Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon

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Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon
Manfeild Autocourse track map (New Zealand) clockwise.svg


Configuration of Full Circuit (Clockwise)

Manfeild Autocourse track map (New Zealand) clockwise short.svg

Configuration of Short Grand Prix Circuit (Clockwise)
Location Feilding, New Zealand
Time zone UTC+12:00 (NZST)
UTC+13:00 (NZDT)
Coordinates 40°14′15″S175°33′26″E / 40.23750°S 175.55722°E / -40.23750; 175.55722
FIA Grade 3
Opened1973
Former namesManfeild Autocourse
(1973–2016)
Major eventsCurrent:
FR Oceania (2005–2007, 2021, 2023-present)
Toyota Gazoo Racing 86 Championship (2014–2021, 2023–present)
Racer Products V8s (2003–2021, 2024)
Former:
World SBK (1988–1990, 1992)
New Zealand Grand Prix
(1992–1995, 2008–2020)
V8SuperTourer (2012)
Full Circuit (1990–present)
Length4.511 km (2.803 miles)
Turns13
Short Grand Prix Circuit (1973–present)
Length3.030 km (1.883 miles)
Turns7
Race lap record1:01.457 (Simon Wills, Reynard 94D, 2000, Formula Holden)

Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon (formerly Manfeild Autocourse) is a motor sport circuit located in Feilding, New Zealand. It was built by the Manawatu Car Club in 1973 as a purpose-built course. In 1990 extra land was acquired and the circuit extension built, bringing Manfeild up to international standards. The circuit was renamed the Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon, in honour of former New Zealand Formula One driver Chris Amon, on 25 November 2016. [1]

Contents

History

The original 3.030 km (1.883 mi) circuit was built by the Manawatu Car Club Incorporated with the first event being held in 1973. A purpose designed venue with an uninterrupted view of the action, the circuit has workshop garages, hospitality suites and toilet blocks and sealed access roads throughout the pit paddock area.

The name "Manfeild" was derived from "Manawatu" being the region the circuit is in and "Feilding" the town it is in.

In 1990 the Car Club began looking at wider issues of governance and development. Extra land acquired extended the track to full International standards, and also accommodates Agricultural/Pastoral Shows.

In October 2004 three land owners, Manawatu District Council, Feilding IA&P and the Manawatu Car Club deeded their land and formed the Manfeild Park Trust. 2022 board members are Hamish Waugh (chairman), Amanda Linsley, Stefan Speller, Stella Rackham and Kevin Hansen.

Manfeild Park now encompasses what is now known as the Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon and the developing land that was the Feilding Race Course.

Manfeild has held the New Zealand Grand Prix on seventeen occasions (1992–1995, 2008–2020).

The circuit

The circuit is 4.511 km (2.803 mi) with long three long straights and offers many passing opportunities. A quick lap around the circuit involves smooth entries and exits, maintaining good corner speed and maximising terminal speeds on the straights.

While the overall circuit is 4.511 km (2.803 mi) long the main 3.030 km (1.883 mi) circuit is the only section used for competition car racing including the New Zealand Grand Prix. The Grand Prix is not held over the full 4.511 km (2.803 mi) circuit. The FIA Track license is for the 3.030 km (1.883 mi) circuit in a clockwise direction only. However Motorcycle racing can be held in the anticlockwise direction if approved by the Steward on the day. Motorcycles can also use the full 4.511 km (2.803 mi) circuit, but it is not advised unless a protective airfence is bought in for the 3.030 km (1.883 mi) back straight wall. The back 1.500 km (0.932 mi) circuit is used for club meetings and driver training.

Layout configurations

Lap records

The overall 3.030 km (1.883 mi) lap record has been updated to reflect the correct record for the Clockwise direction. While Earl Bamber does hold the TRS record on Manfeild, it is not the official overall record. Simon Wills took the record off Graeme Lawrence who set a 1.02.100 record in 1976 in a F5000 Lola T332 (Car#14 painting in Marlboro Colours). There is record of faster times around Manfeild, but not during a race. Kenny Smith is reputed to have completed a 0.58 lap in a F5000 set in the early seventies, but it was only a demo lap. Johnny Reid has also completed a sub minute lap in an A1GP car, but again only as a demonstration run and promotion for the series running in New Zealand at the time.

While Manfeild now only runs clockwise, there is also an anti-clockwise record held by Greg Murphy at 1.00.81 in a Formula Holden Reynard 92D set in 1995. As of February 2021, the fastest official race lap records at the Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon are listed as:

CategoryDriverVehicleTimeEventDate
Short Grand Prix Circuit: 3.030 km (1973–present)
Formula Holden 1:01.457 Simon Wills Reynard 94D 2000 Manfeild Formula Holden Tasman Cup round 26 November 2000
Formula 5000 1:02.100 Graeme Lawrence [2] Lola T332 1976 Manfeild New Zealand Gold Star round 11 January 1976
Toyota Racing Series 1:02.845 Brandon Maïsano Tatuus FT-50 2015 New Zealand Grand Prix 15 February 2015
Daytona Prototype 1:02.849 [3] John DeVeth Crawford DP03 2019 Manfeild GTR NZ round10 February 2019
Formula Regional 1:03.539 [4] Matthew Payne Tatuus FT-60 2021 Manfeild TRS round 14 February 2021
Superbike racing 1:04.736 [5] Sloan Frost Suzuki GSX-R1000 2019 Manfeild NZ SBK round30 March 2019
World SBK 1:06.970 Doug Polen Ducati 888 SBK 1992 Manfeild World SBK round 25 October 1992
Toyota 86 Championship 1:17:279 [6] Tom Alexander Toyota 86 2015 Manfeild Toyota 86 Championship round 15 February 2015

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Amon</span> New Zealand racing driver (1943–2016)

    Christopher Arthur Amon was a New Zealand motor racing driver. He was active in Formula One racing in the 1960s and 1970s, and is widely regarded as one of the best F1 drivers never to win a championship Grand Prix. His reputation for bad luck was such that fellow driver Mario Andretti once joked that "if he became an undertaker, people would stop dying". Former Ferrari Technical Director Mauro Forghieri stated that Amon was "by far the best test driver I have ever worked with. He had all the qualities to be a World Champion but bad luck just wouldn't let him be".

