Inside abandoned racetrack that hosted first ever British Grand Prix but is left overgrown after being bombed during war
THE racetrack which hosted the first ever British Grand Prix is now overgrown and abandoned.
Having been bombed during the Second World War, the track never re-opened for racing once the conflict ended.
It had been used by the military during both World Wars after first opening in 1907 as the first racetrack of its kind.
However, Brooklands Racetrack now looks unrecognisable over a century on.
The track, which is located in Weybridge, Surrey, was the UK’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit.
With a unique design, the circuit had a 30-foot-high, banked-corner made of concrete.
Brooklands’ look even predated the iconic Indianapolis Speedway circuit.
After less than a decade in operation, the track closed during World War I and was claimed by the War Office.
During that time, it became a major location for military aircraft construction, with the aerodrome built in 1909 used as a flying training centre.
Once the war ended, racing resumed on the track in 1920 after required track repairs had been carried out.
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The first-ever British Grand Prix was held at the circuit in 1926, with sand chicanes and a finishing straight constructed.
Racing would be forced to stop for good with the outbreak of World War II, with the final meeting held less than a month before the war started in 1939.
The aerodrome was again claimed by the government and used to produce military aircraft.
Bombs also landed on the track during the conflict, with the site not handed back over by the government until 1949.
Nowadays, the Brooklands’ remaining features are covered in overgrown grass and surrounded by trees.
The iconic banked-corners can still be seen, though, dropping down to the side of a busy road and overlooking a nearby supermarket.
It is a fate that has befallen other racetracks, including the Buddh International Circuit in India, which still has the names of drivers on display around the track.