The Bend Motorsport Park

The Bend Motorsport Park is a 7.770 km (4.828 mi) bitumen motor racing circuit at Tailem Bend, South Australia, Australia, about 100 km (62 mi) south-east of the state capital, Adelaide.

The Bend Motorsport Park
GT Circuit (2018–present)
LocationTailem Bend, South Australia, Australia
Time zoneUTC+09:30 (UTC+10.5 DST)
Coordinates35°18′30″S 139°31′0″E
FIA Grade2[lower-alpha 1]
OwnerPeregrine Corporation
Broke groundMarch 2016
Opened13 January 2018 (2018-01-13)
Major eventsCurrent:
Supercars Championship
The Bend SuperSprint
(2018–present)
GT World Challenge Australia (2018–2019, 2021–present)
S5000 (2019, 2023)
Australian SBK
(2018–2019, 2021–present)
Former:
Asian Le Mans Series (2020)
Asia Road Racing Championship (2018–2019)
Websitewww.thebend.com.au
GT Circuit (2018–present)
Length7.770 km (4.828 miles)
Turns35
Race lap record2:38.673 (Australia Aidan Read, Ligier JS P217, 2020, LMP2)
International Circuit (2018–present)
Length4.950 km (3.076 miles)
Turns18
Race lap record1:40.7295 (Australia John Magro, Dallara F308, 2019, F3)
West Circuit (2018–present)
Length3.410 km (2.119 miles)
Turns12
Race lap record1:10.085 (Australia Josh Kean, Footwork FA15, 2020, F1)
East Circuit (2018–present)
Length3.930 km (2.442 miles)
Turns22

The complex has a bitumen circuit, drag racing strip, and drift racing circuit.[1]

The race circuits are of a high international standard and licensed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for car racing and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) for motorcycle racing.

History
Circuit Construction progress in July 2017

In February 2015, Peregrine Corporation lodged plans with the Government of South Australia to redevelop the former Mitsubishi Motors Australia test track at Tailem Bend, South Australia.[2] Approval was granted in May 2015[3] with construction commencing in March 2016.[4] Initially titled the South Australian Motorsport Park, by the time construction commenced, The Bend Motorsport Park name had been adopted.[5]

The address of the site was originally in Elwomple. In September 2017, before the facility opened, the boundary between Tailem Bend and Elwomple was adjusted so that The Bend Motorsport Park is officially in Tailem Bend, not Elwomple.[6][7]

The first major event was the Revolve24 Endurance Cycling Challenge on 13–14 January 2018, an ultra-distance cycling festival featuring 24-hour, 12-hour and 6-hour races.[8][9] It hosted The Bend SuperSprint, a round of the 2018 Supercars Championship, in August 2018.[10] It has a desire to hold a MotoGP Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix round.[11][12]

On 4–14 January 2019, the circuit hosted the 25th Australian Scout Jamboree.[13] From January 10–12, 2020 it hosted a round of the 2019–20 Asian Le Mans Series season as the 4 Hours of The Bend[14] and the Supercars sprint round will be replaced by a new endurance event, The Bend 500.[15] The Supercars race was later dropped from the calendar altogether, in a shortened calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with circuit managing director Sam Shahin openly critical of the cancellation.[16]

Sam Shahin also offered up the facility for Hotel Quarantine during the Covid pandemic, but this was not taken up by the South Australian Government.[17]

Facilities
Jamie Whincup won the Sunday race at the first Supercars Championship event at the circuit in 2018.

International Circuit

Length: 4.950 km (3.076 mi)

  • Used for majority of events including Supercars, Superbikes and national series events, through to state racing, club racing and track hire

GT Circuit

Length: 7.770 km (4.828 mi)

  • Used for endurance racing, specialist racing events, private hire and test days. Hosted a four-hour Asian Le Mans Series event in January 2020.

