Buriram International Circuit
The Buriram International Circuit (known as Chang International Circuit (ช้าง อินเตอร์เนชั่นแนล เซอร์กิต) for commercial purposes, but listed by its non-commercial name because of alcohol restrictions in some countries) is a motorsport race track in Buriram, Buriram Province, Thailand. The circuit was opened in October 2014.[2] This is the first FIA Grade 1 and FIM Grade A circuit in Thailand.
 | |
| Location | Buriram, Thailand |
|---|---|
| Time zone | UTC+07:00 Thai Standard Time |
| Coordinates | 14°57′46.24″N 103°5′5.99″E |
| Capacity | 50,000 (grandstand) + 50,000 (berm) = 100,000 total capacity[1] |
| FIA Grade | FIA 1 FIM A |
| Broke ground | 2 March 2013 |
| Opened | 4 October 2014 |
| Construction cost | THB 2 billion |
| Architect | Hermann Tilke |
| Major events | Current: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix (2018–2019, 2022–present) GT World Challenge Asia (2017–2019, 2023–present) Asia Road Racing Championship (2014–2019, 2022–present) Former: Asian Le Mans Series (2016–2020) Super GT (2014–2019) World SBK (2015–2019) TCR Asia Series (2015–2016) WTCC Race of Thailand (2015) |
| Website | http://www.bric.co.th/ |
| Grand Prix Circuit (2014–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 4.554 km (2.830 miles) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:23.848 ( Nick Cassidy, Ligier JS P217, 2020, LMP2) |
| 'D' Circuit (2014–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 3.126 km (1.942 miles) |
| Turns | 8 |
History
The Japanese Super GT has visited Buriram since 2014. Also, the TCR International Series, TCR Asia Series and GT Asia Series is scheduled to race at Buriram in October 2015, and the World Touring Car Championship in November 2015, and the Asian Le Mans Series in January 2016.
On 22 March 2015, the first ever Thailand round of the World Superbike Championship was held at the circuit. Both of the Superbike races were won by UK rider Jonathan Rea and the World Supersport race was won by Thai rider Ratthapark Wilairot, much to the delight of the Thai spectators.
On 23 June 2015, it was announced that the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia series would be visiting the circuit for the seventh and eighth rounds of the one-make series.[3]
On 12 March 2016, the second Thailand round of the World Superbike Championship was held. UK rider Jonathan Rea again won race 1, UK rider Tom Sykes won race 2. The World Supersport race was won by the French rider Jules Cluzel.
On 11 March 2017, the third Thailand round of the World Superbike Championship took place. UK rider Jonathan Rea scored his hattrick of race 1 wins at the circuit and also won race 2. The World Supersport race was won by Italian rider Federico Caricasulo, local Thai rider Decha Kraisart came second.
In September 2017, Dorna Sports confirmed that MotoGP will be held at the Buriram International Circuit, with a three-year commitment running from 2018 to 2020 for a race called the PTT Thailand Grand Prix.[4] In February 2021, the MotoGP contract was extended until at least 2026.[5]
Events
- Current
- March: Asia Road Racing Championship
- May: GT World Challenge Asia, Thailand Super Series
- June: Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
- August: Thailand Super Series
- October: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix, Asia Talent Cup
- December: Asia Road Racing Championship, Thailand Super Series
- Former
- Asian Formula Renault (2016)
- Asian Le Mans Series
- 4 Hours of Buriram (2016–2020)
- Clio Cup China Series (2016)
- F3 Asian Championship (2019–2020)
- Formula 4 South East Asia Championship (2017–2019)
- Formula Masters China (2016)
- GT Asia Series (2015–2016, 2018)
- Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia (2016–2018)
- Superbike World Championship (2015–2019)
- Super GT (2014–2019)
- TCR Asia Series (2015–2016)
- TCR International Series (2015)
- World Touring Car Championship
- FIA WTCC Race of Thailand (2015)
Lap records
As of March 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Buriram International Circuit are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit: 4.554 km (2014–present) | ||||
| LMP2 | 1:23.848[6] | Nick Cassidy | Ligier JS P217 | 2020 4 Hours of Buriram |
| Super GT (GT500) | 1:24.977[7] | Yuhi Sekiguchi | Lexus LC 500 GT500 | 2018 Buriram United Super GT Race |
| LMP3 | 1:29.905[8] | Josh Burdon | Ligier JS P3 | 2018 6 Hours of Buriram |
| MotoGP | 1:30.896 | Marco Bezzecchi | Ducati Desmosedici GP22 | 2023 Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix |
| Formula Regional | 1:32.260[9] | Mikhael Belov | Tatuus F3 T-318 | 2020 Buriram F3 Asia round |
| World SBK | 1:32.724[10] | Álvaro Bautista | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 2019 Buriram World SBK round |
| GT3 | 1:33.055[8] | Jesse Krohn | BMW M6 GT3 | 2018 6 Hours of Buriram |
| Super GT (GT300) | 1:33.172[11] | Katsuyuki Hiranaka | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 (2018) | 2018 Buriram United Super GT Race |
| Lamborghini Super Trofeo | 1:33.698[12] | Tim Slade | Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo | 2018 Buriram Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia round |
| Moto2 | 1:35.778 | Fermín Aldeguer | Boscoscuro B-23 | 2023 Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix |
