Leafield Technical Centre is a former radio transmission station, now turned motorsports centre of excellence, located in the hamlet of Langley, in the western part of the village of Leafield in Oxfordshire, England.

Radio transmission station and training college

Developed from 1912 as a radio transmission station by the General Post Office, it was decommissioned by successor company British Telecom in 1986.[1] BT Group redeveloped the site as a training college, but then closed the site in 1993.[1]

Motorsport

Sold to a commercial property company, the site was then leased by Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) as a motorsport development centre for the Arrows Formula One team,[1] until the team's demise in the 2002 season. Leafield Technical Centre later became the headquarters of the Super Aguri F1 team, following the team's formation ahead of the 2006 season. Super Aguri remained at the site until folding during the 2008 season.

From 2003, Motorsport powertrain specialist Menard Competition Technologies Ltd. also maintained offices and workshops at the site. Throughout the late half of the decade to 2010, this engineering company (including some key engineers from the engine department of Tom Walkinshaw Racing) traded from Leafield and also a second site housing engine dynamometers at Kidlington. They completed design / build engine projects including the V12 engine for Superleague Formula, and engines for Norton Motorcycles' range of Commando 961 models[2] from 2009.[3] UK companies house records for MCT[4] show that the company traded actively until 2011, when owner John Menard ceased to require an audit of the accounts. They also show the company was finally dissolved on 13 May 2014.

Abandonment

In January 2012, it was announced that the Caterham F1 team would be moving to the vacant Leafield from their original base at Hingham, Norfolk and 8 months later, Caterham F1 Team eventually completed their relocation to Leafield Technical Centre.[5] After Caterham declared bankruptcy in early 2015, Leafield Technical Centre was abandoned and put up for sale. In early 2020, it was reported that the site was heavily vandalised during the five-year period of abandonment.[6]

New life

In late 2022 a youtuber who explored the site after its adbandonment returned to the location to find its been bought by Holiday accommodation developer Cabu it intends to redelevop the site with 51 holiday cabin's entertainment and spa facilities but 95% of the f1 units at the site will be demolished in the process all that will remain will be the main building and a few external ones.

Visiting the site is no longer advisable 24hr security & guard dogs are present at the site.

So stay away

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/23600062.oxfordshire-plans-holiday-park-abandoned-f1-headquarters/

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The BT Radio Station". Leafield Village. 2010. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
  2. ↑ "MCT powers the re-birth of Norton". News. Norton Motorcycles. 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  3. ↑ "Production of Norton Engines Starts at Leafield". Witney Gazette. 15 May 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  4. ↑ "MENARD COMPETITION TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  5. ↑ Elizalde, Pablo (18 January 2012). "Caterham F1 team confirms proposed move to Leafield". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  6. ↑ Gretton, Matt (11 January 2020). "View: Caterham F1 factory lies in ruin just five years after final Formula 1 race". GPblog. Autosport International B.V. Retrieved 20 December 2021.

51°50′13″N 1°33′47″W / 51.837°N 1.563°W / 51.837; -1.563

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