Celebrating its 30th anniversary in style, this summer’s Silverstone Classic will feature a spectacular “greatest hits” showcase of retro races.
Harking back to when Silverstone hosted the UK’s first-ever race meeting dedicated entirely to historic racing – a trend-setting milestone in motor sport history – no fewer than five of the grids for 2020 actually featured on the original 1990 race card.
Thirty years ago the two-day festival – staged, as today, two weeks after the Formula 1 British Grand Prix – presented a wide-ranging 12-race programme including showdowns for historic Grand Prix cars, 50s sports cars, historic Formula Junior, SuperSports as well as round 4 of the FIA European Challenge for Historical Touring Cars.
Iconic races and cars on show
This year’s Classic includes races for the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association for both front-engined and rear-engined GP cars from 1925 to 1966, the combined Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy and Stirling Moss Trophy fields of 50s sports cars, Formula Junior, Thundersports, and Under 2-Litre Touring Cars.
Many of the iconic cars that made history when competing in 1990 – such as Alfa Romeo GTAs, Jaguar D-types, Maserati 250Fs and mighty McLarens from the epic Can-Am era – will all be back at Silverstone together with several of the drivers who contested in 1990.
An important milestone
This year’s 30th anniversary Classic boasts more than 20 races, some even for categories such as Masters Endurance Legends that post-date the original event.
Nick Wigley, Silverstone Classic CEO, said: “With three more decades to honour, plus a growing love for all things nostalgic, the historic racing scene has enjoyed incredible growth since Silverstone hosted its very first festival back in 1990; the core ingredients of great cars and sparkling action are still very much at the heart of the event.
“It was always our ambition to mark the 30th anniversary with a terrific feast of ‘greatest hits’ races, and to have both cars and stars from the original 1990 Classic back on the bill for 2020 will just further enhance the celebrations of what’s an important milestone in motor sport history.”
Also returning is the FIA Masters Historic Formula One, the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Pre ’63 GT Cars, The Yokohama Trophy for FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars, the International Trophy for Classic GT Cars (pre ’66), the Classic Mini Challenge and the Historic Touring Car Challenge.
About the Silverstone Classic
What: the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival
Where: Silverstone circuit, Northamptonshire, England
When: 31 July-2 August 2020
Tickets: silverstoneclassic.seetickets.com
Website: silverstoneclassic.com
Established as the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival, the Silverstone Classic attracts more than 1,000 race entries and crowds of more than 100,000.
The three-day festival features the very best of historic motor racing, as well as live music and a wealth of family entertainment.
This includes a free funfair, shopping village, a host of interactive experiences, a classic car auction plus huge showcases of classic cars from over one hundred car clubs, often celebrating important milestones in automotive history.
Ticket information
All admission tickets for this summer’s 30th anniversary event must be purchased in advance.
Each ticket provides access to a selection of trackside grandstands, live music concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings, huge car club displays, both racing paddocks plus the vast majority of the fun-fuelled family entertainment on offer at the ‘rocking and racing’ festival.
See silverstoneclassic.seetickets.com for ticket details of car club packages, general admission tickets, hospitality packages and camping options. Early bird tickets (available until the end of March) offering significant savings on standard tickets.