If you are competing at Brands Hatch or any other circuit this year, you will probably need to get some testing in to fine-tune your car’s setup. This article lists all of the 2023 Brands Hatch testing dates and all the information you need to know.
Contents
what is testing?
Testing, whether at Brands Hatch or any other circuit, is for motorsport competitors to tune, tweak and perfect their race car’s setup prior to competing in a race event at Brands Hatch or any other circuit.
Brands Hatch testing or a track day?
If you are a motorsport competitor, there are some things you can do a test day which you’re not allowed to do on a track day. The most obvious of these is lap timing; track day organisers prohibit timing but on test days it is allowed. You can use data logging in conjunction with making adjustments to your car to see what effect the changes have on driveability and lap times. All geared towards getting the most from your car and getting closer to the Brands Hatch lap records for your car or class.
On a test day you are generally allowed to overtake on either side. On track days you must wait for consent from the slower car ahead and only pass on one side. The test day overtaking regulations keep things flowing much more quickly, and make it feel like a free practice or qualifying session.
Passengers are not allowed on all test days, only specific ones. Usually when passengers are allowed they will need to be certified ARDS instructors. Check with the circuit before booking.
If you are simply looking for some fun laps in your road car with a mate away from the congestion of the public roads then Brands Hatch track days are for you, testing is not.
what cars can be used for Brands Hatch testing?
To take part in a test day your car must comply with the Motorsport UK (MSUK) Blue Book regulations for safety and preparation of your type of racing vehicle. There will be no scrutineering at the start of a test day, but car should ideally be up to the standard of a race day.
Standard road cars are not allowed on test days. However if your vehicle meets the blue book preparation standards and is also road legal then this is ok.
Brands Hatch testing events specify the type of vehicle allowed for any given date: open wheel, closed wheel, trucks or juniors. Juniors (under 16 years old) are limited to Ginetta Juniors and Fiesta Juniors.
The list at the bottom of the page shows which vehicles are allowed on which dates.
Brands Hatch testing for motorbikes
Currently there are no test days planned for motorbikes at Brands Hatch in 2023 with MSV or MSVT. Speak to your racing club for info on what test days are available.
what license do I need for testing?
To participate in a Brands Hatch testing event you must have a valid MSUK racing license, or a suitable level of FIA license.
Any drivers under the age of 16 must have a Junior MSUK racing license, applicable to the car they are driving. The same applies to 16 and 17 year olds. Get in touch with the circuit before booking to confirm your young star of tomorrow’s eligibility to take part.
noise limits on test days
Test days do still impose noise limits on participants. These vary from day to day, and occasionally there may be an unsilenced days but these less common.
Your vehicle may be part of a championship whose regulations allow it to be louder than the noise limit of the test day. In this case, Brands Hatch suggests getting in touch with them before booking to check whether you are allowed to participate.
The noise limit for Brands Hatch testing is listed alongside each of the dates below.
Brands Hatch testing dates for 2023
Below are all the testing dates listed at Brands for 2023, accurate at time of publishing.
Currently there is only one test day available on the GP circuit, on Thursday 27th April. The rest of the dates are all on the Indy circuit.
Each of these listings will include the date, the type of vehicle allowed to participate, the format of the day, the static (unless otherwise stated) noise limit and the price range (depending on whether you can only buy a full day slot or a morning or afternoon session).
Stand-out feautures, such as unsilenced days or days which allow special car types are highlighted in bold and underlined below.
Full list of MSV testing dates and booking information can be found here.
february
- Wed 8 – Closed wheel – open pitlane – 108db – £295
- Tue 14 – Open & closed wheel – semi exclusive (16 cars max) – 114db – £755
- Wed 15 – Open & closed wheel & Juniors – sessions – 108db – £295
march
- Wed 1 – Open & closed wheel – semi exclusive (16 cars max) – 114db – £755
- Tue 7 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £390
- Wed 8 – Open & closed wheel – semi exclusive (16 cars max) – 114db – £755
- Tue 14 – Open & closed wheel – semi exclusive (16 cars max) – 114db – £755
- Tue 21 – Open & closed wheel – semi exclusive (16 cars max) – 114db – £755
- Fri 31 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
april
- Fri 7 – Trucks, open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 14 – Closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 21 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Thu 27 – GP Track – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 101db static, 92db drive by – £995
- Fri 28 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
may
- Fri 5 – Closed wheel Legends, BTCC support package only – 2 x 45min exclusive sessions – 108db – £636
- Fri 12 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 19 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 26 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – Unsilenced – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
june
- Fri 2 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 9 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 16 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – Unsilenced – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 30 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
july
- Fri 7 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Thu 13 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – Unsilenced – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
august
- Sat 5 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Sat 12 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 18 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Fri 25 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
september
- Fri 15 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
october
- Wed 18 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
- Thu 19 – Open & closed wheel – sessions – 108db – £390
- Fri 20 – Open wheel & Juniors – sessions – 108db – £390
november
- Fri 3 – Closed wheel & Trucks & Juniors – sessions – 108db – £230 to £390 (morning, afternoon or full day)
