Snetterton Circuit facts for kids
Snetterton 300 Circuit
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| Location | Snetterton, Norfolk, England |
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| Coordinates | 52°27′59.47″N 0°56′53.66″E / 52.4665194°N 0.9482389°E |
| FIA Grade | 2 |
| Major events | British Touring Car Championship British Formula Three British GT Championship British Superbike Championship |
| Snetterton 300 Circuit | |
| Length | 2.969 mi (4.779 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:39.933 (Felipe Nasr, Dallara F308, 2011, British F3) |
| Snetterton 200 Circuit | |
| Length | 2.00 mi (3.22 km) |
| Turns | 8 |
| Race lap record | 1:06.572 (Chris Dittmann, Dallara F312 2000cc, 2017, F3 Cup) |
| Snetterton 100 Circuit | |
| Length | 0.98 mi (1.58 km) |
| Turns | 6 |
| Race lap record | 1:16.21 (Colin Calder, Gould GR37-Judd EV 4.0, 2011, British Sprint Championship) |
| Snetterton Circuit (Prior 2011) | |
| Length | 1.952 mi (3.123 km) |
| Turns | 7 |
| Race lap record | 0:56.095 (Klaas Zwart, Ascari-Judd 4.0 V10, 2007, EuroBoss) |
Snetterton Circuit is a famous motor racing track located in Norfolk, England. It first opened in 1953. The circuit is owned by MotorSport Vision, a company run by Jonathan Palmer.
Snetterton Circuit is about 19 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Thetford and 31 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of Norwich. It is named after the nearby village of Snetterton.
The circuit hosts many exciting races. These include the British Touring Car Championship, British Formula Three Championship, and British Superbike Championship. From 1980 to 1994, it was home to the UK's first 24-hour race, called the Willhire 24 Hour.
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What was Snetterton Circuit before racing?
Before it became a race track, Snetterton was an airfield for planes. It was known as RAF Snetterton Heath. RAF stands for Royal Air Force, which is the air force of the United Kingdom.
Later, the United States Army Air Force also used this airfield. It opened in May 1943 during World War II and closed in November 1948.
How did Snetterton Circuit start racing?
After its time as an air force base, Snetterton was first used for motorcycle racing in 1953. This was organized by a group called the Snetterton Combine. This group was made up of different racing clubs from Norfolk and Suffolk.
Famous racing teams like Team Lotus (from Formula One) and Norfolk Racing Co (from Le Mans) used the track to test their fast cars.
In the 1960s and early 1970s, the circuit was longer, about 4.3 kilometers (2.7 miles). Some parts of the track, like "Sear corner" and the "Norwich Straight," were different back then. A bend called "Russell bend" was added in the 1960s. It was named after Jim Russell, who ran a school for racing drivers at the circuit. This bend was meant to make the track safer by slowing down cars.
What are the fastest laps at Snetterton?
The fastest lap times are called "lap records." They show how quickly a car or motorcycle can complete one full circuit.
Fastest Car Laps
The current fastest lap on the Snetterton 300 circuit was set by Felipe Nasr from Brazil. He drove a Dallara F308-Volkswagen car in 2011. His lap time was 1 minute, 39.933 seconds. This means he drove at an average speed of about 172.1 kilometers per hour (106.95 miles per hour).
Before the 300 circuit was introduced in 2011, the fastest lap was 56.095 seconds. This record was set by Klaas Zwart in August 2007.
Fastest Motorcycle Laps
The official fastest motorcycle lap on the 300 circuit is 1 minute, 47.714 seconds. This record was set by Shane Byrne on a Ducati Panigale motorcycle in July 2016. He rode at an average speed of about 159.7 kilometers per hour (99.22 miles per hour).
This record beat the previous one set by Josh Brookes in June 2014.
Images for kids
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photograph of WW2 Airfield
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The original Snetterton Circuit (shown in green) was laid out on the runways and taxiways of the former RAF Snetterton Heath air base (in light brown)
See also
In Spanish: Circuito de Snetterton para niños
