HISTORIC RACING GUIDE 2016 - Classic Cars
Transcription
HISTORIC RACING GUIDE 2016 - Classic Cars
HISTORIC RACING GUIDE 2016 in association with F R O M M O N A C O TO G O O DWO O D , O N T R A C K , STA G E A N D C O N C O U R S THE CLASSIC EVENTS YOU WON’ T WANT TO MISS SPRING 01 HRG 2016.indd 1 SUMMER AUTUMN 17/02/2016 16:43 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE CONTENTS 0 4 F E B RUA RY/ MA R C H Phillip Island Classic Amelia Island Concours Masters Festival Zolder Goodwood Members’ Meeting 0 6 A PRI L HSCC 50th Castle Combe Tour Auto VSCC Spring Start Donington Historic Festival 0 8 M AY GP de Monaco Historique 10 M AY Spa Classic Mille Miglia HSCC International Trophy Masters Historic Festival 12 JU N E Cholmondeley Pageant of Power Monza Coppa Intereuropa Brooklands Double Twelve Goodwood Festival of Speed 14 JU LY HSCC Brands Hatch Masters Donington Festival Shelsley Walsh Le Mans Classic Chateau Impney Hillclimb 16 JU LY Shelsley Walsh Classic Nostalgia Eifel Rallye Festival Ennstal Classic Silverstone Classic 18 AU G U ST/ SE P T E MB E R VSCC Prescott Croft Nostalgia Festival Nürburgring Oldtimer Oulton Park Gold Cup Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix 2 0 AU G U ST Pebble Beach & Rolex Monterey 2 2 S E PTEMB E R Goodwood Revival 24 S EPTEMB E R -D E C E MB E R Spa Classic Six Hours Espiritu Del Jarama RAC Rally of the Tests Daytona Classic Sebring Classic 2016 CALENDAR March 10-13 March 10-13 March 19/20 April 1-3 April 9/10 April 16/17 April 18-24 April 23 April 30-2 May May 13-15 May 13-15 May 19-22 May 21/22 May 21/22 May 28/19 June 3-5 June 10-12 June 17-19 June 18/19 June 24-26 July 1/3 July 2/3 July 3 July 8-10 July 9/10 July 16/17 July 21-23 July 27-30 Jul 29-31 August 5-7 August 6/7 August 12-14 August 17-21 August 27-29 September 2-4 September 9-11 September 16-18 October 1 October 15/16 November 3-6 November 10-13 December 2-4 Phillip Island Amelia Island Concours Goodwood Members’ Meeting Jarama Classic Masters Festival Zolder HSCC Castle Combe (50th anniversary) Tour Auto VSCC Spring Start Silverstone Donington Historic Festival GP de Monaco Historique Spa Classic Mille Miglia Pau Historique HSCC International Trophy Silverstone Masters Festival Brands Hatch Grand Prix de l’Age d’Or, Dijon Cholmondeley Pageant of Power Monza Coppa Intereuropa Brooklands Double 12 Goodwood Festival of Speed Brands Hatch Historic Superprix Donington Masters Festival Shelsley Walsh VSCC Le Mans Classic Chateau Impney Revival Shelsley Walsh Classic Nostalgia Eifel Rally Festival Enstall Classic Silverstone Classic Prescott VSCC Croft Nostalgia Weekend Nürburgring Oldtimer GP Pebble Beach & Rolex Monterey Oulton Park Gold Cup Zandvoort Historic GP Goodwood Revival Spa 6 Hours Castle Combe Autumn Classic Masters Festival Jarama Rally of the Tests Daytona Classic Sebring Classic USEFUL WEBSITES WWW. C R E D I T- S U I S S E . C O M / C LAS S I C CA R S C LAS S I C RA LLY AS S O C I AT I O N www.craevents.eu E N DU R AN C E RA LLY AS S O C I AT I O Nwww.endurorally.com FO R M U LA J U N I O R RAC I N G AS S O C I AT I O Nwww.formulajunior.com G R O U P C S E RI E Swww.groupcracing.com HE R O www.heroevents.eu HI ST O R I C G RA N D P RI X C ARS AS S O C I AT I O Nwww.hgpca.net HI ST O R I C RAC I N G D R I V E RS C LU Bwww.hrdc.eu HI ST O R I C RA LLY C A R R EG I ST E R www.hrcr.co.uk HI ST O R I C S P O R T S C A R C LU B www.hscc.org.uk M AST E R S S E R I E Swww.themastersseries.com M OT O R RAC I N G LEG E N DSwww.motorracinglegends.com P E T E R AU T Owww.peterauto.peter.fr V E T E RA N C AR C LU Bwww.vccofgb.co.uk V I N TAG E S P O RT S C AR C LU B www.vscc.co.uk U2TCwww.historicmotor-racingnews.co.uk 2 02-03 HRG 2016 SA DS.indd 1 19/02/2016 15:22 In love with old racing cars? Planning your season to catch the best historic race meetings around the UK and beyond? Then look no further. Our annual Historic Racing Guide, produced in partnership with our friends at Credit Suisse, is all you need to mark the key dates on your calendar for another packed season of action. The question is, which events are ‘must-see’ this time around? Flick through our novel back-to-front, upside-down special and make a mental note of those races, rallies and shows you know you just can’t miss – and the answer is likely to be most of them! The Members’ Meeting at Goodwood is a great place to start, then there’s the HSCC’s 50th anniversary special at lovely Castle Combe. The glorious Brands Hatch Grand Prix track features twice in just three months, and the pair of Silverstone meets have race entries unmatched anywhere in the world. What about Cholmondeley or Brooklands in June? How about Donington in May or July? The Chateau Impney hillclimb is back after its heralded return last year. Then there’s Shelsley Walsh, Oulton Park, the RAC Rally of the Tests… and that’s without even mentioning the biennial Monaco and Le Mans classics. The tapestry is rich when it comes to historic motor racing – and your diary will be full in no time. Truly, we’ve never had it so good. Damien Smith, Editor Editor Damien Smith Written by Paul Lawrence, Simon Arron, Damien Smith Art Editor Damon Cogman Digital Designer Zamir Walimohamed Advertising Sean Costa, Peter De Vries The 2016 season is a ‘Monaco year’ for us here at Credit Suisse and we are very much looking forward to the 10th edition of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique in May. While a fleet of stunning historic machinery will occupy the paddock, there will be a new building in the middle of it: the Credit Suisse Drivers’ Club. We will offer once again a place for recreation and networking for drivers, VIPs and our guests. Moreover, there will be activities for the press. I will have the pleasure of hosting our seventh Historic Racing Forum in Monaco on May 13 where our racing legends will share entertaining stories of their racing past. As always, we will publish the Forum video on our website credit-suisse.com/classiccars. You will also find there a splendid video of the 2014 GP de Monaco Historique, with anecdotes from Derek Bell, Sir Stirling Moss and Alain de Cadenet. In parallel we will organise our ‘Monaco Classics’ Rally which ends with our Rally Parade on the race track. September is time, of course, for Goodwood, where Credit Suisse will once again call the Race Control building its home for the weekend. In 2015 I drove my 1955 Austin Healey 100S in the Freddie March Memorial Trophy ‘night race’ – and what fun it was. On the website you will find our video including great historical footage of this special race. As usual, our season will end in October when Adolfo Orsi Jr publishes the bible for every classic car collector, the annual Classic Car Auction Yearbook. I hope you enjoy this Historic Racing Guide produced by our long-standing partners