Brno Circuit

The Masaryk circuit (Czech: Masarykův okruh) or Masarykring, also referred to as the Brno Circuit, refers to two motorsport race tracks located in Brno, Czech Republic. The original street circuit was made up of public roads, and at its longest measured 18 miles (29 km). In 1949, events such as the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix attracted top teams and drivers. The track is named after the first president of Czechoslovakia, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. Racing on the old roads ended after 1986, when the new (current) circuit was opened.

Automotodrom Brno

LocationBrno, Czech Republic
Time zoneGMT+1
FIA Grade2
Major events
Permanent circuit (1987–present)
Length5.403 km (3.357 mi)
Turns14 (8 right, 6 left)
Race lap record1:36.065 (Ingo Gerstl, Toro Rosso STR1, BOSS GP, 2017[1])
4th road circuit (1975–1986)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length10.925 km (6.789 mi)
Turns29
Race lap record3:29.91 (Johnny Cecotto, Yamaha, 1977, 500cc/MotoGP)
3rd road circuit (1964–1974)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length13.941 km (8.663 mi)
Turns40
Race lap record4:59.1 (Jochen Mass, Ford Capri RS 2600, 1972, Touring cars)
2nd road circuit (1949–1963)
SurfaceAsphalt/Cobbles
Length17.800 km (11.061 mi)
Turns73
Race lap record7:14.6 (Kurt Ahrens, Cooper-Ford, 1962, Formula Three)
Original road circuit (1930–1948)
SurfaceAsphalt/Cobbles
Length29.194[2] km (18.109 mi)
Turns128[2]
Race lap record11:59.3 (Rudolf Caracciola, Mercedes, 1937, Grand Prix)
Websitewww.automotodrombrno.cz/go/,%20https://www.automotodrombrno.cz/

The annual Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Czech Republic is the circuit's most important event. It is held here since 1950 and is the most famous motor race in the Czech Republic. Championship is part of the World Grand Prix since 1965.

The FIA World Touring Car Championship, FIA GT1 World Championship, Formula Two and the Superbike World Championship also raced at the circuit.

The Czech Republic Motorcycle Grand Prix is more of a promoter event than a profit-raiser itself.[3] Since tobacco advertising has been banned in 2007, it is common among the other MotoGP events. The Brno Circuit is historically one of the oldest circuits, on the place were also held the most motorcycle championships in history after the TT Circuit Assen.[4]

Original circuits

The original layout ran anti-clockwise on approximately 29 km (18 mi) of public roads in the outskirts of Brno, where the start/finish was located in Bosonohy. The circuit went east past Kamenny and then went north past the Bohunice University Campus in Kejbaly, and went through the villages of Libusino, Kohouvotice and Žebětín, out to Ostrovacice, through Veselka and back through a series of fast straights and kinks. From 1930 to 1937, the Masaryk circuit races attracted some of the top drivers and teams.[5]

On September 25, 1949, the race was held for the first and the last time in Czechoslovakia as part of the Grand Prix motor racing (later evolved into Formula One).[6] The Czechoslovakian Grand Prix in 1949 was run clockwise on a shorter 17.8 km (11.1 mi) layout, which turned right at Veselka, bypassed Ostrovacice and entered Žebětín from the south rather than the west. In spite of a crowd in excess of 400,000 people, this would be the last Grand Prix for cars on the old circuit.

Beginning in 1950, the circuit played host to the Czechoslovakian motorcycle Grand Prix, which became a world championship event from 1965. The circuit had been again reduced in length to 13.94 km (8.66 mi) in 1964, completely bypassing Žebětín and using a new through-road that went to Kohoutovice quicker. The European Touring Car series visited in the 1980s, by which time the circuit had been finally reduced to 10.92 km (6.79 mi) in 1975, which exited Kohoutovice from the south and bypassed Libusino and Kejbaly and went right through Kamenny and rejoined the main road back to Bosonohy.

Modern circuit

The current permanent road racing circuit was opened in 1987. It lies north of Kyvalka, within the bounds of the circuit used in the 1930s, but not incorporating any of the public roads. The motorcycle race moved to the new circuit and regained its status as a round of the world championship. A World Sports Car Championship race was held in 1988, and a round of the A1 Grand Prix series in 2006. It is also the location of the 24H Epilog of Brno (previously 6 Hours of Brno).

