Breedon Everard Raceway
Breedon Everard Raceway at a glance
- Location
- Bulawayo
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.478 km (2.161 mi)
- Turns
- 8
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1969
- Owner
- Bulawayo Motoring Club
Track map and layout
Breedon Everard Raceway sits in a natural bowl-shaped depression on the edge of Bulawayo, a setting that gives spectators unusually good sightlines across much of the lap from raised ground around the perimeter. Completed in December 1969 as a 4.079 km, 10-turn layout, the circuit was shortened in 1975 to today's 3.478 km, 8-turn configuration. The circuit is named after a British railway engineer associated with the region's rail history, and it remains Zimbabwe's best-known permanent racing venue.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Original circuit (1969-1974) | 4.08 km | 4.079 km, 10 turns |
| Short circuit (1975-present) | 3.48 km | 3.478 km, 8 turns |
Events and race weekends
In its heyday the circuit hosted the Rhodesian Grand Prix on three occasions in the early 1970s as part of the South African Formula One Championship, and it was a regular stop on the Springbok Series, drawing European drivers and cars to southern Africa each racing season. Today the circuit's headline event is the Bulawayo 3 Hours sportscar race, run under the Bulawayo Motoring Club, alongside national club racing and track-day meetings.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulawayo 3 Hours | Zimbabwean sportscar racing | — | long-running endurance race organised by the Bulawayo Motoring Club |
Getting there and parking
The circuit is on the edge of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second city, a short drive from the city centre. Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport connects Bulawayo to Harare and regional destinations; from there, visitors travel to the circuit by taxi or hired car, as there is no direct public transport route to the venue.
- Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) · about 20 min drive
Confirm event dates directly with the Bulawayo Motoring Club, as the circuit's schedule of club meetings and the Bulawayo 3 Hours is not always widely advertised internationally.
Hotels and camping near Breedon Everard Raceway
Most visitors stay in central Bulawayo, which has a modest but workable range of hotels and guesthouses, a short drive from the circuit. There is no camping or trackside accommodation at the venue itself.
Where to look
Central Bulawayo, close to the city's main hotels and a short drive from the circuit on the city's edge.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The Bulawayo Motoring Club runs the circuit for club racing, testing and occasional public track-day sessions; there is no large-scale commercial track-day operator, so visiting drivers should contact the club directly to arrange access.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula Two | 1:21.400 | John Love | — | 1973 |
| Formula One | 1:24.600 | Dave Charlton | — | 1972 |
Spectator guide
The circuit's natural bowl setting means spectators standing on the surrounding high ground can follow a large portion of the lap without moving between stands, a distinctive feature compared with flatter circuits.
Best places to watch
The raised natural terrain around the depression gives good general views of multiple corners from a single spot, in place of large formal grandstands.
Weather
- May-Aug (dry winter): cool, dry Zimbabwean winter, highs around 20-22°C, cold mornings
- Nov-Mar (wet summer): warm with seasonal rain
History of Breedon Everard Raceway
A circuit built into the landscape
Breedon Everard Raceway was built on the edge of Bulawayo, then in Rhodesia, taking advantage of a natural depression in the terrain that gives the venue its distinctive bowl-like character. Construction finished in December 1969, and the circuit opened as a 4.079 km, 10-turn layout, quickly becoming the focal point of motorsport in Rhodesia's second city.
Grand Prix racing and the Springbok Series
Through the early 1970s the circuit hosted the Rhodesian Grand Prix on three occasions, run as part of the South African Formula One Championship, and it became a regular stop on the Springbok Series, the annual end-of-year tour that brought European Formula One and Formula Two drivers to race across southern Africa. Rhodesian driver John Love and South African Dave Charlton both set lap records there during this period, reflecting the quality of the fields the circuit attracted in its Grand Prix years.
Shortened, but still racing
In 1975 the layout was shortened to today's 3.478 km, 8-turn configuration. Rhodesia's transition to independence as Zimbabwe in 1980, and the country's subsequent economic difficulties, ended the circuit's international Grand Prix era, but it never fell out of use. Operated by the Bulawayo Motoring Club, the circuit has continued to host national-level club racing and the Bulawayo 3 Hours sportscar race, keeping it Zimbabwe's most prominent and longest continuously used permanent motorsport venue.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Breedon Everard Raceway?+
The current layout, used since 1975, is 3.478 km (2.161 miles) with 8 turns; the original 1969-1974 layout was 4.079 km with 10 turns.
Did Formula One ever race at Breedon Everard?+
The circuit hosted the Rhodesian Grand Prix, part of the South African Formula One Championship, on three occasions in the early 1970s, but it was never a round of the World Championship.
Who runs the circuit today?+
The Bulawayo Motoring Club operates the circuit, running club racing, the Bulawayo 3 Hours sportscar race, and occasional track-day access.
Why is it called Breedon Everard Raceway?+
The circuit is named after a British railway engineer associated with the region's railway history.
How do I get to the circuit from the airport?+
Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo is about 20 minutes from the circuit by taxi or hired car.
Other tracks nearby
- Donnybrook Raceway · 374 km · road course
- Zwartkops Raceway · 636 km · road course
- Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit · 656 km · road course
- Red Star Raceway · 664 km · road course
- Phakisa Freeway · 887 km · road course & oval
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.