at Motor Sport. Karsten Le Blanc, Credit Suisse “Credit Suisse” is the global marketing brand name for the investment banking, asset management and private banking services offered by Credit Suisse Group AG subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. Credit Suisse Group AG is headquartered in Zurich. Each Credit Suisse Group AG entity is subject to distinct regulatory requirements and certain products and services may not be available in certain countries or to all customers. No product or service will be offered where unlawful under applicable law. 3 02-03 HRG 2016 SA DS.indd 2 22/02/2016 11:35 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE MARCH 11-13 PETER ELLENBOGEN The leading event of the Antipodean historic racing season is the Philip Island Classic, run at the 2.7-mile coastal track to the south-east of Melbourne. The 2016 edition will celebrate the racing career of tin-top legend Jim Richards, seven-time winner of the Bathurst 1000. Tying in neatly with 100 years of BMW, Richards is to be reunited with the JPS-livered 635 CSi that took him to the first of his four Australian Touring Car titles. Richards will race a 635 and will also take his own JPS M3. With more than 400 entries expected across an array of classic and historic classes, this promises to be the biggest Philip Island Festival so far. www.vhrr.com MARCH 11-13 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS D’ÉLÉGANCE APRIL MASTERS FESTIVAL, ZOLDER A new event will kick-start the mainstream historic racing season in Europe, when Masters Historic Racing makes its debut at Zolder, Belgium. The meeting will feature the opening rounds of the FIA Masters Historic Formula 1 Championship and the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship. By moving the start of the season to northern Europe, Masters is sure to attract strong grids for both races. Sharing top billing will be the modern Belcar series for a wide array of GT machinery. Although overshadowed by Belgium’s other track at Spa, Zolder hosted the Belgian Grand Prix 10 times and has a strong annual programme. www.mastershistoricracing.com JAKOB EBREY RASHBA.COM The big event of the spring for the American classic car movement is the 21st Amelia Island Concours d’Élégance on Amelia Island, Florida. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of BMW, the event’s guest of honour will be German racer Hans Stuck. Stuck’s first race in America also marked BMW’s first major international victory, when he shared the winning 3-litre CSL with Brian Redman, Sam Posey and Allan Moffatt in the 1975 Sebring 12 Hours. Alongside about 250 classic cars, the event will feature the 1949 Buick Roadmaster used in the Dustin Hoffman film Rain Man. As well as the main activity there will be road tours, an auction and seminars. www.ameliaconcours.org 9-10 WILLEM STAAT PHILIP ISLAND CLASSIC CAR FESTIVAL OF SPEED 4 04-07 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 1 17/02/2016 17:10 MARCH/APRIL SPRING MARCH 19-20 GOODWOOD 74TH MEMBERS’ MEETING ‘The right crowd and no crowding’ was often attributed to Brooklands, but it could readily be applied to the Goodwood Members’ Meeting. Edition 74, and the third since the event was recreated, runs in March and the event is already established as a starting point for the British historic season. Far less crowded than the Revival, the Members’ Meeting is an outstanding event that has a fantastic line-up and a special atmosphere. However, a mid-March date does play Russian roulette with the British weather. Several races and demonstrations move beyond the traditional Goodwood 1966 cut-off, notably the wonderful Gerry Marshall Trophy 04-07 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 2 for Group 1 Touring Cars. With star names including current BTCC aces, it is a great spectacle as 3-litre Capris, Chevrolet Camaros and Rover Vitesses battle with 1275GT Minis. The three high-speed demonstration sessions get very up to date for 2016, with a session dedicated to the Super Touring cars of the 1990s. Group 5 sports cars (topped by Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s) and ground-effect F1 cars bring things up to the 1970s and early ’80s. Among the new races for 2016 is the SF Edge Trophy for Edwardian racing cars from up to 1923, which will be a Goodwood first for these stunning leviathans. www.goodwood.co.uk 17/02/2016 17:12 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE APRIL 16-17 HSCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY AT CASTLE COMBE JEFF BLOXHAM In May 1966, the first Griffiths Formula race for sports cars from 1945 to 1955 ran at Castle Combe – catalyst to the formation of the Historic Sports Car Club. Half a century later, the club is going to celebrate this landmark anniversary by commencing its season with a two-day race meeting at the Wiltshire track. The big attraction will be a recreation of that first grid, with some original cars and matching models for the others. Drivers and mechanics from the 1966 race will be on hand and the public will be able to take part in a grid walk to see the machinery up close. www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk APRIL 19-24 TOUR AUTO APRIL PETER McFADYEN 23 VSCC SPRING START It is a long-established tradition that the Vintage SportsCar Club racing season begins at Silverstone in April, with the Spring Start meeting. Although the eclectically diverse VSCC motor sport season will have been in full swing for four months, the Silverstone date heralds the start of a five-meeting race schedule. The usual mix of VSCC trophy races and short handicap events will be enhanced by the return of the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association with a race for rear-engined Grand Prix cars. Front-engined cars will be welcomed into the Patrick Lindsay and Amschel Rothschild Trophies race. As ever at VSCC events, the public car parks will be full of classics spanning a century of motoring. www.vscc.co.uk JEFF BLOXHAM PETER AUTO Easily the market leader in race and rally tours, Tour Auto is a glorious evocation of the former Tour de France with five days of competition on race tracks and closed public roads. The 2016 route has overnight halts in Beaune, Lyon, Valence and Marseille before the finish in Cannes, with a special loop of night stages in the mountains to mark the event’s 25th edition. Races will be held at Dijon, Bresse, Ledenon and Paul Ricard. Sports and GT cars of the 1960s and 1970s pack the entry and 200 of the 240 available places were booked before Christmas, including Jochen Mass in a mighty De Tomaso Pantera. www.tourauto.com 6 04-07 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 3 17/02/2016 17:12 APRIL/MAY SPRING 30 DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL 2 APRIL – MAY One of the elements