Silverstone Classic
Former F1 circuit hosts a weekend of classic motorsport, with '60s GP cars and Group C racers
This weekend sees one of the UK’s largest motorsport events take place.
Silverstone Classic is held at the Northamptonshire circuit from July 24 to 26 and boasts a particularly strong line up of classic motorsport metal.
There will be a host of different races taking place, with some of the highlights being a 1990s Touring Car race, with Mondeos, Primeras and more battling for the David Leslie memorial trophy; a Group C race; a Mini race celebrating the car’s 50th birthday with a 48-car grid; a ‘decade of thunder’ race for Edwardian cars; and a fantastic pre-1963 GT race starring some short wheelbase Ferrari 250 ‘Breadvan’ GTs and Aston Martin’s rare Project 212 Le Mans car.
Perhaps the biggest draw, though, will be the Grand Prix Masters. Formula One cars from 1966 to 1978 will be present with last year’s event’s victorious March 761 joined by Brabhams, McLarens, Ferraris and BRMs as well as more unusual GP cars from Matra, Amon and Trojan.
Seeing these cars racing in anger (as they were designed to) is a rare sight, and comes at not inconsiderable cost to the owners – running a classic F1 or Group C car plus a team to look after it is estimated to cost the cars’ keepers up to £25,000.
As well as motorsport, there’s music too with Toploader, the Pussycat Dolls and Carlos Santana all performing over the weekend. The whole feel of the event is to be non elitist and appeal to all ages, as well as making motorsport from all eras attractive to younger fans. Anyone under 16 gets in for free with an adult.
Click here to go to the official Silverstone Classic website for more information.
