As part of their 15th anniversary “Super Show”, Race Retro 2017 is putting more racing and rally cars on display than ever before with the best of motor sport’s heritage showcased throughout the four halls. It should be amazing…
The line-up of racing legends is headed by Le Mans record holder Tom Kristensen who will be reunited with the Bentley Speed 8 (below) that he drove to victory in the 2003 Le Mans 24 Hours. Joining him will be other racing heroes such as motorcycle world champion Freddie Spencer and many more.
The brand new feature, the Motor Sport Hall of Fame Live offers visitors the chance to celebrate the inductees to date and also vote on the 2017 nominees who could join this auspicious line-up. Packed with a fantastic collection of racing and rally cars as well as motorcycles, it’s the centre piece of the show.
There will be a plethora of cars including Jim Clark’s Lotus 33 R11 (below), which hasn’t been seen in public for over 40 years, the 1957 Vanwall raced to victory by Sir Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks in the British Grand Prix that year and a collection of DFV-powered legends curated by designer Mike Costin.
On the bespoke live rally stage will be ‘Flying Finns’ Ari Vatanen and Markku Alén, two of the greatest rally drivers from the Group B era. They will be sharing their stories and getting back in action over the weekend. Ari appears Saturday and Sunday while Markku will be with make an appearance Friday afternoon and Saturday.
Picture historic and modern drivers being put through their paces with around 80 Group B and C rally cars. That’s exactly what will be taking place on Saturday and Sunday with each session being proceeded by a display by the ‘pocket rockets’ of the British Historic Kart Club.
At the centre of the show will be a brand new feature, the Motor Sport Hall of Fame which offers visitors the chance to celebrate the inductees to date. Visitors can also vote on the 2017 nominees who can join the exciting line-up.
As if all that live rally action wasn’t enough, there’s also the Motor Sport Live Stage to look forward to. Hosted by Gemma Scott and the editorial team of Motor Sport magazine, the Live Stage will welcome guests from the motorsport world for interviews, Q&A sessions and lively discussions.
Silverstone is set to for the entire weekend with over 130 vehicles on offer. Friday will be dedicated to a competition car sale before the classic and sports car sale on Saturday and Sunday. So head over to the auction and make your first passion purchase or add a new classic to your collection.
Admission is by catalogue and a full list of entries for both sales can be found here
9. Autographs Sessions
Be sure to bring your pen for the autograph session! Meet your motoring heroes in person and not only get your memorabilia and pictures signed, but also have a chit chat about all things motoring with unlimited access to the guests throughout the show.
10. Industry specialists
You will not be short for answers at Race Retro as over 250 motorsport industry specialists will gather at Stoneleigh Park. With a 15-year history, it’s safe to say Race Retro has become the pre-season event where colleagues meet to do business. Exhibitors include the Classic and Sports Car Club, Historic Sports Car Club, Vintage Sports Car Club, Classic Formula Ford and many more.
So there you have 10 top reasons to get yourself to Race Retro 2017. You’ve missed our competition for 2017, so you can buy tickets here.
Congratulations to our 3 competition winners, who will each receive a pair of complimentary tickets to Race Retro 2017.
It’s a very cool classic car show. Anyone into their motorsport, rallying and especially classic motorsport will love it. Our winners and congratulations go to:
Aiden McHaffie
Oliver Buss
Catherine Hollywood
We have no doubt that you’ll have a great time at this wonderful event. Let us know all about it below, so those that did not attend can get your thoughts and highlights, so they don’t miss out for next year.
It’s that time of year again when we start to look forwards to what the next year ahead will bring. We’ve tried to be helpful to you our readers and list the premium car and classic car shows in the UK, many of which we’ve had the pleasure to attend, and would love to attend again in 2018. Many of which we will be endeavouring to run competitions, where you may be able to win yourself a pair of complimentary tickets, so watch this space.
With an abundance of car and classic car shows in the UK now, we are truly blessed, so which ones will you be attending?
If we’ve missed any events, leave them in the comments below and we’ll try to update the diary throughout the year. Hopefully see you at some of these car and classic car shows throughout the year.
A few more car and classic car diaries that we came across on the interweb that have a few of the more local and less well known shows included:
It’s competition time again. This time we are delighted to be able to offer three pairs of tickets to the 2018 Race Retro classic car show.
Race Retro is a must attend event for any Rally Driving, Motorsport or Classic Car fan. You’ll see wonderful cars and be able to get up close to sporting personalities in a very relaxed environment. It’s very very cool.
So get your 2018 motorsport season off to a great start at Race Retro!
Guest celebrities and motorsport legends will be on hand throughout the weekend ensuring enthusiasts are entertained with interviews and anecdotes from the halcyon days of racing.
Invest in a piece of motorsport history, with a visit to the Silverstone Auction sale offering the finest classic cars, modern supercars, all types of competition cars, modern and historic motorcycles and automobilia.
Prefer two-wheeled motorsport? There will be displays from the UK’s best motorcycle clubs as well as a chance for individual owners to shine in the Pride of Ownership competition.
Visit hundreds of trade stands offering everything you need for the coming season – be it new helmets and race suits, parts and spares for your racing vehicle or more motorsport memorabilia to add to your collection.
