Prince George Circuit
 | |
| Location | East London, South Africa |
|---|---|
| Time zone | SAST (UTC+02:00) |
| Coordinates | 33°02′55″S 27°52′25″E / 33.04861°S 27.87361°E |
| Operator | Border Motorsport Club |
| Major events | Grand Prix / Formula Libre / Formula One South African Grand Prix (1934, 1936–1939, 1960–1963, 1965–1966) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1959–present) | |
| Length | 3.920 km (2.436 miles) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 1:24.300 ( John Love, Lotus 49, 1968, SA F1) |
| Modified Circuit (1936–1939) | |
| Length | 18.619[1] km (11.570 miles) |
| Original Circuit (1934) | |
| Length | 24.461[1] km (15.200 miles) |
Prince George Circuit is a race circuit in East London in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. On this course the South African Grand Prix was hosted in 1934, and 1936 to 1939 when racing was halted due to World War II, and then in 1960–1966.
Course layout
The original circuit was 24.461 km (15.199 mi) long and was run on streets through different populated areas. The start and finish straight ran along the sea shore. After three fast corners the course followed a road – which is now called Molteno Drive – that would later also be part of the shorter new circuit. Moving further east the course entered the West Bank Village on Strand Street before turning north onto Bank Street and then west on Military Road. There the track moved through the areas Fort Glamorgan and Gately. Military Road changed into Settlers Way at the height of Woodbrook and Greenfields. After driving through what is now the East London Airport (not built at the time), the course turned south at the far west point onto Prince George Street and led with a relatively long series of twisty turns and one hairpin at the end back to the main straight.
The circuit was shortened to 18.619 km (11.569 mi) in 1936.[2] Instead of taking Molteno Drive east, the course followed Potters Pass north to get back onto the original circuit at the begin of Settlers Way.[citation needed]
Modified to meet Formula One regulations in 1959, the track was built into a seaside amphitheatre with a length of 3.920 km (2.436 mi). It hosted three rounds of the F1 South African Grand Prix in the 1960s. It was later deemed too small for Formula One cars, and the race was moved to Kyalami.[citation needed]
Layout history
Layout of all versions of the Prince George Circuit
Brown = 1934, Blue = 1936, Black = 1959
Prince George Circuit (1934)
Prince George Circuit (1936–1939)
Prince George Circuit (1959–present)
Lap records
As of August 2022, the fastest official race lap records at the Prince George Circuit are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit: 3.920 km (1959–present) | ||||
| South Africa F1 | 1:24.300[3] | John Love | Lotus 49 | 1968 Border 100 |
| Formula One | 1:25.200 | Jack Brabham | Brabham BT19 | 1966 South African Grand Prix |
| GTC | 1:25.502[4] | Saood Wariawa | Toyota Corolla (E210) | 2022 East London Global Touring Car Championship round |
| SupaCup | 1:28.462[4] | Jeffrey Kruger | Volkswagen Polo VI | 2022 East London Global Touring Car Championship round |
References
- ^ a b "East London Prince George Circuit". Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- ^ Galpin, Darren. "Prince George Circuit". GEL Motorsport Information Page. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "X Border 100". Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ a b "2022 Extreme Festival East London Grand Prix Circuit GTC & SupaCup - Race 1" (PDF). 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
External links
- www.kolumbus.fi – Prince George Circuit Archived 18 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine