The exciting changes afoot to transform Thruxton

There was a time, whenever you arrived at Thruxton, that you were greeted by the same, slightly dispiriting sight. The gradually decaying control tower building would always welcome you, the paint on the grandstands might have faded a little more and the antiquated pit garages – way too small for modern use – remained.  

Now, that’s no criticism of the dedicated staff who have diligently worked at the circuit over the years, but there was just never the cash to give the Hampshire speedbowl a revamp. Until now. Things are about to change at the UK’s fastest circuit. Gone will be the crumbling constructions and an exciting new era is about to begin. 

Alex Thistlethwayte, enthusiastic club racer and grandson of 1926 Le Mans 24 Hours Bentley Boy ‘Scrap’, acquired the Thruxton site from previous landlord Henry Pelham in 2024. But there was a problem. His ambitions for bold development were somewhat complicated by the fact that the British Automobile Racing Club continued to operate the venue and run the karting track and driving experience business based there.

Being an organisation with hundreds of members, the BARC understandably could not risk ploughing a load of money into the venue without members seeing a guaranteed benefit. 

But that situation changed in July when Thistlethwayte bought all of the BARC’s remaining Thruxton interests, giving him more control and the BARC a handy cash injection. “The freedom is quite important when you’ve got a lot to do around the site,” explains Thistlethwayte.

“In terms of decision-making it speeds everything up a lot. But probably more important than that is the financial aspect of the control. We’ve got a lot of investment to put in and it’s hard to invest when you’re spending a lot of money and someone else is getting the benefit.” 

Thistlethwayte is certainly under no illusions about the scale of the investment needed to give the venue the transformation he craves. He describes its current state as “tired” and is keen to make Thruxton an attractive place for people to visit all year round.

Thruxton’s old control tower building has now been demolished

Photo by: Thruxton Circuit

“Some of the buildings are falling to pieces so we’ve got to make them better, make the events more fun and give people more to do,” he states. “We had that old control tower building, which was the first thing you saw when you arrived. You drive up this lovely tree-lined drive and this was what you saw. That building was genuinely falling down and it had to go.” 

Indeed, it’s already gone. Work is under way on a major new facility that will feature a 120-person diner, a restaurant, a cocktail bar and a tap room with a microbrewery. “We’re getting a fancy London chef to come down – we’re aiming to be the best restaurant in the South West,” says Thistlethwayte to demonstrate the scale of his ambitions.

But this facility cannot act in isolation and he wants a “joined up” approach across the venue: “The restaurant is there to showcase Thruxton and that might bring more business for the experience business, so they start to support each other.”  

The circuit will remain at the site’s heart, however. As well as plans to eventually develop new pit garages and resurfacing works, Thistlethwayte is assessing more radical ideas. “We might want to introduce an additional layout to other parts of the circuit – we might be able to do that and could bring a bit of gradient change,” he says. But, Thruxton purists, do not worry: Thistlethwayte guarantees the entire existing configuration would remain, just that “another loop” could potentially be added. 

“It’s going to be fun, and it’s still going to be Thruxton. There’s something running through the blood of the people here and it’s not boring and corporate” Ben Taylor

That is for further down the line, but already a fresh spectator area has been created overlooking the Club chicane and new hangars have been built on the airfield, while plans to create a site of expertise for motor racing and aviation are under way with a new industrial estate.

First to arrive is DRVN Automotive, which builds modern versions of old Fords – perhaps a fitting metaphor for Thistlethwayte’s Thruxton aims as a whole. “We’re now coming up with the plans, which is the fun bit,” he says. “The number one thing I’m trying to achieve is fun, let’s make this place fun.” 

Ben Taylor, former BARC group chief executive, has transferred across to work solely on Thruxton and adds: “It’s not just about spending money but about creating something that’s exciting and will really turn a lot of heads. It’s going to be fun, and it’s still going to be Thruxton. There’s something running through the blood of the people here and it’s not boring and corporate.”  

There can be no disputing that it’s an exciting time for Thruxton. And it seems visitors should soon be greeted with a very different, more inviting, sight when they arrive.

This article is one of many in the monthly Autosport magazine. For more premium content, take a look at the September 2026 issue and subscribe today.

Thistlethwayte, here racing at Thruxton, is under no illusions about the scale of the investment needed

Photo by: Steve Jones