View source for Pembrey Circuit

{{Short description|Motor racing circuit in Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox motorsport venue
| Name          = Pembrey Circuit
| Location      = [[Carmarthenshire]], Wales, United Kingdom
| Time          = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]] ([[UTC+0]])<br />[[British Summer Time|BST]] (April–October, [[UTC+1]])
| Coordinates   = {{coord|51|42|20|N|4|19|14|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=it}}
| Image         = [[Image:Pembrey Circuit track map.svg|250px]]
| Image_caption = Full Circuit (1989–present)
| Events        = '''Current:'''<br />'''[[Welsh Sports and Saloon Car Championship]]''' (1991–2019, 2021–present)<br />'''Former:'''<br />[[British Formula Renault Championship|British Formula Renault Winter Series]] (2004, 2010)<br />[[British Formula Renault Championship#Protyre Formula Renault Championship|Formula Renault BARC]] (1995–2006)<br />[[British Formula 3 Championship]] (1992–1999)<br />[[FIA European Rallycross Championship]] (1997–1998)<br />[[British Superbike Championship]] (1990, 1994)<br />[[British Touring Car Championship]] (1992–1993)
| FIAGrade      = 4{{efn|name=Pembrey Grade 4|Pembrey Circuit's Grade 4 licence expired 21 September 2022.}}
| Owner         = Welsh Race Drivers' Association
| Operator      = [[British Automobile Racing Club]]
| Broke_ground  =
| Opened        = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1989|05|21}}
| Layout1       = Full Circuit (1989–present)
| Length_km     = 2.343
| Length_mi     = 1.456
| Turns         = 8
| Record_time   = 0:50.079
| Record_driver = {{flagicon|ARG|1868}} [[Brian Smith (racing driver)|Brian Smith]]	
| Record_car    = [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F397]]
| Record_year   = [[1997 British Formula Three Championship|1997]]
| Record_class  = [[Formula Three|F3]]
|}}

'''Pembrey Circuit''' is a motor racing circuit near [[Pembrey]] village, [[Carmarthenshire]], Wales. It is the home of Welsh [[motorsport]], providing racing for cars, motorcycles, karts and trucks. The circuit's facilities have also been used for a single-venue [[Rallying|rally]].

==History==

The stimulus for the creation of a racing circuit at [[Pembrey]] was the closure of the motor racing facility at [[Llandow]] near [[Cardiff]]. Port Talbot Motor Cycle Racing Club were the first organisation to put on racing events at this circuit. In 1981 the [http://www.wrda.co.uk/ Welsh Race Drivers' Association] (WRDA) was formed with the expressed intention of developing a new race circuit in Wales. At the same time the former [[RAF]] airfield at [[Pembrey]], which had been used as a chicken farm, was acquired by [[Llanelli]] Borough Council. Following a representation by the WRDA the decision was taken to construct a racing circuit at the venue. The first race meeting was held on 21 May 1989, and the winner of the first race at the circuit was Nigel Petch in an MGB.

In 1990 the [[British Automobile Racing Club|BARC]] signed a 50-year lease to operate the circuit on behalf of Carmarthenshire County Council.

==Testing==
The circuit is popular for testing, mainly due to its variety of fast sweeping corners and tight hairpins. It is often referred to as a drivers favourite. Formula One teams have tested at the circuit including McLaren and their drivers [[Ayrton Senna]] and [[Alain Prost]] in the late 1980s. [[Arrows Grand Prix International|Arrows]], [[Benetton Formula|Benetton]], [[Jordan Grand Prix|Jordan]] and [[WilliamsF1|Williams]] all tested at Pembrey in the early 1990s with [[British American Racing|BAR]] being the last Formula One team to test at Pembrey in 1998. The Seat and VX Racing BTCC teams have tested there in previous years, as has [[Nigel Mansell]] in a [[GP Masters]] car. These F1 cars are likely to have set times faster than the official lap record, and indeed locals at the circuit still talk of the sensational unofficial lap record set by Ayrton Senna. However, convention dictates that the official lap record is the fastest lap set under racing conditions, so that honour goes to Argentine [[Formula 3]] driver, Brian Smith, who in a [[Dallara F397]] set a time of 50.079&nbsp;seconds in 1997.