To win a pair of tickets tell us what is your favourite motorsport or rally car of all time and why?
To start you off, our favourite rally car of all time is the Lancia 037 (below), it just looks and sounds immense.
A favourite classic car show of ours is only days away. It is truly unique, so a massive congratulations go to our competition winners who will be receiving a pair of complimentary tickets to the 2018 Race Retro. An awesome day out for sure for all things classic car and rally related. So I really hope that you’ll enjoy your day as much as we will, and of course we’d love to hear all about it afterwards.
Our winners and congratulations go to:
John Martin (Oxfordshire); and
Chris Clark (Nottinghamshire).
We have no doubt that you’ll have a great time at this wonderful event. Let us know all about it below, so those that do not attend can get your thoughts and highlights, so they don’t miss out next year.
Race Retro has always been a motorsport show that I enjoy attending each year, I used to enjoy Autosport International, but after many years that show became too stale with its contents, too much geared towards the racing industry rather than for racing fans and too expensive to attend and as a result lost its appeal. Race Retro however has much more charm, is laid back and still has a good mix of “Real” race cars rather than just “show” cars as well as plenty of traders selling everything imaginable, traders that have over the years been priced out of trading at the Autosport Show. Race Retro still has an auto jumble area too which adds to the character and appeal for me as I always enjoy looking around this area for the odd treasure for my collection.
So I was delighted to learn that I had won a pair of tickets to the event courtesy of the My Car Heaven’s competition. I had already decided that I would be attending the event anyway as a friend and I were attending a charity boxing night in Leicester in the evening and Stoneleigh was only 26 miles away from Leicester so it made sense to fit both events into the same day. But winning the tickets made the day even more enjoyable, and I decided that I would put the money that I would have otherwise spent getting into the show, towards a special treat on the day.
For a number of years, Rallying with Group B, have entertained the crowds by demonstrating their collection of old rally cars on the live demo stage in the grounds of Stoneleigh Park, this has grown year on year with the stage improving each year and the number of cars in attendance growing each year too, to the point that it has become a main attraction of the show. This year there were around 100 cars taking part on the rally stage and like last year, Rallying with Group B were offering passenger rides around the stage in some of the rally cars taking part in the demonstration. So I decided to put the admission money towards a ride around the stage. So after a quick look in one of the halls upon arrival at the show, I got my hand stamped and headed back outside and walked over to the rally stage and headed straight for the tent where you paid for the rally car rides. There was already a very long queue, clearly this was more popular than I had imagined and at £25 a ride, it was reasonably priced too. So I joined the queue and awaited my turn. I was greeted by a friendly face at the desk where you sign a form and pay your money, I personally knew the person on the desk, a former rally co driver from my local area, who used to co drive for her brother, who happened to be my mechanic whenever my car needed any work doing. ( Small world isn’t it )
Due to the number of people waiting to take a ride and not too many of the drivers taking part on the demo stage offering rides, it was obvious that I was going to be stood in the queue quite a while, as it’s a personal choice if a driver wishes to take passengers or not and earn a bit of money back towards their costs of running their cars on the stage. The cars run in 3 separate batches and the early batch included quite a few Audi Quattro’s and MK2 Escorts offering rides, then the second batch had a Renault 5 Turbo and a RS 500 Cosworth and a Ferrari 308 GTB.
After 90 minutes of standing in the queue, (wishing I had gone to the toilet first ) it was my turn to await the next car to pull in to take me out on the stage. I was gutted that the chap stood in line in front of me got the opportunity to sit in with Tony Worswick in his bright yellow Ferrari 308 GTB, I had secretly been hoping that I would either get to ride in the Ferrari or an Audi Quattro or a MK2 Escort. So I had missed out on the Ferrari, so what car would pull up and be my chariot on the stage. I was initially a bit disappointed when a Mk1 Escort Mexico pulled up and I was ushered towards the passenger door. I am a large lad, so getting me strapped into the bucket racing seat was a big task in itself which took around 4 or 5 minutes as the marshal and the driver had to adjust all the straps as the previous person in the car had been the drivers young son. Maybe the seat buckle worked for him, but for me it was located under my right bum cheek so clearly that was not going to work for me and they set about making the adjustments and with a bit of forcing myself back into the seat and a great deal of breathing in, the marshal managed to get the lap belt and shoulder belts fastened.
The driver introduced himself to me, his name was Anthony Harrison and he was from Morecambe and he asked me if I had ever done anything like this before. Whilst queueing for the start line we had the time to have a nice chat and I told him that I marshal on rallies, and told him not to hold anything back on my account and to drive the wheels off it if he so wished.
Having been initially disappointed at not getting in the Ferrari, that soon changed when Anthony blasted off the start line and threw the car into the first 90 right corner with just the handbrake. It was clear that Anthony would not be hanging around and he drove it like he had just stolen the crown jewels and had the whole Metropolitan police force chasing him. One on particular corner we exited the corner sideways with most of the wheels on the grass rather than the black stuff. The speed bump rattled our teeth as he took it without any loss of speed. Then the long back straight with the 90 left at the end of it. The outside of the corner marked with a double stack of hay bales certainly comes up on you fast and I sat there thinking, “At what point is he going to start slowing down for this corner, as I would have been braking back there !” Instead he was still accelerating and at the last minute dabbed the brakes and pulled the handbrake and around the corner it went sideway with a lot of tyre squeal and tyre smoke and another trip onto the grass. That was just the first lap, we had another two laps of the stage still to go. On the third lap Anthony said to me, “I never know how many times I am supposed to go around”, so I replied, “If you want to go around any extra laps, it would be fine with me.”