The unofficial lap record is 1.34:700 set by Jérôme d'Ambrosio in Renault Formula One car in 2010, while the official race lap records at the modern circuit are listed as:[7]

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
Grand Prix Circuit: 5.403 km (1987-present)
F1 (BOSS GP)1:36.065Ingo GerstlToro Rosso STR12017 Brno BOSS GP Series round
Auto GP1:43.260[8]Luca FilippiLola B05/522010 Brno Auto GP round
Formula Renault 3.51:44.591[9]Daniel RicciardoDallara T082010 Brno Formula Renault 3.5 round
A1 GP1:47.296Alex YoongLola B05/522006–07 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Czech Republic
F2 (2009-2012)1:48.246Nicola de MarcoWilliams JPH12010 Brno Formula Two round
C11:49.770[10]Mauro BaldiSauber C91988 360 km of Brno
SR11:51.858[11]Jan LammersDome S1012002 FIA Sportscar Championship Brno
Formula 31:52.595[12]Jamie GreenDallara F3032004 Brno F3 Euro Series Round
GT11:53.106[13]Marcel FässlerChevrolet Corvette C6.R2008 FIA GT Brno 2 Hours
Formula Renault V6 Eurocup1:53.248[14]Neel JaniTatuus FRV62004 Brno Formula Renault V6 Eurocup round
DTM1:54.786[15]Martin TomczykAudi A4 DTM 20052005 Brno DTM Round
C21:54.960[10]Costas LosSpice SE87C1988 360 km of Brno
MotoGP1:56.027Dani PedrosaHonda RC213V2014 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
Formula Renault 2.01:56.226[16]Arthur PicBarazi-Epsilon FR2.0-102010 Brno Formula Renault Eurocup 2.0 round
SR21:57.389[17]Roberto Tonetti Lucchini SR20012001 FIA Sportscar Championship Brno
GT21:58.193[13]Richard WestbrookPorsche 911 (997) GT3-RSR2008 FIA GT Brno 2 Hours
World SBK1:59.291Cal CrutchlowYamaha YZF-R12010 Brno World SBK round
GT32:01.012[18]Rolf IneichenLamborghini Huracán GT32016 24H Epilog Brno
500cc2:01.461Valentino RossiHonda NSR5002001 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
Moto22:01.463Álex MárquezKalex Moto22019 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
250cc2:02.299Jorge LorenzoAprilia RSW 250 2007 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
World SSP2:02.708Cal CrutchlowYamaha YZF-R62009 Brno World SSP round
Ferrari Challenge2:04.952[19]Michelle GattingFerrari 488 Challenge Evo2021 Brno Ferrari Challenge round
Super Touring2:07.522[20]Nicola LatinoAlfa Romeo 156 D22001 Brno ESTC round
125cc2:07.836Lucio CecchinelloAprilia RS125R2003 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
Moto32:08.064Romano FenatiKTM RC250GP2014 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
Group A2:09.080Klaus LudwigFord Sierra RS5001987 Grand Prix Brno
WTCC2:10.108Félix PorteiroBMW 320si WTCC2008 FIA WTCC Race of the Czech Republic
Supersport 3002:17.827[21]Imanuel Putra PratnaYamaha YZF-R32018 Brno Supersport 300 round

Layout history
  • All layouts of the circuit between 1930 and today combined
  • Brno circuit (1930–1937)
  • Brno circuit (1949–1963)
  • Brno circuit (1964–1974)
  • Brno circuit (1975–1986)
  • Brno circuit (1987–present)

References
  1. "Brno track records". 6 August 2019.
  2. Ing. A. Závodník, Masarykův okruh závodní, 1930
  3. "Brno extends MotoGP contract until 2013". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 5 November 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  4. "Brněnská Grand Prix je v oblibě. Ať spraví asfalt, říká ale Kornfeil". Brněnský deník (in Czech). 6 August 2019.
  5. Ivan Margolius, 'Czechoslovakia's First Circuit', The Automobile, August 2019, pp. 48 - 54
  6. "Formule 1 na území Česka? Jednou se zde královský závod jel!". Garaz.cz (in Czech).
  7. "TRACK RECORDS". Brno track records. 6 August 2019.
  8. "2010 Brno Auto GP". Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  9. "2010 Formula Renault 3.5 Brno Session Facts". Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  10. "1988 360 km of Brno". Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  11. "2002 FIA Sportscar Championship Brno". Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  12. "2004 Formula 3 Euro Series Brno Session Facts". Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  13. "FIA GT Championship Brno". Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  14. "2004 Brno Formula Renault V6". Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  15. "2005 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Brno Session Facts". Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  16. "2010 Formula Renault 2.0 Euro Brno Session Facts". Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  17. "2001 FIA Sportscar Championship Brno". Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  18. "Hankook 24H Epilogue Brno 2016 Race Results" (PDF). Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  19. "2021 Trofeo Pirelli Brno Race 2 (30') Final Classification" (PDF). Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  20. "2001 Brno ETCC - Round 4". Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  21. "ACERBIS Czech Round, 8 - 10 June 2018 World Supersport 300 - Results Race" (PDF). Retrieved 24 July 2021.

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