Brands Hatch

Circuit guide by Chris Pollitt · dates updated 2 November 2026

Brands Hatch started life as a grass track for motorbikes before the first tarmac went down in 1950. Since then it has hosted the British Grand Prix, BTCC, BSB and pretty much every big British championship going. The whole place sits in a bowl, so from the grandstands at Paddock Hill you can see most of the Indy circuit, and it feels proper even on a quiet Tuesday track day.

Almost all open track days use the 1.944km Indy circuit, with the Grand Prix loop through the woods saved for racing and the odd special event. The Indy lap is short, busy and full of elevation. Paddock Hill Bend alone is worth the entry fee. Because it's close to London and the M25 it's busy, and it's not the most forgiving place for a total novice, but the MSV days are well run and there's tuition on hand. Cars and bikes both get plenty of dates.

A lap of Brands Hatch

Layout: Indy, 1.944 km (1.21 miles)

The lap starts with the big one. Paddock Hill Bend is a fast, downhill right with a crest in the braking zone that hides the apex until you're committed. Brake alongside the Brabham-Stewart suites and turn in near the big grandstand. The camber and the drop pull the car around as it compresses at the bottom, so stay smooth and leave a little room on the outside. A sudden lift here is how people end up backwards.

Then it's straight up Hailwood Hill to Druids, a tight 180-degree hairpin. Because you're braking uphill, you can go deeper than you'd think. Turn in early, hug the inside kerb and be patient with the throttle, because the run-off on the exit gets slippery, especially in the wet. Get across to the right quickly for Graham Hill Bend, a downhill left. Finish your braking in a straight line. Trail-braking downhill here gives you oversteer, and running wide can bring track limits warnings.

Along the Cooper Straight you come to Surtees, a quick left that leads straight into McLaren. Get the car settled before you turn in for Surtees, because if it's still wobbling you'll make a mess of the quick change of direction. McLaren is a right that tightens after the first apex, so don't swing out too far left on the way in and don't apex early.

Clearways and Clark Curve finish the lap, and it's one long right that keeps tightening. This is the corner most people get wrong. Apex too early or hit the power too soon and you run out of road onto the Brabham Straight and have to lift. Apex later, wait for the car, and you'll be rewarded with a much faster run back down to Paddock Hill.

Track day tips

• Paddock Hill Bend is blind and fast. Build up to it over a few laps rather than trying to be brave on lap one.
• Clearways is where most time is lost. Be patient, apex late and get the exit right.
• Most days use a 105dB static limit, with some quiet days at 102dB, and the drive-by is 92dB. Check which one your day is before you book.
• The Indy lap is short, so it fills up fast. Pick your moments and use the pit lane for a cool-down rather than slowing on track.
• Druids run-off gets slippery in the wet. Stay tidy on the exit and don't put a wheel on the painted kerbs when it's damp.
• Fuel is easy to find on the A20 nearby, so there's no need to fill to the brim at home and carry the weight.

Getting there

Brands Hatch sits right on the A20 near West Kingsdown, just a few minutes from junction 3 of the M25 and junction 1 of the M20. Use DA3 8NG in the sat nav. It's easy to get to from London and the South East, but the M25 can be slow on weekday mornings, so set off early for the briefing. Swanley is the nearest railway station, about 10 minutes away by taxi. There are hotels around Swanley and Brands itself, and the Channel ports at Dover and Folkestone are about an hour away.