The Masaryk circuit (Czech: Masarykův okruh) or Masarykring, also referred to as the Brno Circuit, refers to two motorsport race tracks located in Brno, Czech Republic.

The original street circuit was made up of public roads, and at its longest measured 29.194 km (18.140 mi). The track is named after the first president of Czechoslovakia, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. In 1949, events such as the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix attracted top teams and drivers. In 1987, the new (current) circuit was opened. The Brno Circuit is historically one of the oldest circuits, on the place were also held the most motorcycle championships in history after the TT Circuit Assen.

Original circuits

The original layout ran anti-clockwise on approximately 29.194 km (18.140 mi) of public roads in the outskirts of Brno, where the start/finish was located in Bosonohy. The circuit went east past Kamenny and then went north past the Bohunice University Campus in Kejbaly, and went through the villages of Libusino, Kohoutovice and Žebětín, out to Ostrovacice, through Veselka and back through a series of fast straights and kinks. From 1930 to 1937, the Masaryk circuit races attracted some of the top drivers and teams.

On 25 September 1949, the race was held for the first and the last time in Czechoslovakia as part of the Grand Prix motor racing (later evolved into Formula One). The Czechoslovakian Grand Prix in 1949 was run clockwise on a shorter 17.800 km (11.060 mi) layout, which turned right at Veselka, bypassed Ostrovacice and entered Žebětín from the south rather than the west. In spite of a crowd in excess of 400,000 people, this would be the last Grand Prix for cars on the old circuit.

Beginning in 1950, the circuit played host to the Czechoslovakian motorcycle Grand Prix, which became a world championship event from 1965. The circuit had been again reduced in length to 13.941 km (8.663 mi) in 1964, completely bypassing Žebětín and using a new through-road that went to Kohoutovice quicker. The European Touring Car series visited in the 1980s, by which time the circuit had been finally reduced to 10.921 km (6.786 mi) in 1975, which exited Kohoutovice from the south and bypassed Libusino and Kejbaly and went right through Kamenny and rejoined the main road back to Bosonohy. As of 2025, all the public roads used for the original circuits are still existing.

Modern circuit

The current 5.403 km (3.357 mi) permanent road racing circuit was opened on 18 July 1987. It lies north of Kyvalka, within the bounds of the circuit used in the 1930s, but not incorporating any of the public roads. The motorcycle race moved to the new circuit and regained its status as a round of the world championship. A World Sports Car Championship race was held in 1988, and a round of the A1 Grand Prix series in 2006. It was also the location of the 24H Epilog of Brno (previously 6 Hours of Brno).

The annual Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Czech Republic is the circuit's most important event. It has been held here since 1950 and is the most famous motor race in the Czech Republic. The race is part of the World Grand Prix in the years of 1965–1982, 1987–1991, 1993–2020, 2025-2029.

The FIA World Touring Car Championship, FIA GT1 World Championship, Formula Two and the Superbike World Championship also raced at the circuit.

The Czech Republic Motorcycle Grand Prix was more of a promoter event than a profit-raiser itself. Since tobacco advertising has been banned in 2007, it is common among the other MotoGP events. Since August 2023, the circuit is owned by the Czech company Shakai.

Layout history

  • All layouts of the circuit between 1930 and today combined
  • Brno Circuit (1930–1937)
  • Brno Circuit (1949–1964)
  • Brno Circuit (1965–1974)
  • Brno Circuit (1975–1986)
  • Brno Circuit (1987–present)