helping Donington Park return to its very best is the annual Historic Festival, now firmly established over the early May Bank Holiday weekend. For three days the focus is on top-quality racing at a track that is superbly suited to period cars. The 2016 edition will be the sixth, and three full days of on-track action will be supported by parades, demonstrations and car club gatherings on the infield. The full programme had not been confirmed at the time of writing, but pre-war machinery will be prominent as the weekend celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Donington Grand Prix win for the Alfa 04-07 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 4 Romeo of Dick Seaman and Hans Ruesch. The weekend marks the dawn of the 2016 Super Touring Trophy and Historic Formula 2 campaigns, while the new Pre-80 Endurance Series will draw out sports-racing and GT cars from the World Endurance Championship of the 1970s. Period sports cars feature in the Woodcote Trophy and Sir Stirling Moss Trophy from Motor Racing Legends, while the revamped Historic Touring Car Challenge will field a grid of cars from the 1970s and 1980s. Demonstration runs from more recent Grand Prix cars will complete the weekend. www.doningtonhistoric.com 17/02/2016 17:13 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE MAY 13-15 CREDIT SUISSE RETURNS TO MONACO The Credit Suisse Drivers Club has become a popular refuge for competitors in the paddock since the bank began supporting the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique in 2010. But there is more to its partnership with this event than offering drivers hospitality over the course of a busy racing weekend. The Credit Suisse Classic Rally Parade has become part of the itinerary between competitive sessions, its participants being treated to three laps of the GP track to complete an unforgettable weekend. Then there is the Credit Suisse Historic Racing Forum, staged for the media and broadcast online at credit-suisse.com/classiccars. The Forum features brand ambassadors such as Jochen Mass, Alain de Cadenet, Sir Stirling Moss and Derek Bell. In 2014 Porsche’s World Endurance Championship star Romain Dumas added a modern perspective to remind us that Monaco now is as captivating as it has always been. GRAND PRIX DE MONACO HISTORIQUE The year ends in an even number… which for discerning owners of historic racing cars makes this a Monaco season. Formula 1 wouldn’t countenance bypassing May without a visit to the gaudy principality – God forbid – but for the old-car brigade the honour of treading motor racing’s most famous streets comes only every other year. What a suitable aura that creates: the most exclusive historic race meeting in the world becomes only more so when you have to wait 24 months for the next rather than 12. Top preparers will have drawn up their 2016 season schedules around what is only the 10th GP de Monaco Historique, held two weeks before the Grand Prix proper, on May 13-15. For drivers, the attractions of experiencing Monaco from the view that counts the most are obvious. But for fans too the glamorous haven for the privileged few has its attractions – and we’d argue more so for the classic weekend than the supposed main event at the end of the month. The streets in and around Monte Carlo are always bustling, and getting anywhere fast is not usually an option, particularly by car. But there’s at least a little more room to breathe in Historique week than during the GP, when negotiating the streets can become overbearing. Exploring on foot is the least frustrating and most rewarding way to experience a place soaked in motor sport history – and dripping in a veneer of rarely tasteful opulence. Walking the circuit in the evenings, after track action has ceased and the narrow roads have been returned to the public, is arguably the best part of a trip 8 08-09 HRG 2016 SA DS.indd 1 22/02/2016 11:34 The Monaco GP Historique takes place every other year, a fortnight before the principality’s F1 race ERIC SAWYER & JAGUAR MAY to Monaco – if you aren’t lucky enough to be in possession of a media tabard or you don’t know someone who happens to have access to a convenient balcony view… The meeting kicks off with a half-day of track action on the Friday from 2.30pm-6.30pm. A full day of practice and parades follows on the Saturday, ahead of (literal) wall to wall racing around the principality’s famous streets on the Sunday. Six classes are catered for with races in Monaco. Sadly, the pre-war Grand Prix cars have lost the competitive element to their weekend, although there is a silver lining to a demotion to parade status only. Without the cut and thrust of racing, drivers no longer need to wear crash helmets and fireproof overalls, allowing entries to offer a genuine period spectacle – even if modern tower blocks have cost the Monaco backdrop much of its original charm. Classes for Formula 1 cars through the 1950s to 1976 will offer echoes of GPs past. There are four F1 races on the schedule, split into the following eras: pre-61 front-engined F1 and F2 cars; 1.5-litre F1 cars from 1961-65; and a pair of races for 3-litre F1 from 1966-72 and 1973-76. The 1970s Formula 3 cars that proved so popular in 2014 step aside this time for earlier-generation drum-braked Formula Juniors from 1958-60. The nod to the traditional Monaco support race forms part of the category’s ‘Diamond Jubilee’ celebrations. A sports SPRING car race, for front-engined mid-1950s racers, will also recall the only Monaco GP run for two-seaters in ’52. Two years ago, our own Andrew Frankel made his Monaco debut in this latter race, driving a highly original ex-Stirling Moss Jaguar C-type (above). It’s an experience Andrew will always cherish – beyond his original expectations. “Ever since I started racing more than 20 years ago, there has been a list in my head of places where I simply had to compete,” he says. “The old Nürburgring, Spa, Le Mans, Goodwood and so on. Monaco was never on it. It seemed a place of style, not substance, a slow track that rewarded precision more than courage. Which just goes to show that a little knowledge is often a whole lot worse than no knowledge at all. “It’s not a nice track to learn. With all those tight turns it’s difficult to get it to flow, especially if you’re in someone else’s multi-million pound motor. But when you know enough to begin to attack the lap, suddenly it all comes together. As is often the case, the most famous corners such as Casino Square, Mirabeau and Loews are the least interesting. But the run along the sea front through the tunnel to the swimming pool is epic, and Tabac one of the best corners on any circuit in the world. “To the amateur pedaller, one of the biggest challenges is simply not being distracted: as you slide out of Massenet it really doesn’t do to be checking out the supercars parked outside the Hotel de Paris. So for me the real impact of racing at Monaco only came after the fact, after I realised what a superb driver’s circuit it really is. Now I know that to head down the road through Ste Dévote, up the hill and away, history oozing out of every wall you pass, is one of the greatest privileges any driver, amateur or professional, can ever be afforded.” 