West Circuit

Length: 3.410 km (2.119 mi)

  • Used for the majority of short track events. Includes club racing, testing, sprint events, “cruising” events, driver/rider training
  • Used for 2020 OTR SuperSprint The Bend event in 2020 Supercars Championship
  • Can be used independently from the East Circuit

East Circuit

Length: 3.930 km (2.442 mi)

  • Used for driver/rider training, drifting, testing, club days, private days
  • Can be used independently from the West Circuit[18]

Pit building and hotel

Construction commenced in February 2017 for the 300 metres (980 ft) long pit building which includes hotel accommodation in the upper levels of the four-storey building. There are 34 pit garages.[19] The 100 room Rydges Pit Lane Hotel opened in 2019.[20]

Lap records

As of October 2022, the fastest official race lap records at The Bend Motorsport Park are listed as:[21][22][23]

CategoryDriverVehicleTimeDate
GT Circuit: 7.770 km (2018–present)
LMP2Aidan ReadLigier JS P2172:38.673[21][24]12 January 2020
LMP3David FumanelliLigier JS P32:51.692[21][24]12 January 2020
GT3Alessandro Pier GuidiFerrari 488 GT32:56.990[21][24]12 January 2020
CNYasser ShahinRadical RS3:02.493[21][25]12 January 2020
Production CarsKeith WongHonda Integra DC53:45.671[21][25]12 January 2020
International Circuit: 4.950 km (2018–present)
Formula 3John MagroDallara F3081:40.7295[26]23 June 2019
S5000Thomas RandleLigier JS F3-S50001:41.2560[22][27]16 November 2019
GT3Jamie WhincupMercedes-AMG GT31:45.6607[22][28]13 July 2019
SuperkartJordan FordAnderson Maverick1:46.6960[22]10 April 2021
SupercarsDavid ReynoldsHolden ZB Commodore1:49.4042[22][29]24 August 2019
Porsche Carrera CupJordan LovePorsche 911 (991 II) GT3 Cup1:50.7966[22][30]25 August 2019
SuperbikeWayne MaxwellDucati Panigale V4 R1:50.972[31]5 December 2021
Formula 4Luis LeedsMygale M14-F41:52.5704[32]14 July 2019
SupersportTom EdwardsYamaha YZF-R61:54.683[31]5 December 2021
TCR Touring CarNathan MorcomHyundai i30 N TCR1:57.0504[33]17 November 2019
Formula FordAngelo MouzourisMygale SJ18A1:57.5339[34]23 June 2019
GT4Sam BrabhamMercedes-AMG GT41:57.7228[35]22 October 2022
Aussie Racing CarsJoshua AndersonFord Mustang2:05.6723[36]31 July 2022
Asia Production 250Muklada SarapuechHonda CBR250RR2:07.170[31][37]28 April 2019
Supersport 300Brandon DemmeryYamaha YZF-R32:08.963[31]5 December 2021
SuperUtesAaron BorgHolden Colorado2:12.4938[38]30 July 2022
Asia Underbone 150Md Helmi AzmanYamaha MX King 1502:16.894[31][39]22 April 2018
West Circuit: 3.410 km (2018–present)
Formula 1Josh KeanFootwork FA151:10.085[40][41]5 September 2020
SupercarsShane van GisbergenHolden ZB Commodore1:16.2224[42]26 September 2020

Notes
  1. The Bend Motorsport Park's Grade 2 license expired 10 August 2022.