After a couple of minutes, my rally car ride came to an end, but what a total thrill ride and a total buzz as Anthony certainly knew how to drive his MK1 Escort Mexico to within an inch of its life. It was certainly worth the £25 fee and I thanked Anthony for driving it like he had stolen it. At this point there was only 15 minutes of the morning stage session still to run, so I quickly ran around to a good corner on the stage to get some photos of the cars on the stage before the session ended. Sadly I didn’t get to take any photos of the majority of the cars on the stage due to being in the queue for 90 minutes, but I had enjoyed my ride which was something new for me at Race Retro. So unfortunately I didn’t get any of star drivers Miki Biasion or Alister McRae on the stage.
It was now 1 pm and we needed to leave at 3.30 pm to head across to Leicester for the boxing so I had to quickly work my way around the rest of the show in 2 short hours. A tall task indeed as I am a collector, so could spend those two hours just looking at the trader’s stalls, trying to decide on what to spend my money on and take home. In the end I bought a new 1/43rd diecast that I had been looking for, a book on the Lancia Delta S4 and a trio of nice retro liveried racing mugs in Martini, Rothmans and Silk Cut colours.
There was a stunning collection of cars gathered in the Motorsport Hall of Fame Hall, 4 cars from the history of Prodrive and David Richards which included his first car a Porsche 911S SCRS in beautiful Rothmans livery, Colin McRae’s 1996 Subaru Impreza WRC, a current Aston Martin Vantage GTE Le Mans car and a BAR Honda F1 car.
The next group of cars included 4 stunning rally machines dear to my heart, Miki Biasion’s Sierra Sapphire Cosworth, a Lancia 037 in OLIO FIAT colours, and a pair of Martini liveried cars, a Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v and an ex Colin McRae Ford Focus WRC. Behind these an Audi Quattro S1 EVO 2 and Manuel Reuter’s Ford RS500 Cosworth touring car.
A Jaguar D-Type with its big brother Jaguar XJR9 parked alongside it, showcasing Jaguars rich history at Le Mans. Two race bikes from Steve Parrish, a McLaren F1 car that had been driven by Dan Gurney, a tribute to the great American driver that recently passed away. There was a great collection of ground effect race cars to celebrate 40 years of ground effects, including the Swap Shop Porsche 956, Williams FW07 and Mario Andretti’s green Martini liveried Lotus 79 as well as a Martin Brundle Ralt RTS 3 F3 and a Chevron B48 F2.
I had the opportunity to ask Brian Redman a question during the Q & A session on the Hall of Fame Live stage, and asked him what it was like to race the mighty Porsche 917-30 in anger. Brian is a great speaker and talked at length about getting the call from Roger Penske asking him if he wanted to race the car at Mid Ohio in 1974, and went on to talk about the handling characteristics of the car and how you had to drive it, and then about the race itself and his choice of tyres etc. Brian also talked about owning and selling the No.20 Gulf Porsche 917 that was used in the film Le Mans. Brian bought the car for £9000 but had to sell it 3 years later when he hit hard times after a bad racing accident. He sold the car for £30,000 and later helped Richard Attwood sell the car for £1.2M, the car recently sold to Jerry Seinfield for $30M
There were some nice cars on display in Hall 1, with a nice collection of cars on the Rallying with Group B stand including a Tommi Makinen Nissan Sunny GTR, a Proton Iriz R5, Andrews Heat for Hire Opel Manta, Skoda Favorit, Ford Escort RS1700T, RS200, MG Metro 6R4, Mini Cooper. On other stands there was a beautiful Subaru Legacy RS in yellow Camel livery and some older historic rally cars from the long distance endurance events of days gone by including a Hillman Hunter.
Hall 2 contained the usual mix of competition cars from all disciplines of historic motorsport from single seaters, touring cars, etc. Sadly 3.30 pm came around way too fast and it was time for me to leave, but I could have easily spent another 90 minutes at the show and would have spent some more time at the live demo rally stage if I didn’t have to leave for my evening plans.
A big thank you to My Car Heaven for running the competition and for the two tickets to the show.
What an enjoyable day. When I was looking around at attendee cars adajacent the auction house, I got asked whether I was interested in the newish Porsche Targa GTS that I was looking at, I had to admit that tempting as it was, it was a bit out of my affordability zone (£100,000) plus I didn’t like the black alloy wheels and that did it for me!
For those of us who enjoy motor sport and especially historic motor sport what a cracking event Race Retro is. Cars, which in those days tended not to have electronic wizardry and came in all sorts of shapes and noises, plus only had rudimentary suggestions of being any where near a wind tunnel, and hanging the tail out was an expected enjoyment for the day.