9 08-09 HRG 2016 SA DS.indd 2 23/02/2016 12:29 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE MAY 13-15 SPA CLASSIC PIERRE-YVES RIOM/PETER AUTO Peter Auto is one of Europe’s leading organisers of historic racing, with a splendid portfolio at some of the finest circuits. An annual spring visit to Spa is one of the season’s highlights. For most historic racers Spa-Francorchamps is right at the top of the list and the daunting Ardennes track never fails to deliver. In May, Peter Auto will field a full complement of categories, topped by the outstanding Classic Endurance Racing. Up to 100 1970s Le Mans-type cars across two grids will be a certain highlight, although Group C and the burgeoning Heritage Touring Cup will be just as spectacular. www.peterauto.peter.fr MAY 18-22 MILLE MIGLIA MERCEDES-BENZ In the modern era, it is hard to comprehend the event that the Mille Miglia was in period. Run 24 times between 1927 and 1957, this was an outrageous 1000-mile road race around Italy. The end of the event was inevitable when 13 people, including nine spectators, died during the 1957 event. The memory and spirit of the Mille Miglia live on, however, in this contemporary regularity rally. The route from Brescia to Rome and back mirrors the original, and enthusiastic spectators line the route to see cars of the type that competed in period. San Marino, Siena and the Futa Pass are just some of the landmarks. www.millemiglia.org MAY For two days of access-all-areas historic racing on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit, the HSCC’s International Trophy meeting has to be one of the deals of the season for spectators. This is not an event that purports to rival the Silverstone Classic, for they are very different beasts. But the International Trophy offers both drivers and fans two days of racing from huge grids on the excellent historic version of the Grand Prix track. The programme includes all the usual HSCC favourites, including Historic Formula Ford, Formula Junior and the Guards Trophy, enhanced by a race for the new Pre-80 Endurance Series and the GT and Sports Car Cup. www.hscc.org.uk JEFF BLOXHAM JEFF BLOXHAM 21-22 HSCC INTERNATIONAL TROPHY 10 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 1 17/02/2016 17:28 MAY SPRING MAY 28-29 MASTERS HISTORIC FESTIVAL The sound of a Cosworth DFV engine at full stretch around the Grand Prix loop at Brands Hatch is a truly wonderful sensation. Once again, the visit of the Masters FIA Historic Formula 1 Championship to Kent is a highlight of the season. The varied, undulating track was at its pomp in the era of the Cosworth DFV and six of the circuit’s 12 British GP winners were thus powered. The FIA series for cars of the 1970s and early 1980s, dominated by Cosworth cars, is in rude health heading into the 2016 season and about 25 cars can be expected at Brands over the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend. 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 2 The Masters FIA Historic Sports Car Championship is another winning package, with a clutch of Lola T70s taking on a raft of opponents at a track where the best 2-litre cars are well in the hunt. Gentleman Drivers GT and Pre-66 Touring Cars are strong supports, but two new races should really add to the appeal. To mark the 50th anniversary of Can-Am racing, the Can-Am 50 Interserie Challenge will draw out a gaggle of monsters and the new Masters Three Hours should deliver a strong pre-66 grid of sports and GT cars. www.mastershistoricracing.com 17/02/2016 17:29 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE JUNE 10-12 SIMON ARRON The renamed Cholmondeley Power and Speed is like a motor sport garden party in rural Cheshire and the 2016 edition will build on the success of eight previous events. While the action on the challenging sprint course delivers competitive motor sport, all sorts of counter-attractions take place in the sky and on the water within the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle. The car entry typically starts with some vintage machinery, topped by the fire-breathing Bentley Napier of Chris Williams, and then runs through the decades to the modern era. The theme for 2016 is ‘Supercars past, present and future’, which is likely to extend the popularity of the traditional supercar class. www.cpop.co.uk JUNE 17-19 MONZA COPPA INTEREUROPA JUNE BROOKLANDS DOUBLE TWELVE As a celebration of Brooklands’ celebrated heritage, the annual Double Twelve is now firmly established on the classic calendar. The Double Twelve is organised in partnership with the Vintage Sports-Car Club and incorporates a sprint for pre-war cars on the Mercedes-Benz World circuit as well as a driving test and concours d’élégance for almost 150 cars. The famous Brooklands Test Hill is in use for a competition to complete a weekend that offers something for everyone at the birthplace of British racing. The Double Twelve takes its name from the twin 12-hour races of the 1930s, when a planned 24-hour race could not be run due to local opposition. www.brooklandsmuseum.com JAKOB EBREY SIMON ARRON For sheer atmosphere and sense of racing heritage, few venues can rival the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. The parkland track to the north of Milan is not far short of its centenary year, as it first hosted racing in 1922. Each June, the Coppa Intereuropa meeting offers historic racers a chance to add Monza to their schedule and 2016 will mark the 63rd running of a famous event. The title dates to 1949 and was first used for a three-hour touring car race but now embraces a weekend that is topped by races for Historic Formula 2 and Lurani Trophy Formula Junior. www.monzanet.it 18-19 ERIC SAWYER CHOLMONDELEY POWER AND SPEED 12 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 3 24/02/2016 10:37 JUNE SUMMER JUNE 24-26 GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED Some of the most powerful cars and bikes ever built will take centre stage at the 24th running of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, when ‘Full Throttle – the pursuit of endless power’ is the key theme. Sometimes imitated but never topped, the Festival of Speed has been at the height of its game for more than two decades and continues to draw a sell-out crowd to the grounds of Goodwood House in Sussex. No cars have yet been announced for 2016, but the motif points to