| Porsche Carrera Cup | 1:37.186[13] | Luo Kailuo | Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup | 2023 Buriram Porsche Carrera Cup Asia round |
| World SSP | 1:37.620[14] | Randy Krummenacher | Yamaha YZF-R6 | 2018 Buriram World SSP round |
| Formula Renault 2.0 | 1:38.515[15] | Ye Hongli | Tatuus FR2.0/13 | 2016 Buriram Asian Formula Renault round |
| TC1 | 1:39.275[16] | Gabriele Tarquini | Honda Civic WTCC | 2015 FIA WTCC Race of Thailand |
| Formula Masters China | 1:39.473[17] | Philip Hamprecht | Tatuus FA010 | 2016 Buriram Formula Masters China round |
| Moto3 | 1:42.346 | Deniz Öncü | KTM RC250GP | 2023 Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix |
| Formula 4 | 1:42.398[18] | Ugo de Wilde | Mygale M14-F4 | 2018 1st Buriram F4 SEA round |
| TCR Touring Car | 1:44.121[19] | Gianni Morbidelli | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK2) | 2015 Buriram TCR International Series round |
| GT4 | 1:44.825[20] | Reinhold Renger | Mercedes-AMG GT4 | 2018 Buriram Blancpain GT Series Asia round |
| Asia Productions 250 | 1:50.726[21] | Veda Eva Pratama | Honda CBR250RR | 2023 1st Buriram ARRC round |
| Clio Cup | 1:58.608[22] | Kenneth Lim | Renault Clio R.S. IV | 2016 Buriram Clio Cup China round |
| Asia Underbone 150 | 2:01.080[23] | Wahyu Aji Trilaksana | Yamaha MX King 150 | 2024 1st Buriram ARRC round |
Fatalities
Asia Road Racing Championship Underbone 150 class rider Amber Garcia Torres died after a crash with a Yamaha Jupiter MX King with UMA Racing Yamaha Philippines on the third lap while fighting for race leader on December 5, 2019.
Gallery
Finish line of the Circuit
S-curve at the Circuit
Marc Márquez after winning the 2018 Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix at Buriram International Circuit
Dani Pedrosa riding his Repsol Honda in the 2018 Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix at Buriram International Circuit
Marc Márquez, celebrating with his team on the podium after winning his sixth MotoGP world championship title and the 2019 Thailand motorcycle Grand Prix
References
- Dagys, John. "VIDEO: 100,000 Fans Pack Buriram for Asian LMS Round – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com.
- ""บุรีรัมย์ ยูไนเต็ด" จับมือ "ช้าง" และพันธมิตร เปิดสนาม "ช้างฯ เซอร์กิต" สุดยิ่งใหญ่".
- Pettit, Vince (22 June 2015). "Carrera Cup Asia announces visit to Tilke designed Thailand circuit". theCheckeredFlag.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
- "MotoGP 2018 Confirmed At Chang International Circuit". September 3, 2017.
- "Another Calendar Change: Thailand MotoGP Race Canceled, Contract Extended Through 2026". Motors Addict. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
- "2019-2020 4 Hours of Buriram Best laptimes per driver" (PDF). 23 February 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- "2018 Super GT Round 4 Race Results GT500". 1 July 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- "2017-2018 6 Hours of Buriram Best laptimes per driver" (PDF). 13 January 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- "4H of Buriram - Asian Le Mans Series 2019-2020 F3 Asian Championship - Final Results Race 2" (PDF). 23 February 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- "Pirelli Thai Round, 15-17 March 2019 World Superbike - Results Race 1" (PDF). World Superbike. Dorna. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- "2018 Super GT Round 4 Race Results GT300". 1 July 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- "Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Rounds 3&4 Chang International Circuit 11-13 May 2018 - Race 1 - Sector Analysis" (PDF). 12 May 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "2023 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Final Result Round 8" (PDF). 6 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- "Thai Round, 23-24-25 March 2018 World Supersport - Results Race" (PDF). World Superbike. Dorna. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- "2016 Asian Formula Renault - Race 1 Official Result" (PDF). 11 June 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- "WTCC 2015 » Buriram International Circuit Round 22 Results". 1 November 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- "Buriram Super Race 2016 Formula Masters China Series - Race 3 Provisional Result" (PDF). 24 July 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- "2017-2018 Asian Le Mans Series 6 Hours of Buriram F4 Race 5 Results" (PDF). 13 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- "TCR Intl 2015 » Buriram International Circuit Round 19 Results". 25 October 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- "Blancpain GT Series Asia - Rounds 3 & 4 - 11th-13th May - Chang International Circuit - 2018 - Race 2 - Classification - Final". 13 May 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- "Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2023 Round 1 - Asia Productions 250 Official Result - Race 2" (PDF). 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- "2016 Buriram Clio Cup China - Race 1 - Provisional Result" (PDF). 12 June 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- "2024 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Round 1 - Chang International Circuit - UB150 Official Results - Race 2" (PDF). 17 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
External links