I’ve been to the Racing Car show a few times, but I view this event as much better, for a few reasons, it feels more homely somehow, although that may be related to how I remember my race meeting days at the basic clinker walkways around Silverstone.
The event included interviews with some very notable motor sport influencers like John Barnard and Frank Dernie, past and current drivers and riders, like Matt Neal, Brain Redman and Steve Parish, but the event was just about the right size to make you feel closer to the participants.
Highlight of the event was the outside Live Rally Stage which, was definitely aided by the nice sunny weather that we had, albeit very cold and being able to be purchase laps as a passenger in the various rally cars around the tight circuit, looked very tempting, but time was against me.
The event celebrated 40 years of ground effects with the Lotus 79 and 3 other cars from that early F1 era and also on display and being celebrated were cars driven by Dan Gurney and the various past cars produced by Dave Richards Prodrive organisation, so plenty to see with just enough walking room to be comfortable.
Access to the undercover Park Ferme was a treat to see how well theses historic rally cars are being kept and maintained and alongside all of this was the almost obligatory auction, which this time was undertaken by Silverstone Auctions, which usually produces fascinating cars although they were a little outside of my price bracket.
For those who have never been to this Stoneleigh Park event I thoroughly recommend it and as long as the weather stays dry it becomes a very enjoyable varied day and even the in house caterers produce a decent cup of coffee at a very affordable price, what more can one ask for!
It’s competition time again. This time we are delighted to be able to offer two pairs of tickets to the 2019 Race Retro classic car show.
Race Retro is a must attend event for any Rally Driving, Motorsport or Classic Car fan. You’ll see wonderful cars and be able to get up close to sporting personalities in a very relaxed environment. It’s very very cool.
So get your 2019 motorsport season off to a great start at Race Retro!
Guest celebrities and motorsport legends will be on hand throughout the weekend ensuring enthusiasts are entertained with interviews and anecdotes from the halcyon days of racing.
Invest in a piece of motorsport history, with a visit to the Silverstone Auction sale offering the finest classic cars, modern supercars, all types of competition cars, modern and historic motorcycles and automobilia.
Prefer two-wheeled motorsport? There will be displays from the UK’s best motorcycle clubs as well as a chance for individual owners to shine in the Pride of Ownership competition.
Visit hundreds of trade stands offering everything you need for the coming season – be it new helmets and race suits, parts and spares for your racing vehicle or more motorsport memorabilia to add to your collection.
To win a pair of tickets tell us what is your favourite motorsport or rally car of all time and why?
To start you off, our favourite rally car of all time is the Lancia 037, and in Motorsport I love the John Player Special F1 cars (below), both cars I move the look of and they sound immense.
Race Retro, powered by Motor Sport, will pay tribute to the Turbocharged era of Formula 1 in the Motor Sport Hall of Fame Live at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, from February 22-24, 2019.
Have you entered our competition to be in with a chance to win yourself a pair of complimentary tickets to Race Retro 2019?
Marking the 40th anniversary of the first victory by a turbocharged car, the 2019 display celebrates this thrilling era with an exciting display of racing machinery which includes the Williams FW11 actually driven by to championship victory by Nelson Piquet. Powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged V6 engine made by Honda, Nelson would score wins in the car’s debut season of 1986 and Williams would go on to clinch that season’s constructor’s title.
The first turbocharged car to enter Formula 1 was the Renault RS01 which made its debut at the 1977 British Grand Prix. Two years later its successor, the RS10, made it a first win for the turbo era when Jean-Pierre Jabouille took the chequered flag at the 1979 French Grand Prix. His team mate, Rene Arnoux, finished third.
Producing around 1400bhp in qualifying trim the RS10 was powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 engine and featured a 6-speed manual gearbox and ground effect chassis. So successful was that car, it would claim pole position five times from nine races during that 1979 season.
Following Renault’s lead, Ferrari was the second team to enter a turbocharged car and were soon joined by all of the major teams including Brabham, Lotus, Honda, and BMW. The last Formula 1 world title for a turbocharged car was claimed by Ayrton Senna at the wheel of the McLaren MP4 before the technology was outlawed the following year. Turbocharging didn’t return to Formula 1 until 2014.
It wasn’t just in Formula 1 where turbocharged racers were proving to be at the cutting edge of motorsport. In the 1973 American Can-Am Championship South African driver and later Formula 1 World Champion, Jody Scheckter, raced the fearsome Vasek Polak Porsche 917/10 powered by a 5.0-litre flat-12 engine.
Visitors to Race Retro will have the opportunity to admire this fascinating slice of Porsche’s motorsport history as it is displayed within the Motor Sport Hall of Fame Live.
“The turbo era was an amazing time for race fans” says Acting Show Director, Lee Masters. “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate it at this year’s Race Retro 40 years on from that first win in Formula 1. We can promise visitors a very special display in celebration.”
The Motor Sport Hall of FameLive will also include other racing and rally cars, with a number of key milestones celebrated and tributes paid to attendant special guests, many of whom will be interviewed on the Motor Sport LiveStage.
Race Retro will also welcome motor sport industry race series, rally organisers, and specialist traders, along with live rally action over the weekend from Rallying with Group B.