monsters such as the 1000bhp Porsche 917 Can-Am car, Group B rally cars, pre-war Silver Arrows from Mercedes and Auto Union and 1500bhp 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 4 F1 cars from the height of the turbo era. Other celebrations will cover the 100th Indianapolis 500 and the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Can-Am category, while the event will also pay tribute to the 40th anniversary of James Hunt’s 1976 world championship title with McLaren. For fans, the chance to mingle with some of the sport’s greats makes it an unmissable weekend. Legends of the past and stars of the present are on hand in a relaxed environment and a gaggle of current F1 drivers show off modern day Grand Prix cars in style. www.goodwood.com 17/02/2016 17:29 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE JULY 3 SHELSLEY WALSH CHARLIE WOODING Any event at Shelsley Walsh is a highlight of the motor sport season, but the annual vintage and PVT event organised in conjunction with the VSCC is rather special. The world’s longest standing motor sport venue continues to thrill drivers and fans alike with its frenetic 1000-yard rush up the side of the Teme Valley. It is a climb that rewards precision and gusto in equal measure and, once a year, this hallowed strip of asphalt is turned over to the vintage brigade. While the atmosphere in the paddock and start area is special, a stiff climb up the hill opens up glorious views at this most British of motor sport events. www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk JULY HSCC BRANDS HATCH 1-3 JULY DONINGTON MASTERS FESTIVAL 2-3 The Masters Historic Festival at Donington Park was a fresh addition to the schedule last season and some low-key club racing categories supplemented several Masters staples. For 2016, the event will grow in stature with the notable addition of the Masters FIA Historic Formula 1 Championship. In a programme similar to the Brands Hatch event five weeks earlier, Donington will also feature the Masters FIA Historic Sports Car Championship, Gentleman Drivers GT and Pre-66 Touring Cars as well as the Can-Am 50 Interserie Challenge and the new Masters Three Hours for pre-66 sports and GT cars. www.mastershistoricracing.com JEFF BLOXHAM For 26 years the HSCC has run a major race weekend on the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch and that will continue in 2016, albeit under a new name. The traditional Super Prix will be replaced and, to mark the HSCC’s 50th season, the meeting has gained a third day. That allows for an expanded race programme. In addition to the HSCC domestic championships, there will be races for Historic Formula 2, the Pre ’80 Endurance Series, Super Touring Trophy and Jaguar Heritage Challenge. An HGPCA grid of pre-1966 Grand Prix cars will add to a cracking line-up. www.motorsportvision.co.uk JULY 8-10 LE MANS CLASSIC The biennial Le Mans Classic is another stand-out event in the historic racing calendar, as amateur drivers get to compete on this most famous track. Up to 400 cars will race, each of a type with a period Le Mans pedigree. In the now well-established format, six groups spanning 60 years of Le Mans history will each race several times in a 24-hour period – including in the dark of Saturday night. New for 2016 is the inclusion of a seventh grid for Group C cars from 1982 to 1993. The Porsche 962s and Jaguars will contrast dramatically with Bentleys and Alfa Romeos from the race’s earliest years. www.lemansclassic.com 14 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 5 17/02/2016 17:30 JULY JULY 9-10 SUMMER CHATEAU IMPNEY HILLCLIMB hotel providing a magnificent backdrop. Until 1967 the Droitwich venue hosted an annual event on the access road, but it was not until 2015, with the property now owned by the enthusiastic Spollon family, that the event was revived. At the heart of the event is the new hill, twice the length of the original, and the revival was met with widespread acclaim. Spectators were well accommodated and the weekend ran remarkably smoothly. On track, the overall winner and new hill record holder was young Jack Woodhouse in his Formula Junior Lotus 22, with a best of 42.42sec. That is now the target for the 2016 event, which will again be centred on classes covering 200 pre-67 cars to reflect the first chapter in the venue’s motor sport history. www.chateauimpneyhillclimb.com JEFF BLOXHAM By any measure, last year’s inaugural Chateau Impney Revival Hillclimb was a roaring success. After a gap of nearly half a century, motor sport returned to the grounds of the spectacular Worcestershire hotel and a huge investment, both in financial and workload terms, was rewarded with a great event. The 2016 hillclimb will build on that success to offer two full days of on- and off-track activity with the French-style 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 6 17/02/2016 17:30 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE JULY 16-17 SHELSLEY WALSH CLASSIC NOSTALGIA JEFF BLOXHAM Many venues now have nostalgia events, but none has the heritage and history of Shelsley Walsh. Since 1905, competitors have tackled the 1000-yard climb in rural Worcestershire to make it the world’s longest established motor sport venue. Each July, that heritage is celebrated over the Classic Nostalgia weekend when cars from the Shelsley story take to the hill. Included are some Shelsley Specials, cars built primarily for use at the venue before and after the Second World War. Adding to the sense of occasion are classic cars in the car park, one or two star guests and some rare and unusual cars taking part in demonstration climbs. www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk JULY 21-23 EIFEL RALLYE FESTIVAL McKLEIN In the world of retro events, nothing in the rallying arena can match the Eifel Rally Festival, which draws more than 40,000 fans to the area around the town of Daun in the Eifel Mountains. Featuring 150 carefully selected cars from an oversubscribed list, the event features two and a half days of closed-road asphalt special stages near to the host town. Daun itself becomes a massive rally village for the event. As 2016 marks the 30th anniversary of the final year of Group B rally cars these monster machines will take centre stage, and some of the leading drivers from the era will also be out and about. www.eifel-rallye-festival.de JULY The Ennstal Classic in Austria is a stand-out event for those who want to drive their classics in the midst of some of Europe’s finest scenery. The four-day festival is set in the mountains around Grobming. More than 200 pre-73 cars will tackle two full days of regularity rallying, starting with a 250-mile event on day one and then a 300-mile rally on the second day. Estimates suggest that up to 100,000 people are likely to line the route. At