Silverstone Classic

The Silverstone Classic is an annual three-day car and race event at the UK's Silverstone circuit, home of the British Grand Prix.[1] Over a long weekend every July, the event features hundreds of historic race cars in circa 20 races over the weekend, displays from over 100 car clubs with more than 10,000 classic cars, free access to the paddocks and grandstands, interactive activities, dynamic demonstrations, live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, a shopping village and lots more.

Silverstone Classic
Statusactive
GenreMotoring festival
FrequencyAnnually
VenueSilverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, England
Coordinates52.0733°N 1.0147°E / 52.0733; 1.0147
CountryEngland
InauguratedJuly 1990 (1990-07)
FounderStuart Graham
Most recent2019
Attendance109,000
Websitewww.silverstoneclassic.com

Founded in 1990, the Silverstone Classic was one of the first of motor sport meetings dedicated entirely to historic racing cars in 2019 it had a crowd of 109,000. The Classic will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2020 (31 July – 2 August).

Races

Now entering its 30th year, with more than 1,000 entries.

2019’s Classic programme consisted of 21 retro races and some of the winners were presented with their trophies by racing legends including Jackie Stewart, Gordon Spice, and Paddy Hopkirk.

Both Silverstone’s paddock complexes are used during the weekend of the Classic to accommodate the large number of entrants, with racing taking place out of the National Paddock in the morning and the International Paddock in the afternoon.

Anniversaries

2019 (26 to 28 July)

  • 50th Anniversary of Sir Jackie Stewart's first win at Silverstone in 1969
  • 100th Anniversary of Bentley
  • 70th Anniversary of Abarth
  • 60th Anniversary of the Mini
  • 50th Anniversary of the Capri

2018 (20 to 22 July)


2017 (28 to 30 July)

  • Record-breaking display of McLarens to mark what would have been company founder, Bruce McLaren’s 80th birthday
  • 40th Anniversary of Williams and the 25th Anniversary of Nigel Mansell’s Championship win with Williams


2016 (29 to 31 July)
  • 50 Years of Can-Am racing - special double-header race named the 'Can-Am 50 Insterie Celebration Trophy' was the main feature.
  • 40th Anniversary of James Hunt's 1976 World Championship
  • 50th Anniversary of the Lamborghini Miura
  • 35th Anniversary of the Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2


2015 (24 to 26 July)
  • 25th Anniversary of the Silverstone Classic
  • 50 Years of Alpina


2014 (25 to 27 July)
  • Ford Mustang official 50th anniversary gathering with special displays and track parade
  • Maserati centenary celebration
  • World record parade of 84 grands prix cars led by Sir Stirling Moss to mark the 50th F1 grand prix at Silverstone


2013 (26 to 28 July)
  • Special parade of 911 x Porsche 911 to celebrate the 50th birthday of the world's most successful sportscar
  • Aston Martin centenary, celebrated with an extensive car display and a 100 car parade lap.
  • Displays and parades to mark 50 years of Lamborghini


Ferrari F40 25th Anniversary at 2012 Silverstone Classic
2012 (20 to 22 July)
  • World record gathering of 60 Ferrari F40 to celebrate the supercar's 25th birthday[2]
  • MG MGB 50th anniversary[3]
  • Special 50th birthday parties for Lotus Elan and AC Cobra models
  • Special races to mark 30 years of Group C sports prototypes and 25 years of the Ford Sierra RS500
  • The UK's first Z-Fest to mark the 60th anniversary of the BMW Car Club


2011
  • Jaguar E-Type 50th anniversary gathering, achieving the Guinness World Record for the Largest Parade of Jaguar cars with 767 cars on the track[4]
  • 21st Silverstone Classic event


2010


2009
  • Mini 50th anniversary with four special races including the Laurence Bloom Memorial Trophy[5]

Other attractions

As well as the on-track racing, the Silverstone Classic festival includes live music sets from classic rock and pop bands from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Well known bands to have appeared in recent years include: UB40, Soul II Soul, The Stranglers, Reef, The Boomtown Rats, and the legendary Status Quo in 2015 for the Classic’s 25th anniversary. The line-up for the 30th anniversary celebrations in 2020 is yet to be announced

In addition to numerous trade stands, club displays, live demonstrations, and family activities on the Village Green, car auctions are held at each Silverstone Classic. Since 2011, the auctions have been run by Nick Whale's Silverstone Auctions with over £6m of sales in recent years.[6]



References
  1. "Silverstone Classic 2012: Ferrari F40 tribute". The Telegraph. 14 February 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  2. Yahoo Cars - Ferrari F40 owners break world record in Silverstone parade
  3. "SILVERSTONE CLASSIC JOINS TRILOGY OF SPECIAL EVENTS TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF MGB". Silverstone Classic press release. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  4. "LARGEST PARADE OF JAGUAR CARS". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  5. "Silverstone Classic to Mark Mini's 50th". Sports Car Digest. 15 May 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  6. "SILVERSTONE AUCTIONS AT 2011 SILVERSTONE CLASSIC". Retro Speed. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
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