Crystal Palace (circuit)

Crystal Palace circuit

Location	London, United Kingdom
Major events	Formula One Formula Two London Grand Prix BTCC British F3 Sports car racing
Length	3 km (2 mi)
Lap record	at 103.39 mph (Mike Hailwood, , 1972)

Crystal Palace circuit was a motor racing circuit in Crystal Palace, London, England. The circuit was located within Crystal Palace park. The route of the track can still be seen on maps providing access to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre that is also located in the park.

History

The circuit opened in 1927 and the first race, for motorcycles, was on 21 May 1927. The circuit was 1-mile (1.6 km) long, and ran on pre-existing paths through the park, including a loop past the lake. The surface had tarmac-covered bends, but the straights only had hard-packed gravel.

Improvements begun in December 1936 increased the circuit to 2 miles (3 km), and tarmac-covered the entire length. 20 cars entered the first London Grand Prix on 17 July 1937, a race eventually won by Prince Bira in his ERA R2B Romulus at an average speed of 56.5 mph (90.9 km/h). Later that year, during the International Imperial Trophy meeting also won by Bira, the BBC broadcast the first ever televised motor racing.

With the outbreak of World War II, the park was taken over by the Ministry of Defence, and it would not be until 1953 that race meetings could take place again. The circuit had been reduced in length to 1.39 miles (2.2 km), bypassing the loop past the lake, and pressure from the local residents led to an injunction which reduced motor sport events in the park to only five days per year. A variety of races took place, including sports cars, Formula Three, the London Trophy for Formula Two, and even non-championship Formula One races.

Average speeds continued to rise over the years, with the first 100 mph (161 km/h) lap average set in 1970 by that year's Formula One world champion, Jochen Rindt. Also in 1970, the injunction limiting race days expired and racing was increased to 14 days a year. However, driver safety was coming into focus in the early seventies and it became clear that racing around a park at 100 mph (161 km/h) was not safe. Expensive improvements were undertaken, but it was not enough to save the circuit. The last International meeting was in May 1972, the final lap record going to Mike Hailwood at an average speed of 103.39 mph (166.39 km/h).

The final meeting was held on 23 September 1972, but club events still continued until the circuit's final closure in 1974.

Other uses

The circuit's location within Greater London made it a popular venue for both film and television settings, The Italian Job filmed on the startline at Crystal Palace for scene showing the initial testing of the Mini Cooper getaway cars. The circuit was also used for parts of the UFO (TV series) episode The Responsibility Seat.

Although the circuit no longer exists, it can be driven virtually in the Grand Prix Legends historical motor racing computer simulation game, for which it was recreated in detail. It was later converted to several other racing simulation programs, including the popular rFactor.

The circuit was used for the prologue time trial of the Tour of Britain cycle race on 9 September 2007, and is used regularly for summer road race league events, normally held on Tuesday evenings.

Adjacent to the Olympic swimming pool and the start/finish straight of the old racing circuit exists a permanent model race circuit the London Radio Car Club. The LRCC circuit was designed and constructed in 1976 'specifically' for 1/8 scale glow plug internal combustion powered radio-controlled model cars. Although its use has since been extended to 1/10 scale RC cars (glow-plug engine and motor powered types) also to a lesser extent to accommodate 1/5 scale chain-saw spark plug engine powered cars and trucks. The LRCC track and club has played host to numerous BRCA national meetings for 1/8 on-road, it has also nurtured the talents of some of the best 1/8 drivers in the UK.

In 2007 the LRCC track was temporarily closed to allow some work to be done to the swimming pool building. The machinery involved caused damaged the track and, although repairs were done, they were not sufficient to reopen the track and the managers seemingly dissolved the club. As of 1st January 2011 the track re-opened at the weekends to raise funds for repairs. As of the 1st March 2011 the club has officially re-opened. Club racing has re-started which takes place every two weeks, enthusiasts still attend the track for fun and to practice weekends only.

Racing today

In 1997, a group of enthusiasts at Sevenoaks & District Motor Club started a series of sprint events. The event was attended by some of the star drivers and cars from the past; Bentleys, Bugattis, Ferraris, Porsches, Jaguars and many Lotuses raced the circuit once more. The latter marque even chose one of these Palace events to reveal its latest sports car. The events lasted three years before being stopped due to park development work. Following discussions with local council and the London Development Agency, sprint racing again started at the park, with the two-day event held 30/31 May 2010.^[1]

See also

• Redbridge Cycling Centre
• Hillingdon Cycle Circuit

References

Notes

1. ^ Motorsport at the Palace checked 31 May 2010

Bibliography

External links

• For 1969 circuit plan, and brief history of the circuit
• For circuit plan, and photo tour of circuit
• Detailed history of motor racing at Crystal Palace
• Postwar history of the circuit
• LRCC official web site

Coordinates: 51°25′17″N 0°4′10″W / 51.42139°N 0.06944°W / 51.42139; -0.06944