the same time, pre-82 competition cars can take part in the Race Car Trophy demonstration event, which is run at venues close to Grobming and accommodates a wide range of sports-racing cars and single-seaters. www.enstall-classic.at SILVERSTONE MARTIN HUBER/ENNSTAL CLASSIC 27-30 ENNSTAL CLASSIC 16 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 7 19/02/2016 15:04 JULY SUMMER JULY 29-31 SILVERSTONE CLASSIC Nothing can rival the Silverstone Classic in terms of size. The three-day historic racing festival has the biggest entry, the most racing and the widest range of off-track activity at any such event. However, the Classic is not just about size; it is also about quality. Some of Europe’s leading historic categories will be on the programme including Masters FIA Historic Formula 1, which is likely to field up to 40 Grand Prix cars of the 1970s and early 1980s. FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars and Group C add further to the quality, but the real jewel for 2016 is the double-header to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Can-Am race. Event boss Nick Wigley has an ambition to get 50 of these monster sports-racing cars on the grid, but even 30 would make an incredible spectacle. Another major new feature will be ‘Tin Top Sunday’ when a clutch of touring car races take centre stage on the event’s final day. As well as regulars such as the Super Touring Trophy and U2TC races, the day will include the revamped Heritage Touring Car Challenge for the cars of the 1970s and 1980s and a ‘big banger’ race for US V8s of the 1960s. www.silverstoneclassic.com 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 8 19/02/2016 15:04 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE AUGUST 5-7 PETER McFADYEN Are there any better places to be on a summer afternoon than Prescott, with a paddock full of vintage machinery? Each August, the Vintage Sports-Car Club takes over the Gloucestershire hillclimb for three days of competition at a venue that has hosted motor sport since the summer of 1938. So popular is the annual VSCC event that it now spreads to three days, with a stand-alone event on Friday before more than 200 cars compete over the weekend. Of course, a big part of this weekend is the line-up of spectators’ cars parked in the orchard adjacent to the start. That gathering alone makes the trip worthwhile. www.vscc.co.uk AUGUST JEFF BLOXHAM 6-7 AUGUST 12-14 ERIC SAWYER VSCC PRESCOTT CROFT NOSTALGIA FESTIVAL It does not have the cachet of Goodwood or the scale of the Silverstone Classic, but the annual Nostalgia Festival at Croft, North Yorkshire, is a real hit. The only event of its type north of Oulton Park, the August weekend is a must for a whole region of fans. Extensive collections of military vehicles add to a winning package, ditto lots of period dress. On track, the action is all about categories from the HSCC, topped by favourites such as Historic Formula Ford, Historic Touring Cars, Guards Trophy and Historic Formula 3. Track demonstrations and air displays also contribute to a very successful weekend. www.croftcircuit.co.uk NÜRBURGRING OLDTIMER First established more than 40 years ago, the Nürburgring Oldtimer Grand Prix can rightly claim to be the first of its kind in Europe. The 2016 edition marks the 44th running of Germany’s biggest historic racing festival. Top billing goes to the Masters FIA Historic Formula 1 Championship, while the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association has races for front-engined and pre-61 1.5-litre F1 cars and the Jaguar Heritage Challenge has an away weekend. The main action takes place on the modern Grand Prix circuit, but the three-hour Classic Marathon runs on the 14-mile Nordschleife on Friday afternoon. www.nuerburgring.de 18 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 9 19/02/2016 15:12 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER SUMMER AUGUST 27-29 OULTON PARK GOLD CUP ERIC SAWYER Oulton Park is a very special place, with a highly varied track nestling in Cheshire parkland to offer a tremendous driving challenge. It is a venue that truly sorts those who can from those who can’t. First opened for racing in August 1953, Oulton has a rich heritage of major races and one of the most prestigious of all was the Gold Cup. Now firmly established as a major historic race weekend, the Gold Cup will be back to rude health in 2016. The core of the meeting remains a full weekend of racing from the Historic Sports Car Club but, despite some tremendous racing in changing conditions, the 2015 programme lacked a headline act. That issue has been squarely dealt with for 2016 thanks to the welcome return of the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association with a pair of races for rear-engined Grand Prix cars. The double-header will revisit the glory days of the Gold Cup, when drivers such as Jim Clark, Jack Brabham and John Surtees won in F1 cars. Further quality is offered by visits from the Super Touring Trophy and the Jaguar Heritage Challenge. With the whole event underpinned by popular HSCC classes, including Formula 5000 cars in the Derek Bell Trophy, this is a first-class line-up. www.motorsportvision.co.uk SEPTEMBER JEFF BLOXHAM 2-4 ZANDVOORT HISTORIC GRAND PRIX In terms of wish lists for racing drivers, Zandvoort is right up there with tracks such as Monza and Dijon. It is thus little wonder that the Dutch track’s Historic Grand Prix has become firmly established in just four years. Since securing permission for a weekend of historic racing at a circuit with major noise issues, the event has blossomed and 2016 is likely to attract an even bigger crowd than the 50,000 of 2015. A return from the Masters FIA Historic Formula 1 Championship relives the golden days of the Dutch Grand Prix, while Historic Formula 2, FIA Masters Historic Sports and Lurani Trophy Formula Junior are other star turns. www.historicgrandprix.nl 19 10-19 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 10 19/02/2016 15:12 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE AUGUST 17-21 PEBBLE BEACH & ROLEX MONTEREY “Are you doing Pebble Beach this year?” It’s a common question in classic car circles for an annual automotive highlight that, like Le Mans, Goodwood or Monaco, needs nothing beyond the name of a geographical location to explain what it is. To be accurate, it’s officially the Monterey Classic Car Week, but that’s by the by for car people. Pebble Beach will suffice. But how do we best describe it? Calling it an event seems a little too pedestrian. It’s not confined to one day, or even one weekend, or to a single venue. Instead, it’s probably best described as a ‘happening’, made up of a series of illustrious automotive gatherings, stretched over the course of a week, that are bound by their location on