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Teretonga Park</span>

    Teretonga is a 2.570 km (1.597 mi) motor racing circuit situated 8 km (5.0 mi) south-west of Invercargill, New Zealand. It is home of the Southland Sports Car Club. The circuit was established in 1957 and is the southernmost FIA-recognised race track in the world. It is also the country's oldest purpose-built venue.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Formula Regional Oceania Championship</span> Single-Seater Racing Championship

    The Formula Regional Oceania Championship is New Zealand's premier formula racing category. The series includes races for every major trophy in New Zealand circuit racing including the New Zealand Motor Cup and the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy. The cars are also the category for the New Zealand Grand Prix – one of only two races in the world with FIA approval to use the Grand Prix nomenclature outside Formula One. The series was formerly known as the Toyota Racing Series until 2023.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Annual motor racing event in New Zealand

    The New Zealand Grand Prix, sometimes known as the New Zealand International Grand Prix, is an annual motor racing event held in New Zealand. First held in 1950, it is best known for hosting rounds of the Tasman Series in the 1960s and 1970s. It is currently run as the signature race of the Toyota Racing Series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2009 New Zealand Grand Prix was an open wheel racing car race held at Manfeild Autocourse, near Feilding on 1 March 2009.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2008 New Zealand Grand Prix was an open wheel racing car race held at Manfeild Autocourse, near Feilding on 13 January 2008.

    The 2007–08 Toyota Racing Series was the fourth running of the Toyota Racing Series. The Toyota Racing Series is New Zealand's premier open-wheeler motorsport category. The Series includes races for every major trophy in New Zealand circuit racing including the New Zealand Motor Cup and the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy. The cars are also the category for the 2008 New Zealand Grand Prix, which was held as the third race of the Manfeild Autocourse round, - one of only two races in the world with FIA approval to use the Grand Prix nomenclature outside Formula One.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2010 New Zealand Grand Prix was an open wheel racing car race held at Manfeild Autocourse, near Feilding on 14 February 2010.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2011 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild Autocourse near Feilding on 13 February 2011. It was the fifty-sixth New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fourth round of the 2011 Toyota Racing Series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2012 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild Autocourse near Feilding on 12 February 2012. It was the fifty-seventh New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fifth round of the 2012 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

    The 2014 Toyota Racing Series was the tenth running of the Toyota Racing Series, the premier open-wheeler motorsport category held in New Zealand. The series, which consists of five meetings of three races, began on 11 January at Teretonga Park in Invercargill and ended on 9 February with the 59th running of the New Zealand Grand Prix, at Manfeild Autocourse in Feilding.

    The 2015 Toyota Racing Series was the eleventh running of the Toyota Racing Series, the premier open-wheeler motorsport category held in New Zealand. The series, which consisted of sixteen races at five meetings, began on 14 January at Ruapuna Park in Christchurch, and ended on 15 February with the 60th running of the New Zealand Grand Prix, at Manfeild Autocourse in Feilding.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2015 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild Autocourse near Feilding on 15 February 2015. It was the sixtieth New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fifth round of the 2015 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2014 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild Autocourse near Feilding on 9 February 2014. It was the fifty-ninth New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fifth round of the 2014 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2013 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild Autocourse near Feilding on 10 February 2013. It was the fifty-eighth New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fifth round of the 2013 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2016 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild Autocourse near Feilding on 14 February 2016. It was the sixty-first New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fifth round of the 2016 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2017 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Circuit Chris Amon near Feilding on 12 February 2017. It was the sixty-second New Zealand Grand Prix and fielded Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fifth round of the 2017 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2018 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Circuit Chris Amon near Feilding on 11 February 2018. It was the sixty-third New Zealand Grand Prix and fielded Toyota Racing Series cars. The event was also the third race of the fifth round of the 2018 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2019 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon near Feilding on 10 February 2019. It was the sixty-fourth New Zealand Grand Prix and fielded Toyota Racing Series cars. The event also served as the third race of the fifth round of the 2019 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

    The 2020 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon near Feilding on 16 February 2020. It was the sixty-fifth New Zealand Grand Prix and fielded Toyota Racing Series cars. The event also served as the third race of the fifth round of the 2020 Toyota Racing Series, the final race of the series. The race was won by Igor Fraga, who also won the Toyota Racing Series championship in the process.

    References

    1. ↑ "Manfeild circuit renamed in honour of Chris Amon". Speedcafe.com. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
    2. ↑ "Post Office Savings Bank NZ Gold Star Championship 1976 standings" . Retrieved 20 November 2022.
    3. ↑ "NZ Grand Prix 2019 Trade Zone GT1/GT2 - Race 15 - 10 laps". 7 February 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
    4. ↑ "2021 Speedworks MZNZ Championship R4 Castrol Toyota Racing Series Race 3 Scratch 22 Laps Race (22 Laps) started at 11:38:56" (PDF). 14 February 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
    5. ↑ "2019 NZSBK - Round 4 - Manfeild Superbike/Superbike B - Superbike/Superbike B - Race 2". 30 March 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
    6. ↑ "NZ Grand Prix Manfeild 14/15 February 2015 Toyota Finance 86 Race 20 - Race (15 Laps) started at 14:56:14" (PDF). 15 February 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
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