Events

Current

Former

Lap records

The unofficial lap record is 1:34.700 set by Jérôme d'Ambrosio in Renault R29 Formula One car in 2010. As of September 2025, the fastest official race lap records at the Brno Circuit are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
Grand Prix Circuit: 5.403 km (1987–present)
BOSS GP/F11:36.065Ingo GerstlToro Rosso STR12017 Brno BOSS GP Series round
Auto GP/A1GP1:43.260Luca FilippiLola B05/522010 Brno Auto GP round
Formula Renault 3.51:44.591Daniel RicciardoDallara T082010 Brno Formula Renault 3.5 round
BOSS GP/GP21:44.940Johann LedermairDallara GP2/112017 Brno BOSS GP Series round
F2 (2009–2012)1:48.246Nicola de MarcoWilliams JPH12010 Brno Formula Two round
International Formula Master1:49.733Josef KrálTatuus N.T072009 Brno Formula Master round
Group C11:49.770Mauro BaldiSauber C91988 360 km of Brno
F30001:49.798Maro EngelLola B02/502005 Brno Italian F3000 round
LMP9001:51.858Jan LammersDome S1012002 Brno FIA Sportscar Championship round
Formula Three1:52.595Jamie GreenDallara F3032004 Brno F3 Euro Series Round
GT1 (GTS)1:53.106Marcel FässlerChevrolet Corvette C6.R2008 FIA GT Brno 2 Hours
MotoGP1:53.634Marc MárquezDucati Desmosedici GP252025 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
DTM1:54.786Martin TomczykAudi A4 DTM 20052005 Brno DTM round
Group C21:54.960Costas LosSpice SE87C1988 360 km of Brno
CN1:55.296Marco FinkNorma M20-FC2025 Brno GT Cup round
LMP31:55.416Miro KonôpkaLigier JS P3202025 Brno GT Cup Endurance round
GT31:56.018Jesse KrohnBMW M4 GT32025 Brno GT Cup round
Formula Renault 2.01:56.226Arthur PicBarazi-Epsilon FR2.0-102010 Brno Formula Renault Eurocup 2.0 round
LMP6751:57.389Roberto TonettiLucchini SR20012001 FIA Sportscar Championship Brno
SRO GT21:57.886Marius AignerKTM X-Bow GT22025 Brno GT Cup Endurance round
Ferrari Challenge1:57.918Felix HirsigerFerrari 296 Challenge2025 Brno Ferrari Challenge round
LMP21:57.988Miro KonôpkaLigier JS P2172021 Brno ESET Cup round
GT21:58.193Richard WestbrookPorsche 911 (997) GT3-RSR2008 FIA GT Brno 2 Hours
Formula 41:58.739Javier HerreraTatuus F4-T4212025 Brno Formula 4 CEZ round
Superbike1:58.799Patrick Hobelsberger[de]Honda CBR1000RR2025 Brno Alpe Adria Superbike round
World SBK1:59.291Cal CrutchlowYamaha YZF-R12010 Brno World SBK round
Moto21:59.468Joe RobertsKalex Moto22025 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
Lamborghini Super Trofeo1:59.484Dennis WaszekLamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo EVO22025 Brno GT Cup round
Porsche Carrera Cup2:01.005Richard GondaPorsche 911 (992 I) GT3 Cup2025 Brno Porsche Sprint Challenge Central Europe round
FIA GT Group 22:01.107Bas LeindersGillet Vertigo2008 FIA GT Brno 2 Hours
500cc2:01.461Valentino RossiHonda NSR5002001 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
250cc2:02.299Jorge LorenzoAprilia RSW 2502007 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
World SSP2:02.708Cal CrutchlowYamaha YZF-R62009 Brno World SSP round
N-GT2:04.127Stéphane OrtelliPorsche 911 (996) GT3-RSR2004 FIA GT Brno 500km
Formula BMW2:04.624Sebastian VettelMygale FB022004 Brno Formula BMW ADAC round
Moto32:05.454José Antonio RuedaKTM RC250GP2025 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
Eurocup Mégane Trophy2:05.930Nicky CatsburgRenault Mégane Renault Sport II2010 Brno Eurocup Mégane Trophy round
Group A2:07.160Keke RosbergMercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo21992 Brno DTM round
GT42:07.518Dobroslav KárníkBMW M4 GT4 Evo2025 Brno GT Cup round
Super Touring2:07.522Nicola LariniAlfa Romeo 156 D22001 Brno ESTC round
125cc2:07.836Lucio CecchinelloAprilia RS125R2003 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix
TCR Touring Car2:08.342Jiří ZbožínekHyundai Elantra N TCR2025 Brno TCR Eastern Europe Trophy round
Super 20002:10.108Félix PorteiroBMW 320si WTCC2008 FIA WTCC Race of the Czech Republic
SEAT León Supercopa2:11.840Maťo HomolaSEAT León Cup Racer2015 Brno ETC round
Sportbike2:12.620Igor TeskeAprilia RS6602025 Brno Alpe Adria Sportbike round
Supersport 3002.17.827Imanuel Putra PratnaYamaha YZF-R32018 Brno Supersport 300 round
Renault Clio Cup2:21.002Tomáš PekarRenault Clio R.S. V2025 Brno Clio Cup Bohemia round
Super 16002:26.195Gilles BrucknerFord Fiesta ST2013 Brno ETC round
4th Road Circuit: 10.925 km (1975–1986)
500cc3:29.690Johnny CecottoYamaha YZR500 (0W35)1977 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
Group 23:31.190Dieter QuesterBMW 3.0 CSL1975 Brno ETCC round
Group A3:32.080Anders OlofssonVolvo 240 Turbo1986 Brno ETCC round
350cc3:39.900Johnny CecottoYamaha TZ 3501977 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
250cc3:46.890Walter VillaHarley-Davidson RR2501977 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
Sidecar (B2A)3:50.960Werner SchwärzelAro sidecar1977 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
125cc4:00.010Guy BertinMotobécane 1251979 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
50cc4:48.650Ricardo TormoBultaco TSS 501978 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
3rd Road Circuit: 13.941 km (1964–1974)
500cc4:57.000Gianfranco BoneraMV Agusta 500 Four1974 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
Group 24:59.100Jochen MassFord Capri RS 26001972 Brno ETCC round
350cc5:07.100Teuvo LänsivuoriYamaha TZ 3501973 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
250cc5:13.700Bill IvyYamaha 250 V41967 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
Group 55:18.300Helmut MarkoChevrolet Camaro1969 Brno ETCC round
125cc5:30.500Yoshimi KatayamaYamaha AS11967 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
50cc6:22.100Henk van KesselKreidler 50 GP1974 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix
2nd Road Circuit: 17.800 km (1949–1963)
Grand Prix8:03.000Prince Bira Toulo de GraffenriedMaserati 4CLT/481949 Czechoslovakian Grand Prix
Original Road Circuit: 29.194 km (1930–1948)
Grand Prix11:59.300Rudolf CaracciolaMercedes-Benz W1251937 Masaryk Grand Prix
Voiturette14:55.000Giuseppe FarinaMaserati 4CM1934 Masaryk Grand Prix

Gallery

See also

Notes

External links