Brooklands has a truly glorious history. The original oval track was opened in 1907, the last race taking place in 1939. The Second World War had serious repercussions for the circuit, with building work undermining the concrete embankments and bomb damage also taking its toll. The level of destruction was so extensive that the expenditure required to return it to its former glory after the war was simply too great. Added to which, the pioneering era of high-speed races on oval tracks was over – and nobody was willing or able to commit the enormous investment required to turn Brooklands into an attractive modern facility.

However, Brooklands lives on today as a pillar of motor sport and aviation history. But what is there at the site now? The huge area is no longer used for the same purposes. Companies have moved in over the decades and new roads cut through what was once the old race circuit. The modern-day Brooklands is no longer a self-contained site.

Having said that, many sections of the race track – such as the Members Banking curve, parts of the Railway Straight, the Test Hill and a segment of the Byfleet Banking – still remain and have been granted National Monument status. The surviving chunk of Byfleet Banking has been incorporated into the urban sprawl next to a large roundabout, Members Bridge has been rebuilt in its original style and Brooklands House, Hugh Locke-King’s former residence, is now home to Brooklands College.

The Brooklands Museum is dedicated to maintaining the circuit’s illustrious past. The clubhouse has survived completely intact and has been incorporated into the Museum’s exhibition with much of its original character preserved. The restored wooden huts which were the race workshops in the circuit’s heyday are grouped around the clubhouse, still housing cars and motorcycles as in the old days. Almost all the exhibits in the Museum are still fully functioning. The Brooklands Museum also gives visitors an insight into parts of the former circuit and the Test Hill. And the history of aviation at Brooklands is also highlighted, with numerous aircraft – including a Concorde – on show in hangars and around the grounds. Detailed information about the Museum is available on the Internet at www.brooklandsmuseum.com.

The Mercedes-Benz Brand Centre is designed to be far more than just a modern showroom selling new cars, and is set to offer Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart customers a whole new experience. Owning a car is about the experiences you have behind the wheel – and customers can get a taste of what’s in store on specially created tracks with the help of professional instructors. These include a circuit full of twists and turns, a surface for testing handling characteristics and an off-road course. The Brand Centre also forms a bridge to the history of Brooklands. Indeed, the Brooklands Museum is only a short walk from the car park.