2024’s Historic racing highlights
From F1 to endurance, rally to saloons, roll back the years by visiting a historic humdinger. Paul Lawrence is our guide
David Lord
Silverstone Festival
AUGUST 23-25
There is very little in historic racing that is bigger than the Silverstone Festival as the entire Silverstone site is taken over by a family friendly celebration of racing and automotive heritage.
At its heart remains a stellar 20-race programme. All the usual favourites are back and are joined by the return of Historic Formula 2 and Classic Formula 3.
The Formula 3 grid has added poignancy as the event’s central theme is a celebration of Ayrton Senna, three decades on from his death. Senna cars and displays will be at the heart of the weekend and the cars on the Classic F3 grid will evoke memories of his championship-winning British F3 season in 1983.
More than 1000 historic will be roaring around the famous Silverstone track, including 1960s-80s F1 cars, Minis, American muscle cars, recent Le Mans machinery, touring cars and much more.
Add to the mix a foodie fest, live music (Sophie Ellis Bextor, Olly Murs and Busted), a strong showing from car clubs with parades and some of the biggest car auctions on the calendar, and the result is a huge weekend.
Goodwood 81st Members’ Meeting
APRIL 13-14
A large slice of American pie will be served up during the 81st Members’ Meeting at Goodwood this spring.
West Sussex will rock to the spectacle of up to 20 cars from the Can-Am series being demonstrated, including McLarens, Lolas, Porsches and what is said to be the largest collection of Can-Am Shadows ever assembled. These incredible racing cars from the late 1960s and early ’70s are from a series where there were really no rules at all.
Goodwood will echo to Can-Am power
Nick Dungan
Alongside the Can-Am cars will be a grid full of Ford Mustangs for the Ken Miles Trophy in celebration of 60 years of the original American muscle car.
Balancing the US flavour will be a typically diverse range of Goodwood races, taking in Edwardian machinery, pre-66 GT cars and early post-war grand prix cars.
Donington Historic Festival
MAY 4-5
Donington Park’s heritage season is underpinned by the Donington Historic Festival over the first weekend of May, one of the UK’s most popular historic racing events.
It’s mainly about the racing, although car club displays and gatherings are also on hand. However, it’s a full weekend of track action that is the big draw with a programme of races from Motor Racing Legends, including its headlining Pall Mall Trophy, a three-hour endurance race for pre-63 machinery.
The historic touring cars are always popular as the fire-breathing Nissan Skylines take on Ford Sierra RS500s, while adding depth are races from the Historic Racing Drivers Club. Notably, the Gerry Marshall Trophy for Group 1 touring cars of the 1970s and early 1980s is 45 joyous minutes.
Masters Historic Festival Brands Hatch
MAY 25-26
There are few finer places to see historic cars at full flight than on the mighty Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch.
The Masters Historic Festival in late May is a perfect event to experience this wonderful circuit at its best. Typically, a full range of Masters categories will be on hand, headlined by historic Formula 1 cars from the Cosworth DFV era taking part in 20-minute races –around 30 cars are expected at Brands.
F1 cars from 1966-85 at Brands Hatch.
The chance to see and hear these wonderful machines let loose on the three-dimensional Grand Prix track is a season highlight. Touring cars, Le Mans legends, period GT cars and more add up to a real enthusiasts’ weekend at one of Britain’s most spectacular venues.
Goodwood Festival of Speed
July 11-14
Motor sport’s annual summer party, the Goodwood Festival of Speed will once again draw a glorious array of cars and stars to the West Sussex hill.
The theme for this year’s festival is ‘Horseless to Hybrid – Revolutions in Power’, recognising the advances in technology that have shaped motor sport over the last 130 years. The cars in action will trace that story and bring it right up to date with a show of some of the latest advances.
Arts and aircraft: the Goodwood Festival of Speed, 2023.
Among the stars on show will be four famous characters from motor racing who will get the chance to drive the ex-Keke Rosberg Williams FW08. Current Williams F1 drivers Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant will handle the car on Thursday and Friday. F1 Academy’s Lia Block, daughter of the late Ken, will have her first F1 experience on Saturday, before team principal James Vowles takes the wheel on Sunday.
this SWB Quattro is about to cover Shelsley Walsh’s 1000 yards very quickly
Shelsley Walsh Classic Nostalgia
JULY 20-21
Classic Nostalgia at Shelsley Walsh, with its garden-party atmosphere, can best be described as a ‘grower’. Over a steady period of event development and improvement, it has widened in stature and last year’s edition was easily the best yet at a venue that simply oozes history and motor sport heritage.