Tickets are now on sale for Race Retro, held from February 22-24 2019 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, with free parking for all visitors. For the latest updates and ticket information, visit www.raceretro.com
Take part in this exclusive opportunity to get behind the wheel and drive a classic car at Race Retro Show in February, courtesy of HERO Events. Offering a stunning fleet of motors for you to pick from, enjoy driving a specially created route around the Stoneleigh site and along the public roads. Don’t have a driving license? No worries, you won’t miss out. Enjoy riding as passenger as one of the expert HERO drivers will take you for a spin!
You have the opportunity to drive one of these incredible classic cars yourself. You can book for you, a friend, partner or even as a special occasion gift for someone else.
The cars are available in Groups and you can book a time slot of when you would like to drive on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
You can book these on site however spaces will be on a first come first serve basis and drives will be 8 – 12 minutes long.
Spaces are limited so we suggest that you book as soon as it’s available.
The 2019 cars that are available to pick from include…
Group A Cars – £65.00
1968 Jaguar E Type Series 1.5 FHC 4200cc, Right Hand Drive
1990 Lancia Delta Integrale Martini 2000cc, Left Hand Drive
Group B Cars – £47.00
1966 Triumph TR4A 2100cc, Left Hand Drive
1975 MGB Roadster 1800cc, Right Hand Drive
1957 Triumph TR3 2000cc, Left Hand Drive
Passenger rides in either Group A or Group B cars are £32.00.
You can now book your Arrive & Drive a Classic Car Experience online – so plan ahead and book your space today, click here!
Please note: HERO – Drive a Classic Car Experience tickets do not include entry to the show, please ensure you purchase your show entry ticket separately.
Ayrton Senna’s restored Van Dieman takes pole position in Motor Sport Hall of Fame live at Race Retro 2019.
The beautifully restored Van Dieman RF81 – Chassis 528 – driven in period by the late great Ayrton Senna will take pole position in the Motor Sport Hall of Fame at Race Retro, held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, from 22-24 February 2019. This will be the car’s first public viewing since it has been restored by Van Dieman founder Ralph Firman.
Firman gave Ayrton Senna his big break in the UK and this car has been painstakingly restored in Norfolk, where it was originally built. The Van Diemen also features the Minister 1600 engine, identical to the 1981 original.
Senna finished fifth on his FF1600 debut at Brands Hatch on 1 March 1981, and just two weeks later won his third ever car race at Brands Hatch, at the wheel of a Van Diemen RF81.
By the end of the season Senna had established himself as the man to beat, finishing the season with 12 wins, six other podiums, and the championship, winning the two prestigious national British Formula Ford titles.
In 1982 Senna graduated to Formula Ford 2000, competing in both the British and European Championships. He dominated the Formula winning 21 out of the 27 races contested. That year, Senna also had his first chance to race in a non-championship Formula Three race at Thruxton where he started from pole position and won easily. The rest, as they say, is history!
Race Retro’s Acting Show Director Lee Masters said: “We are deeply honoured to have the Van Diemen at Race Retro and thrilled that our visitors will be the first to get a closer look at this incredible racing car.”
The Motor Sport Hall of Fame Live will also include other racing and rally cars, with a number of key milestones celebrated, along with special guests, many of whom will be interviewed on the Motor Sport Live Stage.
Tickets are now on sale for Race Retro, powered by Motor Sport, held from February 22-24 2019 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, with free parking for all visitors. For the latest updates and ticket information, visitwww.raceretro.com
A favourite classic car show of ours is only days away. It is truly unique, so a massive congratulations go to our competition winners who will be receiving a pair of complimentary tickets to the 2019 Race Retro. An awesome day out for sure for all things classic car and rally related. So I really hope that you’ll enjoy your day as much as we will, and of course we’d love to hear all about it afterwards.
Our winners and congratulations go to:
Mark Lee; and
Aiden McHaffie.
We have no doubt that you’ll have a great time at this wonderful event. Let us know all about it below, so those that do not attend can get your thoughts and highlights, so they don’t miss out next year.
Race Retro, powered by Motor Sport, will pay tribute to the Turbocharged era of Formula 1 in the Motor Sport Hall of Fame Live at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, from February 22-24, 2019.
Have you entered our competition to be in with a chance to win yourself a pair of complimentary tickets to Race Retro 2019?
Marking the 40th anniversary of the first victory by a turbocharged car, the 2019 display celebrates this thrilling era with an exciting display of racing machinery which includes the Williams FW11 actually driven by to championship victory by Nelson Piquet. Powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged V6 engine made by Honda, Nelson would score wins in the car’s debut season of 1986 and Williams would go on to clinch that season’s constructor’s title.
The first turbocharged car to enter Formula 1 was the Renault RS01 which made its debut at the 1977 British Grand Prix. Two years later its successor, the RS10, made it a first win for the turbo era when Jean-Pierre Jabouille took the chequered flag at the 1979 French Grand Prix. His team mate, Rene Arnoux, finished third.
Producing around 1400bhp in qualifying trim the RS10 was powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 engine and featured a 6-speed manual gearbox and ground effect chassis. So successful was that car, it would claim pole position five times from nine races during that 1979 season.
