Upcoming meetings
- Nov7
- Aug7–8
Circuit
Knockhill Racing Circuit lies in the Fife countryside around six miles north of Dunfermline and holds Scotland's only FIA grade among the country's motorsport venues. Construction began in 1972 at the foot of Knock Hill, where farm access roads were joined to the trackbed of a mineral railway that had closed in 1951; the circuit opened in September 1974 and staged its first car race on 18 May 1975. After several changes of ownership, Derek Butcher took control in 1984, and the venue now trades as Knockhill Racing Circuit Ltd. The site has a total elevation change of roughly 37 metres and is licensed to run in both directions, a rare arrangement among UK circuits; racing resumed anti-clockwise in 2012. Three circuit layouts are currently offered: the International Circuit (2.04 km/1.27 miles, 9 turns), the National Circuit (1.61 km/1 mile, 10 turns) and the shorter Tri Oval (0.48 km/0.3 miles). The venue has hosted the British Touring Car Championship in most seasons since 1992 and is a regular round of the British Superbike Championship, with past rounds of British GT and British F3. Corners carry names including Duffus Dip, Leslie's — named in 2008 for driver David Leslie — Clark's, the Chicane and Taylor's. Beyond circuit racing it also runs rallying, rallycross and off-road courses, karting, and car and motorcycle track days.
Operated by: Knockhill Racing Circuit Ltd
Knockhill Racing Circuit guide
History
Knockhill was built from 1972 by joining farm access tracks at the foot of Knock Hill to the route of a disused mineral railway that had served the former Lethans Colliery until its 1951 closure. The venue opened for motorcycle racing in September 1974 and held its first car race on 18 May 1975. Ownership changed hands several times in its early years before Derek Butcher took over in 1984; the circuit still operates under his family's company, Knockhill Racing Circuit Ltd. It has grown from those roots into Scotland's national motorsport centre and the country's only FIA-graded circuit, hosting the British Touring Car Championship in most seasons since 1992 and the British Superbike Championship.
The circuit
The circuit climbs and drops around 37 metres across the site and is unusually licensed to run in both directions — racing resumed anti-clockwise in 2012 after years of clockwise-only use. Three lapped configurations are offered: the 2.04 km, nine-turn International Circuit used by the championship meetings; the shorter 1.61 km National Circuit; and the 0.48 km Tri Oval. Named corners include the fast, blind Duffus Dip, Leslie's — renamed in 2008 for driver David Leslie — Clark's and the Chicane.
Sources: Knockhill official site (knockhill.com); Wikipedia