the glorious California coastline south of San Francisco. The climax is the Concours d’Élégance on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach’s famed links golf course, as 200 pristine cars and motorcycles are paraded in front of the judges on the Sunday afternoon (August 21). Historical accuracy, technical merit and, of course, that indefinable quality that is style are what the panel is looking for from vehicles that will be grouped in classes that this year celebrate featured marque Delahaye, Chapron coachwork, BMW’s centennial, the 50th anniversary of Ford’s first victory at Le Mans and Bizzarrini. Happily, there’s a moving element to this show, too. Owners of the Concours cars are also invited to take part in the Tour d’Élégance, which traces part of the picturesque 17-mile Drive that weaves among the 20 20-21 HRG 2016 SA DS.indd 1 19/02/2016 15:37 AUGUST Concours is key, but there’s more to Monterey Classic Car Week than standing still ROLEX/KIMBALL STUDIOS Rick Parsons (Lola T332C) leads F5000 rivals through Laguna Seca’s signature Corkscrew during the Monterey Historic Californian mountains and valleys. A stop at pretty Carmel-by-the-sea is a particular highlight for spectators who gather on Ocean Avenue. For those who seek a longer drive, the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic offers all the open-road pleasures of a genuine American road trip. The Classic kicks off Pebble Beach activities long before the auctions and shows, beginning on August 8 in Seattle, Washington state. Thirty pre-1968 motors set off to take in 1500 miles of the wonderful Pacific north-west coastal road, reaching Pebble Beach on Wednesday August 17. A gentle tour rather than a race, then. Beyond the Concours, it’s the incredible prices of cars sold at auctions that usually dominate the headlines at SUMMER the end of the week. All the heavy-hitters in the classic car auction world hold sales, including Bonham’s at Quail Lodge, Gooding and Co, Mecum, Russo & Steele and not forgetting RM Sotheby’s, which achieved eye-watering results in Monterey in 2015. The company achieved a staggering $172.9 million worth of sales at Pebble Beach last year, the highlights including a 1998 McLaren F1 that made $13.75m. As for the sale of cars with Prancing Horses on their noses, there seems no end to their desirability. RM’s examples included a 1964 Ferrari 250LM that made $17.6m and a 250GT Berlinetta Competizione that won the 1956 Tour de France in the hands of its owner Alfonso de Portago. That was another $13m seller. Will these sales be exceeded in 2016? There’s no reason to expect otherwise. But for all the opulence, razzmatazz and extravagance, the highlight of Pebble Beach for most readers of this magazine will be the associated race meeting 20 minutes inland from Monterey. Laguna Seca could perhaps be described as the Brands Hatch of the US, a much-loved circuit with bags of character and a signature corner like no other on the planet: the fabulous, plunging Corkscrew. The Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion is the closest the US gets to a Goodwood Revival. This year its programme of races offers classes for sports and GTs, Formula 1 cars from 1967 to 1984 and, most notably Can-Am cars in the beloved category’s 50th anniversary year. Parades pepper the racing with that BMW centennial the theme once again. If the glitz of Concours isn’t your thing, there’s a welcome alternative down the CA-68. 21 20-21 HRG 2016 SA DS.indd 2 19/02/2016 15:38 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE SEPTEMBER 9-11 CREDIT SUISSE IN CONTROL AT THE REVIVAL Credit Suisse is well established as one of the world’s biggest supporters of classic motoring and historic racing. But if we were to choose a symbol of its presence in ‘our world’, there would surely be only one: the Credit Suisse Race Control building at the Goodwood Motor Circuit. The bank has been a partner of the Goodwood Revival since 2009, but it was in 2013 that it committed to a seven-year title sponsorship of the iconic Race Control, situated in the prime location next to the start/finish line. An extensive restoration to combine premium interiors with suitably period features in keeping with Goodwood has made it a popular destination for drivers during the Revival weekend. The pre-race briefing and Sunday evening prizegiving are held here, as is the nowtraditional Credit Suisse Historic Racing Forum featuring star personalities who offer the media special insight into the world of classic motor sport. GOODWOOD REVIVAL MEETING Some call it theatre and others have referred to it as a motor sport theme park, but there are two undeniable constants: the Goodwood Revival Meeting is an annual sell-out and provides racing as good as any you will see all year. This year’s Revival is particularly significant, for it will be the 19th since Goodwood reopened to racing in September 1998. The circuit will thus have been active during the ‘Revival era’ for as long as it was in its original heyday, 1948-1966. On the surface the venue looks relatively unchanged since then, but behind the scenes a huge amount of work has been done to comply with modern safety criteria without compromising Goodwood’s period look or feel. Indeed, those who worked there first time around point out that it actually looks much smarter than it used to… It was during the early 1990s that circuit owner Lord March first evaluated the possibility of bringing Goodwood back to life as a racing circuit, rather than just a test venue and host of occasional sprints. When Motor Sport broke the news of Goodwood’s likely reopening (April 1994), March said: “For me it’s critical that the track should be the same as it was. We want to retain as many of the original features and as much of the character as possible. “The pit entry will have to be moved back towards the chicane, we know that. As it stands it would be too dangerous for racing. “We won’t be having any Armco but will use earth banks protected by substantial tyre walls. The MSA has been very supportive and has approved the system.” The Goodwood Revival roster changes subtly by the year, but the spectacle never diminishes 22 22-23 HRG 2016 SA DS.indd 1 19/02/2016 15:44 SEPTEMBER By that stage approval had been agreed in principle for nine racing days per annum, although there were still a few hoops to negotiate and March hoped his dream might become reality by 1996. In the end it took a little longer, but it was worth the wait. Since 1998 a number of rules have been firmly enforced to ensure a certain ambience, so only pre-1966 vehicles are permitted in the parking areas closest to the circuit perimeter. Period dress is encouraged, though not enforced, but blazer and tie (or cravat) are mandatory – along with the correct pass – to gain access to the