In 1926 a group of Gravesend cyclists recognised the potential of a mushroom field near West Kingsdown, which formed a natural amphitheatre, and the land at Brands Hatch Farm became a popular venue for cycling. By 1928 motorcyclists began to take steps to transform the area into a racing circuit. In March 1932 the Bermondsey, Owls, Sidcup and West Kent clubs joined forces to stage their first rally here. During the Second World War Brands Hatch was occupied by the army as a military vehicle park and suffered bombing. In 1947 Brands Hatch Stadium Ltd. was formed and the BBC for the first time televised a grass track motorcycle meeting here. In 1950 the grass track was turned into a tarmac road at a cost of £17,000 to provide a one mile kidney-shaped course suitable for cars. The Half Litre Club for 500cc Formula Three organised the first race here on 16th April 1950. In 1953 a new loop called the Druid's Hairpin was added to the course extending the circuit to 1.24 miles. In 1954 the course was reversed and the drivers, for the first time, raced clockwise rather than anti-clockwise. Also a pit lane and spectator banks were constructed and the circuit lanes were widened so that larger cars could compete. A grandstand, erected in 1955, became the first permanent one on a British circuit, but it no longer exists. The first Formula Two race took place here in 1956.

In 1959 the circuit was extended to 2.65 miles by adding a large loop to the existing circuit so that Brands Hatch could host the Grand Prix. In August 1960 the first major motor racing event was the non-championship Silver City Trophy Formula. One race was won by Jack Brabham with Graham Hill in second place. In 1964 the circuit staged its first Formula One world championship event, awarded the status of European Grand Prix and won by Jim Clark. After that Brands Hatch alternated with Silverstone for the British Grand Prix until 1986. The deaths of George Crossman, Tony Flory and Stuart Duncan in the mid-1960s and Jo Siffert in October 1971 led to major modifications around the track for safety reasons. In 1980 Desire Wilson became the first woman to win a Formula One race. During the 1986 Grand Prix a major accident resulted in the ending of Jacques Laffite's career and as a result Brands Hatch ceased to be used for the British Grand Prix which has since been held at Silverstone. 1988 saw further changes to the circuit layout with a chicane added at Dingle Dell Corner and Westfield Road and Graham Hill Bend were tightened. Formula 3000 and Superbike World Championship racing were held here. New pits and a corporate entertainment building were built in the late 1990s. Brands Hatch did acquire the rights to hold the British Grand Prix in 2002 but this was conditional on obtaining planning permission to bring the circuit up to Formula One requirements. Brands Hatch will be the base for the Road Cycling events of the 2012 Summer Paralympics. (1)

<1> English Heritage, 2012, Brands Hatch: Advice Report (Scheduling record). SKE17534.