Aintree Grand Prix Circuit History of an Forgotten F1 Track

Aintree Grand Prix Circuit History of an Forgotten F1 Track

In this Circuits of the past video Herman shows you an almost forgotten location of the British Grand Prix, the Aintree Circuit.

Most people will think about a horse race track when hearing the name Aintree. But Aintree was also a motor racing circuit that hosted the Formula 1 British Grand Prix 5 times in the 1950’s and the early 1960’s.

The Aintree Grand Prix Circuit was a 3-mile motor racing circuit near Liverpool. It was partly located within the famous Aintree Horse Racecourse and used the same grandstands.

The old Aintree Grand Prix Circuit contained a loop around the horse race track and a loop around a golf course. Between both loops it used public roads to connect both sections. So it was actually a little bit of a semi street circuit.

In the years 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961 and 1962 Aintree hosted the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. In addition to the Grands Prix, the circuit also hosted non-championship Formula 1 races, known as the Aintree 200.

On the First ever event at the Aintree circuit in 1954, the track was driven counter clockwise. Than they changed the driving direction to clockwise.

After the last Formula 1 race at Aintree in 1962, the British Grand Prix alternated for the next decades between Silverstone and Brands Hatch. Since 1987 the British Grand Prix is settled at Silverstone.

The last ever race on the full Aintree Grand Prix Circuit was in 1964. Than they abandoned the loop around the horse race track. What remained was a 1.37 Miles short Club Circuit.

Today the Club Circuit is used six times a year for car sprints, track days and motorcycle racing. All other days of the year, it is part of a golf course.

Most of the old Grand Prix circuit is still there and some parts are now used as a camera road for the horse race track.

When Herman visited the old Aintree Circuit in the summer of 2018 he First tried to contact the Aintree Circuit Club and the Liverpool Motor Club. But both didn’t respond to his e-mail. So he went to Aintree on the off chance.

Arrived at Aintree he First went to the horse race track. When he want to film the old Start/Finish straight, a security guard asked him what he was doing. Herman told him he was interested in the old Aintree Grand Prix Circuit.

But the security guard never heard about it and told him this is the horse race track. For the motor racing circuit he should go to the golf course. However, he still allowed Herman to make a video shot from Start/Finish.

When Herman drove to the golf course he already saw the Club Circuit. He asked on the golf course if he could enter the track to film it. The guy behind the counter asked his boss.

Then the boss of the golf course came and said: You want to see the old Grand Prix Circuit? Step in my car and I will show it! Then he drove Herman a lap around the full Aintree Grand Prix Circuit.

So our special thanks goes out to the Aintree Golf Centre.

Also special thanks to Simon Smith for the voiceocer. You can also visit his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/HigherPlainGames

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Видео Aintree Grand Prix Circuit History of an Forgotten F1 Track канала Circuits of the past