The main draw at this weekend’s event will be more than 1,000 competition car entries, set to participate in a busy 22-race schedule on the current British Grand Prix’s 3.7-mile circuit.
These 22 races will be supplemented by a large infield display of a record number of car clubs, with over 10,000 classic cars anticipated to turn-up over the three days of the Silverstone event. Silverstone Classic will include some key model and marque milestones being celebrated at the event, including track parades for the 25th anniversary of the Jaguar XJ220 supercar, 60 years of the Lotus Seven, and the 50th birthday of the Ferrari Owners’ Club.
The packed programme of 22 races over the Silverstone Classic weekend will include the FIA Masters Historic Formula One Race Series, as well as the FIA Masters Historic Sportscars, the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy, Stirling Moss Trophy, plus the Group C Racing and Super Touring Car Trophy. This year’s schedule will also celebrate 50 years of Formula Ford and sees the return of the Pre-War Sports Cars starring Bentleys, Rileys and Bugattis in action.
Inspired by the success of the Austin A30 and A35 race at last year’s Goodwood Revival, the Silverstone event will see its celebrity drivers pushing these tiny 1950s Austin saloons to the limit. Familiar faces in the Austin celebrity race will include Olympic champions, chart-topping musicians, best-selling authors and figures from TV and radio, such as cyclist Jason Kenny, skeleton racer Amy Williams and rowers Jonny Searle, Greg Searle and Mark Hunter. Musicians will include Take That’s Howard Donald, and AC/DC front Brian Johnson.
Marking its 40th anniversary, as recently celebrated earlier this month at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Williams F1 team will be demonstrating Nigel Mansell’s 1992 British Grand Prix-winning Williams FW14B for some high-speed laps. For two-wheeled fans, Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner, and the ‘Prince of Speed’ Phil Read, will be making demonstration rides at the event too.
After the on-track action on Friday and Saturday evening, the Silverstone Classic will once again stage a live music line-up. Friday will see a special 50th anniversary Summer of Love celebration topped by The Bootleg Beatles. They will be joined by two further tribute acts – Who’s Next and Are You Experienced? – playing the music of The Who and Jimi Hendrix. Spandau Ballet’s former front man Tony Hadley headlines as the sun goes down on Saturday evening, supported by the Dire Straits Experience.
Away from the circuit action, Silverstone Auctions will be staging two historic vehicle sales; one for competition cars, including a Martini-liveried Lancia Delta HF Integrale, as campaigned by four-time WRC champion Juha Kankkunen, with the other for classic cars, including a 1972 Ferrari 365/4 Daytona once owned by Sir Elton John.
The Goodwood Road & Racing team will be at the Silverstone event, reporting on the event as it happens, so please do stay tuned-in over the weekend for our regular live updates.
Silverstone Classic 2017
Silverstone Classic
