Location | Eastern Creek, New South Wales |
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Time zone | GMT+10 |
Coordinates | 33°48′15″S 150°52′14″E / 33.80417°S 150.87056°ECoordinates: 33°48′15″S 150°52′14″E / 33.80417°S 150.87056°E |
Operator | Australian Racing Drivers Club |
Opened | 10 November 1990 |
Major events |
Australian motorcycle Grand Prix A1 Grand Prix International V8 Supercars Championship Muscle Car Masters World Time Attack |
Brabham Circuit (Extended Circuit) | |
Length | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) |
Turns | 18 |
Lap record | 1:50.2739 (Bryan Sala, Matich A50, 2012, Formula 5000) |
Gardner Circuit (Grand Prix Circuit) | |
Length | 3.93 km (2.44 mi) |
Turns | 11 |
Lap record | 1:19.1420 (Nico Hülkenberg, A1GP Lola Zytek, 2007, A1 Grand Prix) |
Druitt Circuit (North Circuit) | |
Length | 2.800 km (1.740 mi) |
Turns | 8 |
Lap record | 0:59.6077 (Chris Farrell, Swift 014, 2012, Formula Atlantic) |
Amaroo Circuit (South Circuit) | |
Length | 1.8 km (1.12 mi) |
Turns | 13 |
Lap record | 0:53.3600 (Nick Kelly, Radical SRS, 2013, LeMans Sports) |
Sydney Motorsport Park (known until May 2012 as Eastern Creek International Raceway) is a motorsport circuit located on Brabham Drive, Eastern Creek (40-kilometres west of the Sydney CBD),New South Wales, Australia, adjacent to the Western Sydney International Dragway. It was built and is owned by the New South Wales Government and is operated by the Australian Racing Drivers Club. The circuit is the only permanent track in Australia with an FIA Grade 2 International license and is licensed for both cars and motorcycles.
The development of circuit was approved in 1989 and construction began soon after. However, construction was delayed by poor weather and debates over land ownership. A test race open to Superbikes was held in July 1990 and the circuit was officially opened by then-New South Wales Minister for Sport Bob Rowland-Smith on 10 November 1990 with the running of the Nissan Sydney 500 endurance race for Group A touring cars. In 1991, the consortium formed to fund the circuit suffered financial problems and the complex was purchased by the New South Wales Government. The pit facilities provide fifty garages with direct access to the paddock area and a covered 4,000-seat grandstand overlooks the finish line, providing a view of the majority of the circuit. Events are held at the circuit on most weekends during the year.
On 11 August 2006, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Ron Dickson, the A1 Grand Prix circuit designer who also designed the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, suggested that Sydney Motorsport Park was not up to modern standards and needed to be upgraded. On 28 April 2008, it was announced that Apex Circuit Design Ltd. had been commissioned to perform a $350,000 feasibility study on upgrading the track to suit more purposes and hold larger events such as the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, however nothing came of this proposed upgrade.