Classic festivities

More than 1000 cars are scheduled to race at one of Silverstone’s busiest events

Jim Clark’s first championship year and the centenary of Aston Martin form twin flags that Silverstone’s enormous Classic will fly on July 26-28, when the Northamptonshire circuit reverberates to the sound of more than 1000 cars in a crammed 24-race programme. Famous names, 7000 classic cars, two evenings of rock and a parade of entertainment make this the world’s biggest classic festival.

Pre-66 F1 cars which the talented Scot raced in and against will contest the new Jim Clark Trophy, while a BRDC dinner on the Saturday honours the double World Champion at the track where he won two British GPs. Grand Prix cars from the 1920s to 1985 will also be in action, including the FIA Masters series for 3-litre F1 cars, while Saturday’s two dusk races will test the lights of Group C cars and pre-66 GTs in a 58-car field packed with Cobras, E-types, Astons and Ferraris. Sunday’s RAC Tourist Trophy pitches the finest GT cars together, and Pre-61 and Pre-58 sports cars will chase the Stirling Moss and RAC Woodcote trophies respectively, backed up with Le Mans-type cars in Historic Sportscar Masters, where saloon legend Steve Soper makes a racing comeback in a GT40.

Historic FF and Formula Junior events are certain to offer fierce slipstream racing, as will the U2TC field. And cover your ears for the Trans-Atlantic Touring Cars, celebrating the appearance 50 years ago of Jack Sears’ huge Ford Galaxie. After last year’s successful inaugural race, the sensational Super Tourers return, featuring John Cleland, Patrick Watts and current BTCC front-runner Frank Wrathall.

In between the action, Aston Martin and Lamborghini celebrate anniversaries, while organisers plan to get 911 Porsche 911s on track at once. Look out, too, for the funfair plus many other displays and sideshows.

www.silverstoneclassic.com