Angelsey

The Anglesey Circuit (or Trac Môn in Welsh) is a fantastic motor racing circuit located in Ty Croes, Anglesey, Wales with great views across the Irish Sea to Snowdonia. Make sure you appreciate these when you walk the course because you won't see much of it when you get out there in anger - if you do, you aren't going fast enough!

Anglesey opened as a fully licensed MSA and ACU championship racing circuit in 1997. In 2006, the motorsports venue saw a major overhaul, with the majority of the circuit being scrapped in favour of a radical new development that included four different track layouts. One of the straights on the circuit is named after Wales's only F1 driver, Tom Pryce, who was killed in an accident during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1977 when a track marshal carrying a fire extinguisher ran across the track in front of him. The extinguisher hit Pryce in the head, and both he and the marshal died.

Location

Ty Croes, Anglesey, LL63 5TF

Sprinting Information

Points to Note

Garages are booked on a first come first served basis on issue of the Final Regulations, normally we manage to arrange two garages and share amongst the competitors.

The national circuit uses the old paddock exit as the start line, if you are a double drive don’t be shy drive past the queue and try to join in the class in number order.

Accommodation

Camping is available on the circuit both on Friday and Saturday nights, and has toilets, showers and on site café with bar. 

Some competitors rent a cottage of the weekend, or there are many B&B’s around the Rhosneigr and Aberffraw areas.

Anglesey National

Start

The entrance is located in the NW corner of the paddock (near the wind turbine) and there is plenty of room for lining up in number order. It is usually well announced and marshalled. The start uses the old pit lane. 

Note the start line is slightly downhill and you need to watch out as you may roll forward slightly if not held.

School

Fairly straightforward with a late turn and very late apex. Don't run too wide on the exit because you will need to be on the right of the track for the first part of Rocket.

Rocket

A tricky section, you will approach uphill so braking can be quite late with turn-in about 2/3 along the kerb and before the crest. There is a fairly obvious apex but the hard part is preventing the car drifting too wide on the exit. If you carry too much speed through here you will find yourself too far to the right for the next part of the corner.

Peel

Another fairly late turn-in just after some "A" marks on the road (if you can see them) with a very late apex beyond the end of the kerb. Keep it smooth and it is possible to accelerate hard on the exit, using the full width of the track.

Seamans

Downhill and off camber, but it is very important to get a good exit for the long straight that follows. Brake before the corner board; turn in after it and apex at the end of the kerb, getting the power on as early as possible. If you succeed in this, you will need all of the ample track width on the exit to Tom Pryce Straight.

The Hairpin

Braking is tricky because of the high speed and lack of reference points. There's plenty of run-off though! Turn-in late and slow to get power down early for the straight down to the finish.

Anglesey International

Start

The Start for Anglesey International is the same as Anglesey National and uses the old pit exit which has a reasonable straight before turning left for the first corner.

Note the start line is slightly downhill and you need to watch out as you may roll forward slightly if not held.

First Turn

The first corner is a straightforward 90° left hander but if you mis-judge it then keep the power on because lifting could see you end up in the pit wall on the left hand side of this corner.

Turn 1 (but it’s the 2nd corner)!

A short straight then follows before this "quicker than you think" corner where the exit is blind upon turn-in so you have to judge the turn-in and power perfectly. Use of plenty of exit kerb will show that you have got the corner right.

Book-a-Track Banking

This corner approaches soon after the exit of Turn 1 and is a classic shaped, fast-ish hairpin so you need to look up and spot the exit to judge a late-ish turn-in and apex to give a faster exit speed - most

Church

The writer’s favourite corner of the season! Flat out right-hander depending on class and conditions but super fast. Important not to turn too early and compromise exit as mid corner lift will impact on speed along the long back straight/kink.

Rocket

Approach to Rocket will see you possibly approaching max. speed and so need to judge braking point carefully. Approach is uphill so braking assisted. Out-braking will not be detrimental as there is a perfect escape lane. Rocket complex is a sharp low gear left hander and then short burst towards another tight right hander. Probably not much to be gained here but plenty to be lost through carrying too much speed and missing apexes.

Peel

A great corner, uphill approach from Rocket will see this right hander looming with no visibility of exit. Use apex kerbing and marshall's post to judge turn in and exit, respectively.

Seamans

Bring car to right after exit from Peel for the downhill approach to Seamans which is a fast-ish, off-camber left hander.

The Hairpin

Long-ish straight follows prior to final corner which is the tight hairpin. The Finish is just after the exit of the hairpin so need to be neat and tidy to be at max. acceleration over the line.

 

Trackday Information

Situated on the West side of the Isle of Anglesey this circuit is in the depths of Wales. It is very easy to find but watch out for the speed ramps on the approach road, and heavily pot holed dirt track. There are a few covered garages but it's mainly open parking, and with views out over the Irish sea off School Corner don't get caught out sight-seeing.

There are plenty of small B&Bs and hotels within the local vicinity with good beer and home cooked food. There are no major hotels nearby and we wouldn't recommend Bangor, although it does have a cheap travel lodge for those who crave a chain hotel.

Being so remote there are loads of places to visit whilst travelling to this circuit. South Stack lighthouse(link is external) is just North, and you would have passed the place with the longest name in the UK(link is external) as you drove onto the island. Snowdon and the Pen-y-Pass are only 15 miles South of Bangor and well worth a detour.

As for the circuit, following its extensive redevelopment in the winter of 2006/2007, the much improved circuit now has various layouts. 'Coastal' and 'International' are the layouts usually used for track days. The circuit lacks in facilities with the burger van the only place on site to eat or drink. There are no garages so when the weather is bad, you are going to get wet.

Starting with The Coastal Circuit, turn 1 is a very fast approach and care must be taken on both the entry and exit as the run off to the inside of the circuit is limited. The corner itself can be taken quickly but you must remember to use all the road on the exit, bringing the car back to the left of the road for the Bookatrack hairpin. The banking of the hairpin makes this a very tricky corner, but thanks to the camber, it is possible to carry more speed into the apex and use the camber to carry more speed through the exit. Church is the next corner and is the most difficult of the lap. The corner is very wide and is a constant turn which leads you to believe it is flat - it is NOT! Care should be taken on the exit to avoid running onto the grass. The next section leads up to the Rocket complex and is nothing more than a flat out kink before the steep uphill climb to Rocket. The following complex is very tight and patience is required to get the most from this section. Braking for Peal is critical as the circuit begins to fall away from the turning in point, on to an early apex, that leads into the fast downhill approach to the corkscrew. Braking here is critical as the run off is relatively small and the Corkscrew is very tight, but very rewarding when driven correctly. The final left hander that completes the lap is very straightforward, but care must be taken so as not to pick up the power too early and cause the car to understeer wide on the exit.

Much of the International circuit is the same, but instead of going through the Corkscrew there is a very quick left hand corner called Seamans that is slightly off camber. This leads on to the Tom Pryce Straight. On approach to the hairpin there is a seam in the tarmac that runs across the track; use this to judge your braking point. The run down to the final left hander completes the International lap. Picking a braking point is very tricky as it is very easy to overdrive the last corner of the lap. The corner has a very fast open approach but then tightens mid corner, so be careful not to be caught out.

Words kindly provided by Jamie Stanley(link is external).

 

Closest Fuel Station

Holyhead - Follow the road back out of the circuit & turn left onto the A4080

After about 5 miles left at the roundabout onto A55

< 4 miles take the A5 exit junction 3 Y Fali Valley & roundabout 4th exit to cross over above the A55

Keep going for about 1 mile, service station on the right.