Donington Historic Festival

(MAY 1-3)

There are few circuits in the country better for viewing than Donington Park, with its elevation changes and fast sweeps. Add in three days packed with eclectic historic content and you’re on to a winner. Featuring grids covering everything from pre-war sports cars right up to the new GT3 Legends category, the event has something for everyone. Highlights include the Gerry Marshall Trophy for pre-1983 tin-tops, classic F1 action from the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association and a mouthwatering field of sports cars from the 1950s and ’60s. There’s even the Generations Trophy, where families compete aboard MGBs. donington-park.co.uk

Goodwood Members’ Meeting

APR 18-19

Classic cars and blooming tulips signal the start of the historic racing season, and there are few places more glorious than Goodwood on a spring day. If you can get a ticket for the Members’ Meeting, go and experience all the wonders this place offers. goodwood.com

Brands Britannia, Brands Hatch

MAY 25

In need of a shot of patriotism? Back for its fourth running, Brands Britannia is crammed with all things British. Expect to see everything from Jaguars, Midgets and Minis to souped-up saloons being thrown around the Indy circuit. Add a showcase of classic cars, clubs and live music and it’s more homegrown than a Greggs sausage roll. brandshatch.co.uk

Masters Historic Festival/Brands Hatch 100

MAY 30-31

The Kent circuit hits a milestone anniversary. Back in 1926 Brands Hatch first opened as a grass and gravel track. While it didn’t switch to Tarmac until 1950, it’s still fitting to celebrate the birth of one of Europe’s best-loved circuits. Masters knows how to put on a show, especially on the lesser-used Grand Prix layout. For the 20th running of the event there’s a feast of on-track action featuring classic F1, touring, sports and GT cars alongside a plethora of off-track activities. brandshatch.co.uk

Wilton House Concours des Légends

JUN 19-21

Something different for your diary. Wilton House is a stunning 16th-century stately home in Salisbury, and now the venue for an all-new event which aims to tell the stories of some legendary classic cars and the people who built them. Expect high-end classics, plus special guest speakers (Richard Attwood and Stefan Johansson are already confirmed), art exhibitions and a literary festival with talks and book signings. Dore & Rees has three auction sales planned, so it’s worth investing more than a day. concoursdeslegendes.co.uk

Goodwood Festival of Speed

JUL 9-12

This is an event like no other, above. It’s part motor show, part exhibition, part high-speed hillclimb. Each year hundreds of thousands of people flock to the Goodwood Estate to see the great and good of global motoring and motor sport on full display. From new car launches, to meet and greets, supercar displays and demos, and those full-blooded timed runs up the hill that feature everything from classics to Formula 1 via tuned monsters. Look out for those three 1966 Le Mans Ford GT40s. goodwood.com

Shelsley Walsh Classic Nostalgia

JUL 18-19

Part of the draw of Shelsley’s flagship event is the sheer breadth of it. One moment you’re craning your neck towards a high-revving Surtees TS19, the next a thundering NASCAR is smoking its way past at speed, followed by a WRC Subaru at lurid angles. It offers a bit of everything for the motor racing aficionado. Prodrive will be a partner this year celebrating the 25th anniversary of Richard Burns’ WRC title. As such, David Lapworth will be demonstrating the Safari Rally-winning Impreza. classicnostalgia.co.uk

Wiltshire’s classic gem

Britain is blessed with a thriving club racing scene, aided by several excellent venues that provide an ideal stage for grassroots competition; Castle Combe is an example.

First opened in 1950 on a former World War II airfield, it stands as one of Britain’s oldest race venues and every year puts on an impressive schedule of events.

Combe has long been home to some of the country’s most popular single-circuit series – all operated by the Castle Combe Racing Club. Its Saloon, Hot Hatch and GT categories provide great entertainment, but the star is its Formula Ford Championship which gives wheel-to-wheel thrills. Such is the challenging nature of the track – the run up to Quarry Corner is called Avon Rise for a reason – it promotes close competition. The first rounds of each are on Howard’s Day (April 6), named in honour of the late circuit owner Howard Strawford.

