From Shropshire to Abu Dhabi GP

850,000 tonnes of rock is extracted from Bayston Hill Quarry every year

Staff at Bayston Hill Quarry will have more than a passing interest in the Abu Dhabi and Bahrain Grands Prix.

Some of the world's best drivers will race multi-million pound machines on a surface supplied by the Shropshire quarry.

Four thousand tonnes of Bayston Hill's Graywacke aggregate was shipped to the United Arab Emirates in January 2009 to create the new Yas Marina circuit.

The surface been highly praised by both circuit bosses and Formula 1 drivers.

The Graywacke came recommended by race track builders in Bahrain, where it has been widely applauded for the high level of grip it offers.

Follow Formula 1 on BBC TV, radio and online.

It's of national importance, the actual mineral reserve... It's something we're proud of Site Manager Huw Evans

About 850,000 tonnes of aggregate is extracted from Tarmac's Bayston Hill Quarry every year, mainly for dressing road surfaces.

If you travel along roads in the West Midlands or North Wales, there's a good chance you're driving on stone supplied by the site.

In pictures: Bayston Hill Quarry

Bayston Hill is regarded among the top four most important quarries in the country. Its cachet is expected to soar even further thanks to its Formula 1 customers.

While Tarmac's Abu Dhabi's customers demanded a very strict specification, the product is essentially the same as is found on the M6 toll road - which features 75,000 tonnes of Bayston Hill aggregate.

At 95 metres deep, 300m wide and 1km long, the scale of Bayston Hill Quarry is both impressive and significant, as manager Huw Evans explained, "It's of national importance, the mineral reserves... it's something we're proud of."