Following Renault’s lead, Ferrari was the second team to enter a turbocharged car and were soon joined by all of the major teams including Brabham, Lotus, Honda, and BMW. The last Formula 1 world title for a turbocharged car was claimed by Ayrton Senna at the wheel of the McLaren MP4 before the technology was outlawed the following year. Turbocharging didn’t return to Formula 1 until 2014.
It wasn’t just in Formula 1 where turbocharged racers were proving to be at the cutting edge of motorsport. In the 1973 American Can-Am Championship South African driver and later Formula 1 World Champion, Jody Scheckter, raced the fearsome Vasek Polak Porsche 917/10 powered by a 5.0-litre flat-12 engine.
Visitors to Race Retro will have the opportunity to admire this fascinating slice of Porsche’s motorsport history as it is displayed within the Motor Sport Hall of Fame Live.
“The turbo era was an amazing time for race fans” says Acting Show Director, Lee Masters. “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate it at this year’s Race Retro 40 years on from that first win in Formula 1. We can promise visitors a very special display in celebration.”
The Motor Sport Hall of FameLive will also include other racing and rally cars, with a number of key milestones celebrated and tributes paid to attendant special guests, many of whom will be interviewed on the Motor Sport LiveStage.
Race Retro will also welcome motor sport industry race series, rally organisers, and specialist traders, along with live rally action over the weekend from Rallying with Group B.
Tickets are now on sale for Race Retro, held from February 22-24 2019 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, with free parking for all visitors. For the latest updates and ticket information, visit www.raceretro.com
Take part in this exclusive opportunity to get behind the wheel and drive a classic car at Race Retro Show in February, courtesy of HERO Events. Offering a stunning fleet of motors for you to pick from, enjoy driving a specially created route around the Stoneleigh site and along the public roads. Don’t have a driving license? No worries, you won’t miss out. Enjoy riding as passenger as one of the expert HERO drivers will take you for a spin!
You have the opportunity to drive one of these incredible classic cars yourself. You can book for you, a friend, partner or even as a special occasion gift for someone else.
The cars are available in Groups and you can book a time slot of when you would like to drive on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
You can book these on site however spaces will be on a first come first serve basis and drives will be 8 – 12 minutes long.
Spaces are limited so we suggest that you book as soon as it’s available.
The 2019 cars that are available to pick from include…
Group A Cars – £65.00
1968 Jaguar E Type Series 1.5 FHC 4200cc, Right Hand Drive
1990 Lancia Delta Integrale Martini 2000cc, Left Hand Drive
Group B Cars – £47.00
1966 Triumph TR4A 2100cc, Left Hand Drive
1975 MGB Roadster 1800cc, Right Hand Drive
1957 Triumph TR3 2000cc, Left Hand Drive
Passenger rides in either Group A or Group B cars are £32.00.
You can now book your Arrive & Drive a Classic Car Experience online – so plan ahead and book your space today, click here!
Please note: HERO – Drive a Classic Car Experience tickets do not include entry to the show, please ensure you purchase your show entry ticket separately.
Ayrton Senna’s restored Van Dieman takes pole position in Motor Sport Hall of Fame live at Race Retro 2019.
The beautifully restored Van Dieman RF81 – Chassis 528 – driven in period by the late great Ayrton Senna will take pole position in the Motor Sport Hall of Fame at Race Retro, held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, from 22-24 February 2019. This will be the car’s first public viewing since it has been restored by Van Dieman founder Ralph Firman.
Firman gave Ayrton Senna his big break in the UK and this car has been painstakingly restored in Norfolk, where it was originally built. The Van Diemen also features the Minister 1600 engine, identical to the 1981 original.
Senna finished fifth on his FF1600 debut at Brands Hatch on 1 March 1981, and just two weeks later won his third ever car race at Brands Hatch, at the wheel of a Van Diemen RF81.
By the end of the season Senna had established himself as the man to beat, finishing the season with 12 wins, six other podiums, and the championship, winning the two prestigious national British Formula Ford titles.
In 1982 Senna graduated to Formula Ford 2000, competing in both the British and European Championships. He dominated the Formula winning 21 out of the 27 races contested. That year, Senna also had his first chance to race in a non-championship Formula Three race at Thruxton where he started from pole position and won easily. The rest, as they say, is history!
Race Retro’s Acting Show Director Lee Masters said: “We are deeply honoured to have the Van Diemen at Race Retro and thrilled that our visitors will be the first to get a closer look at this incredible racing car.”
The Motor Sport Hall of Fame Live will also include other racing and rally cars, with a number of key milestones celebrated, along with special guests, many of whom will be interviewed on the Motor Sport Live Stage.
Tickets are now on sale for Race Retro, powered by Motor Sport, held from February 22-24 2019 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, with free parking for all visitors. For the latest updates and ticket information, visitwww.raceretro.com
A favourite classic car show of ours is only days away. It is truly unique, so a massive congratulations go to our competition winners who will be receiving a pair of complimentary tickets to the 2019 Race Retro. An awesome day out for sure for all things classic car and rally related. So I really hope that you’ll enjoy your day as much as we will, and of course we’d love to hear all about it afterwards.
Our winners and congratulations go to:
Mark Lee; and
Aiden McHaffie.
