Great Read: 'Furious' driver who brought Brooklands to life

Circuit's female pioneer  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ View in browser View in browser ARTICLES MAGAZINE SHOP DATABASE SHOP ARCHIVE The 'furious' female driver who helped bring Brooklands to life July 2007 | Gordon Cruickshank Brooklands opened its doors to the public for the first time on this day in 1907 thanks to the enthusiasm of the circuit's creator Hugh Locke King, but also his influential wife, Dame Ethel, whose key role in the circuit's early years are told in today's Great Read Dame Ethel matched her husband’s enthusiasm for motoring. On the opening day of Brooklands – June 16, 1907 – she led the procession, making her the first person officially to lap the track. She flew with some of the pioneer aviators there, constantly attended the racing and oversaw estate and circuit until it was sold to private investors in 1936. READ MORE BROOKLANDS 100 Marcus Simmons Brooklands prepares to celebrate 100 years since Britain’s first grand prix Brooklands will mark a century since Britain’s first grand prix with historic machinery spanning 100 years, reconnecting the circuit’s surviving banking with the Delages, Talbots and local racing pioneers that shaped British motor sport READ MORE BROOKLANDS 100 Marcus Simmons Brooklands prepares to celebrate 100 years since Britain’s first grand prix Brooklands will mark a century since Britain’s first grand prix with historic machinery spanning 100 years, reconnecting the circuit’s surviving banking with the Delages, Talbots and local racing pioneers that shaped British motor sport READ MORE F1 Matt Bishop Is it still worth racing in F1? Misery for Alonso & Verstappen at scene of great wins F1 flashback: Barcelona wins Barcelona 2026 brought Lewis Hamilton his first Ferrari Formula 1 victory but offered a sobering result for Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen, as Matt Bishop explains READ MORE F1 Mark Hughes Mark Hughes: The knife-edge strategy that delivered Hamilton’s Barcelona win The finely poised strategic battle that underpinned Lewis Hamilton’s landmark first Ferrari victory in Barcelona READ MORE F1 Mark Hughes Mark Hughes: The knife-edge strategy that delivered Hamilton’s Barcelona win The finely poised strategic battle that underpinned Lewis Hamilton’s landmark first Ferrari victory in Barcelona READ MORE F1 Pablo Elizalde Mercedes' Achilles heel is becoming too costly From Antonelli's shutdown in Barcelona to McLaren's double DNS in China, Mercedes' F1 power unit-related failures are threatening to compromise its and its customer teams' season READ MORE Motor Sport Collectables Explore our best-selling collectables, selected for Motor Sport enthusiasts like you. Lotus 72 Pocher Model BUY NOW Porsche 917K Pocher Model BUY NOW F1 Retro 1980 by Mark Hughes BUY NOW Stirling Silver Motor Sport Cufflinks BUY NOW Brabham BT46  Scalextric BUY NOW Lotus 79 Scalextric BUY NOW Update your content preferences UPDATE NOW Connect with us We now accept © 2025 Motor Sport Magazine, All rights reserved. Motor Sport Magazine, 18-20 Rosemont Road, London, NW3 6NE. © 2025 Motor Sport Magazine, All rights reserved. Motor Sport Magazine,  18-20 Rosemont Road, London, NW3 6NE. Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy