Family fun at Silverstone Classic

WITH the British Grand Prix complete for another year, Silverstone is now gearing up for it's second major event of the month as final preparations are made for the fabulous Silverstone Classic on 23-25 July.

Proudly carrying the tag of 'the world's biggest classic racing festival', the Silverstone Classic is much more than a glorious celebration of motor racing heritage. It is a complete event dedicated to providing a fabulous experience for the whole family.

On-track is a stellar line-up of races as 1000 hard-charging racers do battle in 800 cars spanning five decades of motor racing heritage. In total, 22 races will cover Grand Prix cars, sports, GT, saloon and single-seater racing cars from 1930 to the 1990s.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Other attractions include over 120 car clubs displaying 6000 cars, street car shoot-outs, Group B rally cars of the early 1980s, hot-air balloon fly-outs, air displays and lots of action on two-wheels.

"An unrivalled quality of racing will be the biggest feature of this year's Silverstone Classic," said event director Nick Wigley. "We are celebrating 60 years of the Formula 1 World Championship, and we are proud to host the launch of the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars.

Then there is the 'Big Beasts' race, with a record grid of pre '66 American V8 saloon cars." Over 120 Grand Prix cars will compete in six races tracing the history of Formula 1 across four decades.

On Friday night, Silverstone will rock to the sounds of two classic British bands from the 1960s and 1970s, when the Yardbirds and Dr Feelgood take to the stage. Then, on Saturday evening, the story comes bang up to date with a show including Stars from the X Factor, with Jedward, Danyl Johnson and Ruth Lorenzo, and the Rick Parfitt Junior Band.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On Friday evening, a very special race will feature celebrities from the worlds of radio, TV, music and entertainment racing head-to-head to raise funds for the Bobby Moore Foundation.

The stars will climb into a fleet of specially race-prepared Fiat 500 Abarths and take to the famous Silverstone Grand Prix circuit in the BSM Centenary Abarth 500 Celebrity Challenge. Among the stars in action will be top chefs James Martin and Heston Blumenthal, Radio 2 presenters Johnnie Walker and Richard Allinson, dancer Brendan Cole and Jonny Saunders from the Chris Evans breakfast show on BBC Radio 2.

Fans of two-wheel action have not been forgotten, either, as motorbikes will play a big part in the Silverstone Classic, with the legendary Harley-Davidson marque at the heart of the two-wheel attractions.

"The Silverstone Classic is the biggest and best classic racing festival in the World as well as Europe's most entertaining car-themed event," said Wigley. "Flat out fun for all the family is core to the attraction of the Silverstone Classic."