We have no doubt that you’ll have a great time at this wonderful event. Let us know all about it below, so those that do not attend can get your thoughts and highlights, so they don’t miss out next year.
Race Retro, Europe’s number one historic motorsport show, is kicking off a new season with brand new headline sponsor Reis Motorsport Insurance. Held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, from 21-23 February, tickets are now on sale for the three-day season opener.
Reis Motorsport Insurance is one of the UK’s leading motorsport specialists, bringing flexible policies to a wide range of competitors and teams competing in events such as BTCC GP2, Formula E, Stage Rallying, Le Mans and GT series as well as International Endurance Rallying, and the Hope Classic Rally.
Reis is also a sponsor of Castle Combe Circuit, West Country’s Home of Motorsport, HERO (Historic Endurance Racing Organisation) and Sporting Bears Motor Club, a classic and sports car group which raises funds for children’s charity.
Andrew Evanson, Senior Operations Manager at Reis Motorsport Insurance, said: “Race Retro is a key date for historic motorsport enthusiasts and we’re excited to be involved with the event and showcase what we can offer visitors.”
Show Director Lee Masters added: “We are thrilled to welcome Reis Motorsport Insurance as our headline sponsor and over the next three-years, plan to work together to promote historic motorsport to the next generation.
Now in its 18th year, Reis Race Retro will celebrate all disciplines of historic motorsport as well as the vehicles and drivers that created some of the most iconic motoring milestones of the past 100 years.
Tickets are now on sale for the show, held from February 21-23 2020 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, with free parking for all visitors.
For the latest updates and ticket information, visit www.raceretro.com.
It’s competition time again. This time we are delighted to be able to offer two pairs of tickets to the 2020 Race Retro classic car show.
Race Retro is a must attend event for any Rally Driving, Motorsport or Classic Car fan. You’ll see wonderful cars and be able to get up close to sporting personalities in a very relaxed environment.
So get your decade off to a great start at Race Retro!
Guest celebrities and motorsport legends will be on hand throughout the weekend ensuring enthusiasts are entertained with interviews and anecdotes from the halcyon days of racing.
Invest in a piece of motorsport history, with a visit to the Silverstone Auction sale offering the finest classic cars, modern supercars, all types of competition cars, modern and historic motorcycles and automobilia.
Prefer two-wheeled motorsport? There will be displays from the UK’s best motorcycle clubs as well as a chance for individual owners to shine in the Pride of Ownership competition.
Visit hundreds of trade stands offering everything you need for the coming season – be it new helmets and race suits, parts and spares for your racing vehicle or more motorsport memorabilia to add to your collection.
Now finally, the part you’ve been waiting for; To win a pair of tickets, you must be subscribed to our newsletter AND be following us on YouTube & Twitter (or alternatively, if you do not have a twitter account, please comment below).
With the abundance of car events and classic car shows in the UK we are truly blessed with having too many to choose from. There is an event for every type of car enthusiast, from old classics, to supercars. They even have events for individual car fanatics, like Beaulieu’s Aston Martin and Porsche events.
Here’s my look ahead to all the best car shows of 2020. We’ve tried to be helpful to you, our readers, and list the premium car and classic car shows in the UK, many of which we’ve had the pleasure to attend, and would love to attend again this year. We’d love to hear from you, out of all these shows, which one is your favourite?
London Classic Car show (20-23rd February) – The London Classic Car Show is the must-attend event for any classic car owner, collector, expert or enthusiast. London Classic Car Show has established itself as one of the UK’s best classic car events right in the accessible heart of the country’s capital.
Race Retro (21-23rd February)– The most popular historic motorsport show, Race Retro 2020, will be held at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on February 21-23. With over 24,000 visitors, the show each year brings together the biggest turnout of racing drivers, preparers, traders and enthusiasts. Covering every discipline including formula and circuit racing, rallying, hill climbs, touring cars, single marque series, motorcycling, sports and GT cars.
Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show(27-29th March) – Whether you are looking to ignite your passion to a finish restoration project or simply want to reminisce with family and friends over the beautiful completed classic cars on display, you should attend the PCCC&RS event. The event brings together 1000+ cars on display, 150+ car clubs representing a wide variety of marques and models; 250+ exhibitors and autojumblers including restoration companies, services providers and product suppliers; car auction, celebrities, car competitions and practical workshops on restoration skills.
Simply Aston Martin, Beaulieu (5th April) – Are you an Aston Martin owner? Or maybe you’re just an enthusiast? All are invited to the Simply Aston Martin event at Beaulieu. All ages and models of Aston Martin are welcome, which provides a great opportunity to admire some stunning vehicles and to connect with fellow enthusiasts. All participants have the opportunity to be chosen as the winner of the People’s Choice Award, selected by public vote. Prizes will be awarded to the winner and runners-up.
Simply Audi, Beaulieu (18th April)– From the classic styling of the Quattro to the modern curves of the TT, all models are welcome at Simply Audi, which is a great opportunity to admire the wide variety of models on display and to connect with fellow enthusiasts.
Bicester Heritage Scramble(26th April) – Five years on and the Sunday Scramble is an event of national repute, attracting enthusiasts from across the UK and Europe, offering the opportunity to explore the former RAF Bicester base, the restored wartime buildings and the specialists businesses based here. It truly is an open day and car meet unlike any other.
