even at that age I was totally engrossed and she's attended the 1991 BTCC meeting (corporate hospitality ya see!) and the 1996 Goodwood Festival of Speed and nothing else since. Motor racing's the last thing I think about before bed and the first thing when I wake up; I suppose some ppl have football, other cricket, we have fast cars!

Re Cadwell, I went to the HSCC meeting there in April last year and found it a wonderful little place. A lovely drive over from Leeds which meant I could really stretch the Type-R's legs - always a please. The circuit is remarkable and a great place to watch classic FFord and Roadsports, etc. The atmosphere was pleasant and the staff everywhere were very friendly; I was impressed! I should be back for HSCC this year as well. I'd like to try and get to the Kart Grand Prix and maybe VSCC is they don't clash with anything. All this is budget dependent as well; I'm saving up to buy an Elise later in the year which should make road trips meetings even more exciting!

You're not my father are you? <think> He sent me an email earlier as he wants to go to Cadwell later in the year and also wants to buy an Elise...!

My first meeting was Cadwell at a few months old. Racing and football were both "Daddy time" as a child and because of his work, the time we spent together was precious. He also introduced me to scaletrix at an early age...when I was three / four etc my Mum worked weekends in an estate agent meaning Dad and I would eat ravioli (Mum hated it!) in front of the TV watched qualifying, the Grand Prix itself etc. Ah, those were the days! :D Anyway getting sidetracked and off topic here reminiscing...!

Glad you have managed to make it to Cadwell though, definitely a place worth a visit. If you can get somewhere else this season, try Castle Combe as well - dependent on what you want to see there are some good meetings there. I think I'm visiting a new track for me in the next couple of months but it's a birthday treat and surprise... <clap>

Haha! I'm only 23, not ready to be a father just yet! The Elise is something you treat yourself to as an irresponsible youth or in the throes of a mid-life crisis! I'm trying to persuade my dad to get an Exige S or a Noble...He likes his M3 too much though!

I will make every effort to get to Combe this year, especially as I have relatives in Bath and Bristol so I have a bed for the evening not too far away. I'm also planning to get to Snetterton as my girlfriend's parents live in Norfolk so it's convenient from that sense. It would be nice to get to every UK circuit one day but it will take some years...there are so many meetings everywhere! I will also make it to Croft this year. My dad saw F5000 there in the 1970s and I'd like to share in a little piece of that.

As an aside, I will also do my best to get to Brooklands this year, I feel awful that I haven't visited previously. I was going to go after last year's Goodwood Revival but got mortal drunk at a lock-in at my grandad's local and never made it haha!

Enjoy your motor racing season, anyway, I hope it brings you great pleasure, we are so blessed in this country to have such a strong history and current scene. I hate the October-March break, it's awful!

Well I got very carried away. Cadwell, Castle Combe, Brands, and Oulton. Outright favourite would be... difficult to decide !!

Cadwell is great, Hall Bends are breathtaking, especially coming just after the Mountain, Coppice can be flat and cars carry enough speed into Charlies (blind) to let the car drift nicely, and Gooseneck is a true test of balls !

Castle Combe is faaaaast, and Quarry fast left into long tight right always catches out the unwary, and great spectator point for thrills and spills. Camp Corner is large, fast and wide and a great place to see real car control, with plenty of late breaking, big slides, grass cutting and all that good stuff !

Brands GP is probably the best on the island, Paddock Hill was one of Senna's favourites, blind right, car goes light, huge drop, lots of drift, Hawthorn and Westfield are fast and ballsy, Dingle Dell has been changed a bunch of times, but remains a place where a car or bike can get airbourne. A rollercoaster ride.

Oulton Park. Another rollercoaster ride, with Cascades dropping away to the left, and the fantastic fast section from Clay Hill round Druids into Lodge Corner all requiring great driver skill to get right.

Poor Lydden. The only one without a vote.

I've never heard of it roflmao

Me Thinks Someone will inform you of it.

Oops sorry, read this before, never had time to reply and forgot about it til now!

Lydden is a great little circuit but has recently been in the news with Ron Dennis wanting to take it over which would most likely mean an end to club meetings, sprints, rallycross etc.

You might want to take a look at the Lydden circuit website or youtube for some onboard footage.