The Historic Sports Car Club celebrates its 60th anniversary with a showpiece event (August 8-9), while the Autumn Classic (September 12-13) has emerged as a flagship meet, attracting grids from a number of clubs such as Motor Racing Legends, Ferrari Owners’ Club and Historic Racing Drivers’ Club. This year it marks 50 years of the track’s operating company so expect to see a host of cars and displays linking back to the track’s rich history. castlecombecircuit.co.uk

KEY CASTLE COMBE EVENTS
APR 6 HOWARD’S DAY
AUG 8-9 HSCC 60th SUMMER HISTORIC FESTIVAL
SEP 12-13 AUTUMN CLASSIC
OCT 3 CHAMPIONS CORONATION RACEDAY

BRDC Classic

JUL 24-26

Silverstone’s historic showpiece may have undergone a host of name changes – from Silverstone Classic to Silverstone Festival, and now the reimagined BRDC Classic – but this is a truly standout event at the home of British motor sport. With Carfest taking the traditional August slot, the BRDC Classic is now in July. Top-tier attractions include the new GP Icons and Endurance Icons fields. GP Icons brings together the cream of historic 3-litre F1 cars from the 1960s to the ’80s for an ear-splitting DFV chorus, while Endurance showcases sports and GTs from 1995-2012, meaning precision LMP1s and 2s and GTs from the big-engine era before turbos took over. With grids from Motor Racing Legends, the HSCC and more, plus a huge trade and exhibitor area, displays, Q&As and a Silverstone Auctions event, it’s set to be one of the summer’s biggest attractions. silverstone.co.uk

VSCC Prescott Hill Climb

AUG 1-2

The jewel in the crown of the Vintage Sports-Car Club calendar, above, this has been going since 1938 and attracts a bumper entry and some seriously close competition. A 1031m blast up twisting roads is at the heart of the Vintage Prescott weekend, which also features club displays and trade stands. The atmosphere is always superb, especially when cheering on an underdog doing its best to keep up with the rapid specials. vscc.co.uk

Oulton Park Gold Cup

AUG 29-31

What began as a non-championship Formula 1 showcase in 1954 has blossomed into a full-blown celebration of historic motor sport. Run by the Historic Sports Car Club, the event is a three-day programme including the Derek Bell Trophy for F5000 and F2 cars and the popular Guards Trophy for sports and GT racers of the 1960s. Keep an eye open for the Historic Formula Ford 1600 grid too. They may not be the fastest but they create superb racing around Oulton’s turns. There’s also a celebration of Brabham and the 60th anniversary of Can-Am, plus auctions and displays. oultonpark.co.uk

Salon Privé

SEP 2-6

Fancy a bit of glitz and glamour? You won’t find much better than Salon Privé, which takes place in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. Some of the finest classic cars from around the world gather for the concours competition, and it’s awash with collectors, restorers and manufacturers. salonpriveconcours.com

Knockhill Rewind Classic Festival

SEP 5-6

Attention motorcycle fans: Knockhill’s celebration of all things two-wheeled (well, three if you include sidecars) returns and promises a heap of thrills north of the border. As well as being a rather picturesque setting, the Fife track is also a supremely challenging one, so it’s a great stage to see rare and classic bikes pushed to their limits, and with a few special guests, including UK stunt champion Jonny Davies. knockhill.com

Goodwood Revival

SEP 18-20

Think Disneyland, if Walt had a passion for motor sport. The Revival is a portal back to a golden age – specifically 1948-1966 but often stretching into the ’70s too – when racing was pure glamour with fashion to match. Don your finest tweeds and get lost in hundreds of displays, trade stands and activities. In fact, it can be easy to forget there’s a world-class race meeting going on, featuring perhaps the finest historic grids ever assembled and festooned with star drivers. It’s just a wonderful thing – with more overtakes in a weekend than an entire season of F1. goodwood.com

Classic Motor Show

NOV 13-15

A show which grows in stature and popularity every year (more than 72,000 visitors in 2025 attests to that), the Classic Motor Show is a must-visit. Held across seven of Birmingham NEC’s cavernous halls, it comprises over 310 club stands and in excess of 3000 classic and vintage cars to drool over – which adds up to millions of pounds worth of automotive rarities. There are special guests too – still to be confirmed for 2026; last year there were appearances from Richard Hammond, Mike Brewer and Tiff Needell. There’s also a chance to get acquainted with your dream classic thanks to passenger rides, and perhaps even invest in one through the live Iconic Auctioneers sales – last year a rare Ford RS200 S, one of just 20 made, was sold for £382,500. necclassicmotorshow.com