The 1000-yard hillclimb course in the Worcestershire wilds, which rises by 328ft, will be turned over to a celebration of its heritage for the weekend. As well as competition classes spanning 100 years of Shelsley history, there will be demonstration runs and gatherings of all sorts of period cars, including some 1970s grand prix machinery. Star names from across the sport will also be on hand.
For a true festival feel, tents, caravans and motorhomes are all welcome, and there are trade stands, live music and a vintage fashion competition. As the organisers say, “In great British fashion we carry on regardless if it rains.” It’s a fabulous weekend at a sensational motor sport venue with an unparalleled history dating back to 1905.
VSCC Vintage Prescott
AUGUST 3-4
The Vintage Sports-Car Club is renowned for its diverse range of activities for largely pre-war machinery and its speed event programme is one of its core functions.
The annual Prescott hillclimb is an absolute jewel in the calendar for the club as the scenic Gloucestershire venue is turned over to the VSCC for a weekend of action against the clock.
A huge entry of more than 200 competition cars will take to the hill, supported by a massive array of period cars in the spectator areas, all in the atmosphere of a relaxed summer party.
With everything from humble Austin 7s right through to late pre-war and early post-war racing cars, including ERAs and some weird and wonderful hillclimb specials, there is something for everyone.
Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion
AUGUST 14-17
One of the absolute highlights of the North American historic racing season is the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at the spectacular Laguna Seca circuit on California’s Pacific coast.
At a venue rich in racing history, the weekend is a celebration of both American and European racing, with well over 500 entries across the four-day event.
Formula Juniors tear up the track at Monterey Motorsport Reunion.
© Rolex/Stephan Cooper
A full race programme covers everything from grand prix cars up to 1985 to Group C, 1960s saloon cars and GT cars. There’s even a race for pre-81 Formula Ford cars, as well as a celebration of US series like IMSA and Trans-Am.Add in guest appearances from star drivers and it all adds up to an unmissable event.
Pebble Beach’s Concours d’Elegance is a fitting close to Monterey Car Week
The Quail
AUGUST 16
Helping to underline California’s position at the centre of the motoring and motor sport world each August, The Quail has run for more than 20 years on the rolling greens of Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel.
The celebration of the ultimate in automotive design and engineering brings together an incredible array of cars across classes that include pre-war sports, the great Ferraris and the evolution of the supercar. Feature themes for 2024 include a tribute to WRC, 100 years of MG and the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 Turbo type 930.
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
AUGUST 18
In the classic cars and concours d’elegance world, nothing can rival the Pebble Beach event held on the Pebble Beach Golf Links in California every summer. The 73rd edition of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the grand finale of Monterey Car Week, which is held each August and takes in the Motorsport Reunion at nearby Laguna Seca.
Founded in 1950, the Concours is a glittering affair, drawing some of the rarest, most valuable and spectacular classic cars from all over the world into competition for the coveted ‘best of show’ award.
A week of events, including tours, auctions and forums culminates in the signature event, held at the spectacular coastline golf course. For rare, valuable and striking cars, it is the world’s biggest event.
Castle Combe Autumn Classic
SEPTEMBER 21-22
The 2024 Autumn Classic promises to be one of the finest to date at the popular Wiltshire circuit and is back to being a full two-day event this year.
It has something of the flavour of the early Goodwood Revivals about it – a track that opened less than two years after its West Sussex cousin, with a continuous history dating back to 1950. The key theme is a celebration of 70 years of MGs and Austin Healeys racing at the circuit.
The weather will be better than this at Castle Combe
New for 2024 will be a main stage with live music and the usual array of machinery of yore packing out the car parks.
On-track, highlights include the return of the 1-litre Formula ‘screamers’ from the late 1960s, the Gerry Marshall Trophy for Group 1 touring cars and the classic GT enduro from the GT & Sports Car Cup.
Classic Motor Show
NOVEMBER 8-10
One of the standout events in the classic car calendar is the Classic Motor Show at the vast Birmingham NEC.
Under one roof will be a massive collection of classic cars and classic car clubs, as well as vintage runners, motor sport machinery and motorcycles: in fact anything with a history and wheels can be found here.
The NEC halls will be packed with themed displays, club set-ups, auto jumbles and restoration features, including live restorations that will progress during the three days of the show. Talks from motoring celebrities and experts or the chance to drive out in a classic with HERO-ERA or Sporting Bears all add to this major event. This truly is a weekend for anyone with any interest in classic cars.