central paddock. So large is the entry, though, that many competing cars are parked outside and accessible to all. For all that the racing is restricted to cars from a certain period, the programme changes subtly from season to season. Annual staples include the RAC TT Celebration race, a Sunday afternoon highlight featuring evocative GTs, and the St Mary’s Trophy for saloon cars (traditionally 1950s one year, 1960s the next, although this season it will be for Austin A35s alone). One central theme of this year’s event will be a tribute to the late Sir Jack Brabham, who 50 years ago clinched his third F1 world title – and became the first driver to win one at the wheel of a car bearing his own name. It’s not just the machinery that commands headlines, but the calibre of drivers at the helm. Brabham himself raced at the Revival during its early SUMMER days and there have been more recent cameos from retired F1 stars such as Jean Alesi, Martin Brundle, Gerhard Berger, Mark Blundell, Jochen Mass, Arturo Merzario and Jackie Oliver, Le Mans 24 Hours legends Tom Kristensen, Henri Pescarolo and Derek Bell, Indy 500 winners Dario Franchitti and Kenny Bräck, rally heroes Rauno Aaltonen and John Haugland, leading sports car racers Darren Turner, Nicolas Minassian and Oliver Gavin, touring car greats Steve Soper and John Cleland, versatile veteran Antony Reid and many more of their ilk. Nor is it just cars. The Goodwood Revival is one of very few UK meetings to combine action on four wheels and two, to which end world champions Wayne Gardner and Kevin Schwantz have both appeared in recent years, alongside former GP racer Jeremy McWilliams and others of similar pedigree. There are ample off-track diversions, with jazz bands, air displays (starring the gorgeous thrum of Supermarine Spitfires), countless trade stalls and a period Tesco, complete with retrospectively packaged wares (not all of them purchasable). It’s a busy event, particularly in the areas around the chicane and paddock access tunnels, but it’s easy to escape the madding crowd. Motor Sport’s preferred technique is to commence the day at the first righthander, Madgwick, and then move on every couple of races. The lap measures 2.37 miles, but it’s an easy stroll over the day’s course – and tractor-drawn shuttles provide free lifts from corner to corner, although finding a spare seat can be tricky. Around the far side of the circuit, the dipping left-hander at St Mary’s is one of the most spectacular viewing points – despite which the crowd there tends to be much more thinly spread. Wherever you stand, you’ll have the glorious South Downs as a backdrop – a perfect location in a world where suspension movement is king. Let’s do the time warp again… 23 22-23 HRG 2016 SA DS.indd 2 19/02/2016 15:44 HISTORIC RACING GUIDE SEPTEMBER 16-18 SPA CLASSIC SIX HOURS dominated by Ford GT40s across the past decade and that’s how long Kiwi Roger Wills had been trying to win it before finally achieving his goal last year. In the style of the modern Le Mans 24 Hours, this is a race that gets under people’s skin and some drivers build their entire seasons around this one race. Yet the glorious spectacle of 100 pre-65 sports, GT and touring cars racing into the night at Spa is only part of this event, for a stellar race line-up completes a mighty weekend and takes in Historic F1, HGPCA and much more. www.roadbook.be JEFF BLOXHAM If there is one event that takes the kudos of the biggest historic race of the season, it is the Spa Classic Six Hours in September. Not only is it top of the pile in terms of prestige, it has the biggest single grid of the season and typically delivers the toughest race as it runs from 4pm into the darkness of Saturday evening. Throw in the notorious Ardennes weather, which delivered a mid-race thunderstorm of biblical proportions in 2014, and the stage is set for the toughest test of man and machine in the historic racing calendar. This is a race that has been 24-25 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 1 19/02/2016 15:18 SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER OCTOBER 14-16 AUTUMN ESPIRITU DEL JARAMA ERIC SAWYER For 2016, this end-of-season programme on the Iberian Peninsula has a new look. Building on the success of previous race meetings at the Circuit de Catalunya Barcelona, the focus will now switch to Jarama, north of Madrid. The famously twisty track last hosted the Spanish Grand Prix in 1981, marking the final F1 win for Gilles Villeneuve, but has remained in regular use and will now host the final event of the Masters European season. Star billing will go the deciding rounds of the Masters FIA Historic Formula 1 and Historic Sports Car Championships, with support from a range of domestic categories. www.mastershistoricracing.com NOVEMBER 10-13 The annual November historic weekend at the famous Daytona track will revert to its previous format for 2016, following two years as a 24-hour event in the style of the Le Mans Classic. The round-the-clock event will next be repeated in 2017. Meanwhile this year, leading US organiser Historic Sportscar Racing will run a full and varied programme for its 11 classes. Not only does HSR cover cars dating back to the early 1950s, it also brings the story far more up to date than its European counterparts. GT, prototypes and single-seaters of the last decade all have a place with HSR. www.hsrrace.com F&R RASTRELLI NOVEMBER 3-6 RAC RALLY OF THE TESTS Although the title is new, the Rally of the Tests is firmly established on the calendar as the premier event of its type. Now with the support of the Royal Automobile Club, the Rally of the Tests recreates the RAC Rallies of the 1950s before the rally moved to forest special stages. The 2016 edition will run from Bournemouth to Chester via Bristol and will include more spectatorfriendly venues than ever before, thus allowing more fans to see about 80 cars of the Fifties and Sixties being put through their paces. As ever, the competition will centre on special tests, regularity sections and night navigational sections. www.heroevents.eu DAYTONA HISTORICS DECEMBER 1-4 SEBRING CLASSIC 12-HOUR In the style of the retro events at Le Mans and Daytona, Sebring joins the classic circus in December with its own event to celebrate the famous 12-hour race at the airfield track. Inspired by the success of Daytona, the Sebring Classic will also celebrate the venue’s aviation heritage. Groups of cars from the Sebring story, which started in 1950, will race several times across a 12-hour period. Sebring is a real challenge and noted for being bumpy, with large sections of track still running on concrete runways built for Second World War pilot training on what was originally known as Hendricks Army Airfield. www.hsrrace.com 25 24-25 HRG 2016 SA GC DS.indd 2 19/02/2016 15:18