References
  1. Pepper, Robert (21 May 2015). "New Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend, South Australia". Practicalmotoring.com.au. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  2. Tailem Motorsport Park master plan revealed Murray Valley Standard 4 February 2015
  3. Tailem Bend track redevelopment gets green light ABC News 21 Mat 2015
  4. Construction underway at SA Motorsport Park Speedcafe 25 March 2016
  5. The Bend Motorsport Park:Tailem Bend raceway, former SA Motorsport Park and Mitsibushi test track, has new official name Murray Valley Standard 8 March 2016
  6. Grimm, Nick (26 July 2017). "Council to adjust town boundaries to make 'The Bend' an official part of Tailem Bend". The Murray Valley Standard. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  7. Burdett, Michael (19 September 2017). "Notice to Alter the Boundaries of Places" (PDF). Geographical Names Act, 1991. Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. DPTI 2017/17699/01. Retrieved 15 February 2018. and Boundary Alteration of Tailem Bend and Elwomple (PDF) (Map). Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. 11 September 2017. 2017_17699_01_Tailem_Bend. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  8. "From Britain to the Bend: UK's Biggest 24 Hour Cycling Challenge heads to Adelaide" (Press release). SANTOS Tour Down Under. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  9. "Bend Motorsport Park hosts first event". Speedcafe. 14 January 2018.
  10. "Supercars reveals 16 event 2018 calendar". Speedcafe. 4 October 2017.
  11. SA Motorsport Park targets MotoGP race Speedcafe 8 February 2016
  12. "Bend Motorsport Park tipped for August 2018 slot". Speedcafe. 31 May 2017.
  13. AJ2019 - A New (12 Day) Township for South Australia Scouts Australia
  14. The Bend to host Asian Le Mans series round Speedcafe 17 January 2019
  15. Howard, Tom (28 August 2019). "Supercars drops QR, Phillip Island in revised 2020 calendar". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  16. McAlpine, Heath (19 June 2020). "The Bend Responds to Supercars Calendar Omission". Auto Action. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  17. "Hotel quarantine in rent-seeking pandemic". Australian Financial Review. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  18. The Circuit South Australia Motorsport Park
  19. "ADELAIDE'S FIRST PERMANENT PIT BUILDING STARTS CONSTRUCTION" (Press release). The Bend Motorsport Park. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  20. "Rydges Pit Lane Hotel | Accommodation in Tailem Bend | Hotel in the Bend Motorsports Park".
  21. "The Bend GT Circuit Fastest Lap Comparison". Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  22. "The Bend Fastest Lap Comparison". Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  23. "Natsoft Race Results". Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  24. "2019-2020 4 Hours of The Bend best laptimes per driver" (PDF). 12 January 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  25. "4H of The Bend - Asian Le Mans Series 2019-2020 The Australian Prototype & Production GT Challenge Final results Race 2" (PDF). 12 January 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  26. "2019 Australian Motor Racing Series - Round 3 The Bend Motorsport Park Australian Formula 3 Championship - Race 3". Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  27. "2019 S5000 The Bend Race 1 results". Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  28. "2019 Shannons Nationals - Round 3 The Bend Motorsport Park CAMS Australian Endurance Championship - Race 1". Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  29. "2019 Supercars Championship The Bend SuperSprint Race 1 Statistics". Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  30. "Round 6, 2019: The Bend - Race 3". Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  31. "The Bend Motorsport Park - Motorcycle Lap Records (Updated After 2021 ASBK)" (PDF). Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  32. "2019 Shannons Nationals - Round 3 The Bend Motorsport Park CAMS PAYCE Australian Formula 4 Championship - Rd 6 Race 3". Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  33. "2019 TCR Australia The Bend Motorsport Park 2 Race 3 Results". Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  34. "Australia Formula Ford Lap Records". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  35. "2022 Shannons Motorsport Australia Championship - Round 6 Shannons Nationals - The Bend Motorsport Park - International Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia - Race 2 GT4 Cup Series". Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  36. "2022 Aussie Racing Car Series The Bend Motorsport Park Race 3 Results". Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  37. "Asia Road Racing Championship Round 2 - 2019 - Australia Asia Production 250 Championship - Race 2 - Provisional Classification" (PDF). 28 April 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  38. "2022 OTR The Bend SuperSprint The Bend Motorsport Park - International 2022 Haltech V8 SuperUte Series - Race 2". Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  39. "2018 Asia Road Racing Championship Round 2: The Bend Motorsport Park - Australia: April 19–22 Asia Underbone 150 Championship Race 2 - Provisional Classification" (PDF). 22 April 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  40. "The Bend Classic >> Classic Open Wheel & F1 - Sprint 4". 5 September 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  41. "The Bend Motorsport Park's new West Circuit record is stupidly fast". 8 September 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  42. "2020 Supercars Championship OTR The Bend Race 1 Statistics". Retrieved 11 December 2022.
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