Senna's lap time in testing was 44.43.<ref>{{cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBz9ugqnNE4  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/iBz9ugqnNE4 |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Ayrton Senna tests a McLaren at Pembrey Circuit |date=21 September 1988 |time=0:58–1:10 |publisher=[[HTV Wales]] |via=ITV Cymru/Wales Archive at The National Library of Wales}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In recent seasons the circuit has been a popular venue for GT and F3 teams to test at, not only because of the quality of the circuit, but also due to the less stringent noise restrictions in place than at other British circuits.

==Configurations==

The circuit has two different sections, an all tarmac race circuit and a rally cross circuit utilizing some of the race circuit with an addition off-road surface. The circuit is operated by the [[British Automobile Racing Club]] (BARC) under the terms of a 50-year lease from Carmarthenshire County Council. A third configuration was also used in 1996, which was that of a short oval. This followed the race circuit from the Start/Finish straight, through the first two corners of the track, before turning left at the third corner and returning to the Start/Finish straight. There were plans to include a quarter mile drag strip, but this never came to fruition.The proposed Drag Strip never got off the ground.

==Major events==

The circuit has hosted the [[British Touring Car Championship]] twice, in 1992 and 1993 at which time the championship was the most popular motorsport series in the UK outside [[Formula One]]. [[British Formula 3 International Series|Formula 3]] races have also been run at Pembrey Circuit, and indeed many recent Formula 1 drivers including Jenson Button raced at Pembrey in their early F3 days. Pembrey twice hosted the [[FIA European Rallycross Championship|European Rallycross Championship]] in 1997 and 1998. Top-level Superbike racing has also been hosted at Pembrey, in 1990 and 1994.

Over the winter of 2005/06 a new pit lane was constructed. Highlights on the current calendar (2018) include rounds of the British [[Rallycross]] Championship and two rounds of the British Truck Racing Championship, organized by the BTRA. The circuit serves as the main venue for the [[Welsh Sports and Saloon Car Championship]], which has been particularly successful in recent years attracting a wide range of cars and averaging grids of over 20. In addition, the [[British Motorcycle Racing Club]], the British Drift Championship and two single venue rallies, amongst others, were held in February and October.<ref>{{cite web|title=BARC Events 2014|url=http://www.barc.net/events/|access-date=1 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=British Drift Championships|url=http://www.thebritishdriftchampionship.co.uk/events/|access-date=1 July 2014}}</ref>

==Prost vs. Senna – Pembrey Folklore==

Following an incident at  the 1989 San Marino Grand Prix, the [[Alain Prost]]/[[Ayrton Senna]] war began to build up speed after the Frenchman said that McLaren had a pre-race agreement that whoever led into the first turn should stay there, which was ironically suggested by Senna. In Prost's view, Senna had broken this agreement by passing him partway round the first lap after the restart. The following week McLaren were testing at Pembrey, and [[Ron Dennis]] (team principal) summoned both drivers to attend, as he was determined to re-establish law and order. Senna was refusing to apologise, and [[Jo Ramírez]] even heard that “he’d apparently said that the deal had been not to actually pass Prost by slipstreaming before that the move was allowable!” He really only apologised because of the pressure under which Dennis put him at Pembrey, and for the good of the team but he wasn’t happy about it.<ref name= Rubython>{{cite book|first=Tom|last=Rubython|title=The Life of Senna|publisher=BusinessF1 Books|isbn=0-9546857-3-3|date=2006}}</ref><ref name= Ramírez >{{cite book|first=Jo|last=Ramírez|title=Memoirs of a Racing Man|publisher=Haynes Publishing|isbn=1-84425-238-8|date=2005}}</ref><ref name= Folley>{{cite book|first=Malcolm|last=Folley|title=Senna versus Prost|publisher=Arrow Books|isbn=978-0-0995-2809-8|date=2010}}</ref>

