Huge grids and fabulous parades promised at the Silverstone Classic

Sport
 | 19 Jul 2013

This year’s Silverstone Classic will feature 24 races, some of the world’s most famous competition cars, plus parades from Aston Martin, Porsche and Lamborghini.

F1 single-seaters top the list from 26-28 July with more than 100 machines from the 1920s through to 1985 featuring in three double-header events across Saturday and Sunday.

The FIA masters will bring DFV-powered cars from Lotus, McLaren, Tyrrell, March and Williams to the GP circuit.  

Two grids for earlier cars will be dedicated to José Froilan González, who died last month, and double-world champion Scot, Jim Clark.

The former will be represented by the grid for HGPCA pre-’61 Grand Prix Cars, while Clark will be honoured by the pre-’66 machines including four of the Lotus cars he raced.

Saturday evening’s two dusk competitions will pay homage to Le Mans with 200mph Group C prototypes from the ’80s, while the Piper Heidsieck pre-1966 GT race will feature a 58-car field laced with Cobras, E-types, Astons and Ferraris.

Famous classics from the French Enduro such as Ferrari’s 512 and Porsche’s 917 will take to the track for the Masters Historic Sports Car showdown, while Steve Soper will make a competitive comeback behind the wheel of a Ford GT40.

Promising even more action is the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy (pre-’63 GT), the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy (pre-’56 sports cars) and the Stirling Moss Trophy (pre-’61).

Some of the event’s tightest racing will come thanks to a 54-car grid of Historic Formula Fords and Formula Juniors, with Tiff Needell returning to competition in his first race car.

There will be plenty of rough and tumble, too, with a huge list of touring cars guaranteed by The Super Touring Car Trophy, Sir John Whitmore Trophy for  cars up to 2-litres (U2TC) and the V8s of the Trans-Atlantic Touring Car Trophy (Masters Pre '66 TC).

Featuring in those races will be tin-top heroes Patrick Watts and Tim Harvey, plus World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, and current BTCC star Mat Jackson.

Away from the competitive action are some huge parades including a 100-car tribute to Aston Martin’s centenary, a 911-car celebration of Porsche’s rear-engined marvel’s 50th and what’s believed to be the world’s biggest gathering of Lamborghinis to mark the firm’s half century.

Clubs will also be out in force with around 80 expected including, from Russia, the Volga GAZ Club and the BMW Owners’ Club, while
A total of 8269 classic cars have been registered to display with clubs out in force including, from Russia, the Volga GAZ Club and the BMW Owners’ Club

Added entertainment will be provided by a Spitfire flypast, a parachute display from the Red Devils, a motorcycle stunt show and live music from The Hollies and the cast of The Commitments.

To find out more visit the Silverstone Classic Powered by the AA website.