==Major race results==

===[[British Formula 3 International Series|British Formula Three Championship]]===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Date
! Winning driver
! Car
! Team
|-
! 1999
| 15 August – Race 1
| {{flagicon|DNK}} [[Kristian Kolby]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F399]]
| [[Fortec Motorsport]]
|-
! 
| 15 August – Race 2
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jenson Button]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F399]]
| [[Promatecme UK]]
|-
! 1998
| 16 August – Race 1
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Mario Haberfeld]]
| [[Dallara F398]]
| [[Paul Stewart Racing]]
|-
! 
| 16 August – Race 2
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Luciano Burti]]
| [[Dallara F398]]
| [[Paul Stewart Racing]]
|-
! 1997
| 17 August – Race 1
| {{flagicon|ARG|1868}} [[Brian Smith (racing driver)|Brian Smith]]
| [[Dallara F397]]
| [[Fortec Motorsport]]
|-
! 
| 17 August – Race 2
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Nicolas Minassian]]
| [[Dallara F397]]
| [[Promatecme]]
|-
! 1996
| 1 September – Race 1
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Nicolas Minassian]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F396]]
| [[Promatecme]]
|-
! 
| 1 September – Race 2
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jonny Kane]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F396]]
| [[Paul Stewart Racing]]
|-
! 1995
| 24 September – Race 1
| {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Ralph Firman]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F395]]
| [[Paul Stewart Racing]]
|-
! 
| 24 September – Race 2
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Oliver Gavin]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F395]]
| [[Edenbridge Racing]]
|-
! 1994
| 21 August – Race 1
| {{flagicon|DNK}} [[Jan Magnussen]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F394]]
| [[Paul Stewart Racing]]
|-
! 
| 21 August – Race 2
| {{flagicon|DNK}} [[Jan Magnussen]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F394]]
| [[Paul Stewart Racing]]
|-
! 1993
| 22 August - Race 1
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Oliver Gavin]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F393]]
| [[Edenbridge Racing]]
|-
! 
| 21 August – Race 2
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Gil de Ferran]]
| [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F392]]
| [[Paul Stewart Racing]]
|}

===British Touring Car Championship===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Date
! Winning driver
! Car
! Team
|-
! 1993
| 27 June
| {{flagicon|GER}} [[Joachim Winkelhock]]
| [[BMW E36|BMW 318i]]
| [[Schnitzer Motorsport|BMW Motorsport Team]]
|-
! 1992
| 9 August
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Tim Harvey]]
| [[BMW E36|BMW 318is]]
| [[Vic Lee Racing|M Team Shell Racing]]
|}

===European Rallycross Championship===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Date
! Category
! Winning driver
! Car
|-
! 1998
| 28 June
| Division 1
| {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Per Eklund]]
| Saab 900 T16 4x4
|-
! 
| 
| Division 2
| ''no starters present''
| 
|-
! 
| 
| 1400 Cup
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Jean-Michel Laurant]]
| Peugeot 1066 XSi
|-
! 1997
| 15 June
| Division 1
| {{flagicon|NOR}} [[Ludvig Hunsbedt]]
| Ford Escort RS2000 T16 4x4
|-
! 
| 
| Division 2
| {{flagicon|NOR}} [[Elvind Opland]]
| Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 3
|-
! 
| 
| 1400 Cup
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Jean-Michel Laurant]]
| Peugeot 106 XSi
|-
|}
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.erc24.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060514180822/http://www.erc24.com/ |archive-date=2006-05-14 |title=ERC24}}</ref>

===British Superbike Championship===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Year
! Race
! Rider
! Manufacturer
|-
! [[1994 British Superbike Championship season|1994]]
| [[1994 HEAT TT Superbike Supercup Rd.13]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ian Simpson (motorcycle racer)|Ian Simpson]]
| 588&nbsp;cc [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton RFI 588]]
|-
! 
| [[1994 HEAT TT Superbike Supercup Rd.14]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ian Simpson (motorcycle racer)|Ian Simpson]]
| 588&nbsp;cc [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton RFI 588]]
|-
! [[1990 British Superbike Championship season|1990]]
| [[1990 Shell Supercup/ACU British Championship, 750cc TT F1 Rd.3]]
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Terry Rymer]]
| 750&nbsp;cc [[Yamaha FZ750|Yamaha 0W01]]
|-
|}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st68599.htm|title = Motorcycle Racing Online - British Superbike race winners 1987 to 1992}}</ref>

==Lap records==

As of May 2022, the fastest official race lap records at the Pembrey Circuit are listed as: 

{| class="wikitable"
!Category!!Time!!Driver!!Vehicle!!Event
|-
! colspan=5 | Full Circuit: 2.343&nbsp;km (1989–present)<ref>{{cite web |title=Pembrey - Racing Circuits |url=https://www.racingcircuits.info/europe/united-kingdom/pembrey.html |website=RacingCircuits.info |access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Formula Three]] || '''0:50.079'''<ref>{{cite web |title=1997 Pembrey British F3 |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1997-pembrey-british-f3/ |website=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport Magazine]] |date=17 August 1997 |access-date=27 June 2022}}</ref> || [[Brian Smith (racing driver)|Brian Smith]] || [[List of Dallara cars|Dallara F397]] || [[1997 British Formula Three Championship|1997 Pembrey British F3 round]]
|-
| [[Formula Renault]] || '''0:53.057'''<ref>{{cite web |title=2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup - Round 4 - Race 4 - Classification |url=https://www.tsl-timing.com/file/?f=barc/2010/104522.pdf |date=13 November 2020 |access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref> || [[Joni Wiman]] || [[Barazi-Epsilon#Barazi-Epsilon FR2.0-10|Barazi-Epsilon FR2.0-10]] || [[2010 Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship#Formula Renault UK Winter Series|2010 Pembrey Formula Renault UK Winter Series round]]
|-
| [[Superbike racing|Superbike]] || '''0:59.280'''<ref>{{cite web |title=1994-08-06 to 1994-08-07 - H.E.A.T. British Supercup '94 Championship - Race 2 |url=https://superbike-archives.net/results.php?ssnID=94GBS&sesID=940807PEMGBSRC2&sesType=r |date=7 August 1994 |access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref> || [[Jim Moodie (motorcyclist)|Jim Moodie]] || [[Yamaha YZF750]] || [[British Superbike Championship|1994 Pembrey British Supercup round]]
|-
| [[Super Touring]] || '''1:00.720'''<ref>{{cite web |title=BTCC 1992 » Pembrey Round 11 Results |url=https://www.touringcars.net/database/race.php?id=822 |date=9 August 1992 |access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref> || [[Will Hoy]] || [[Toyota Carina II#Second generation (T170)|Toyota Carina]] || [[1992 British Touring Car Championship|1992 Pembrey BTCC round]]
|-
| [[Truck racing]] || '''1:10.355'''<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 British Truck Racing Championship - Race 14 - Restart - Classification |url=https://www.tsl-timing.com/file/?f=BARC/2022/221821rc4btr.pdf |date=8 May 2022 |access-date=19 May 2025}}</ref> || [[Ryan Smith (racing driver)|Ryan Smith]] || [[Daimler Truck|Daimler Truck 12000]] || [[2023 British Truck Racing Championship|2022 1st Pembrey BTRC round]]
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[RAF Pembrey]]
* [[Pembrey Airport]]
* [[Court Farm, Pembrey]]
* [[Llandow Circuit]]
* [[Anglesey Circuit]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://barcwales.com/ BARC Wales]
*[http://www.wrda.co.uk/ Welsh Racing Drivers' Association]
*[https://www.barc.net/ BARC]

{{British motor racing circuits}}
{{BTCC Circuits}}
{{VSRV8 2008}}

[[Category:FIA Grade 4 circuit]]
[[Category:Motorsport venues in Wales]]
[[Category:Sport in Carmarthenshire]]
[[Category:Sport in Llanelli]]