Donington Historic Festival (1-3rd May) – Whether you’re a long-time enthusiast or have never seen a historic racing car in action before, you’ll find plenty to entertain you at the Donington Historic Festival. Celebrating the 10th festival in 2020, the event is firmly established as a major fixture on the international historic racing calendar, attracting many thousands of spectators, hundreds of world-class historic racing cars and huge numbers of classic car club displays.
We attend the Donington Historic Festival every year and every year we thoroughly enjoy ourselves. If you want to read more about the event follow this link: https://mycarheaven.com/?post_type=post&s=Donington
Spring Autojumble(16-17th May) – is perfect for those with an existing project looking for parts, looking for your next project and of course motoring enthusiasts.
With over 1000 stands and stalls to browse and pick through, you’re sure to find the elusive parts required to complete or start that restoration project. Whether you need the smallest nut or washer or are seeking a complete vehicle, all autojumblers will be in their element. There is something for everyone – and plenty of bargains to be had!
Masters Historic Racing (23-24th May)– Established in 2004 with its trademark Formula One Series, Masters is now one of the leading organisers and promoters of International historic motor racing. Based in the UK and North America with a dedicated team, Masters aims to provide customers with great racing at superb circuits with a wonderful atmosphere.
Motorsport at the Palace (24-25th May)– Crystal Palace is one of the oldest motor sport venues in the world and, since it staged its first motor race, back in 1899, it’s played host to some fantastic battles involving some of the sport’s greatest names. A fun filled day for the whole family, giving you the opportunity to see both old and new cars race against the clock to get the Fastest time of the day.
Porsche at Beaulieu (7th June) – Whether you drive a Boxster, 911 or something a little older, all Porsche models in all conditions are welcome at beaulieu. Simply Porsche provides a great opportunity to admire a stunning range of vehicles and to connect with fellow enthusiasts.
London Concours(10-11th June)– A display of some of the world’s finest cars in the intimate setting of the gardens of the Honourable Artillery Company. Enjoy retail opportunities, with displays from artisans and specialist suppliers in a relaxed environment with great food, good company, and a variety of entertainment to enjoy. The Concours is aimed at collectors, enthusiasts and people with an appreciation of quality and craftsmanship
Le Mans 24 Hours (13-14th June)– The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, and brings with it a wealth of history in the Motorsport world. Held at the Circuit de la Sarthe every year since 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans will celebrate it’s 88th edition in 2020. The 24 hours of Le Mans is the greatest and most well-known endurance race in the world.
Bromley Pagent(21st June)– The Bromley Pageant of Motoring is established as something of an institution amongst enthusiasts from all over the world. Where else would you find more than 3,000 classic cars in one place?
Goodwood Festival of Speed(9th -12th July)– The Festival of Speed is the largest motoring garden party in the world – an incredible four days that brings together an impossibly heady mix of cars, stars and motorsport ‘royalty’ to create the largest car culture event in the world. Held in the immaculate grounds of Goodwood House, this annual hillclimb event is a true celebration of motorsport and all things automotive.
We attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed every year and every year it gets better and better. This year looks to be no different. If you want to see how much fun we’ve had in the past, click the link: https://mycarheaven.com/?post_type=post&s=Goodwood
British Grand Prix (17th – 19th July)- 2020 is set to be another adrenaline-fuelled, entertainment-packed racing weekend. With the thrilling line up of concerts and activities, you can watch the drama unfold on the historic track. With the British Grand Prix renowned for its amazing Formula 1 atmosphere this is not one to miss.
Carfest North (24-26th July) – CarFest north is an annual family music and motoring festival held in Cheshire. CarFest will be nine years old in 2020, and over the past nine years we have played host to nearly one million visitors.
Silverstone Classic (31st July – 2nd August)- The Classic is renowned for hailing both motoring and motor sport milestones and in 2020 it will have its very own 30th pearl anniversary birthday to celebrate. Founded back in 1990, the original Historic Festival is widely hailed as playing a significant part in the rise of dedicated retro racing extravaganzas both in the UK and right around the globe.
Beaulieu Supercar Weekend (8-9th August) – Join us at the award winning Beaulieu Supercar Weekend on the 8th-9th August; the must-see family spectacular that brings some of the world’s most exclusive and desirable motors to Beaulieu. See displays of prestigious supercars and hear their distinctive engine notes as they unleash their horsepower on the demonstration run.
Carfest South (28-30th August) – is an event that combines classic cars, live music and food whilst also raising money for BBC Children in Need. CarFest’s refreshed content includes two paddocks filled to the brim with a great range of cars plus track races and celebrity go-karting… be prepared for motorsport overload!
Salon Privé(3-6th September)- is the most luxurious of garden parties set out over three days on our South Lawn. Presenting the finest collection of supercars, hypercars and classic cars, along with a luxury retail village and exquisite cuisine, it is a truly unique experience.
We have attended Salon Privé for the past five years and will continue to do so, this is one of the highlights of the sporting season. To read about the last years event and the type of cars they have, visit the link: https://mycarheaven.com/?post_type=post&s=salon+priv%C3%A9
Concours of Elegance(4-6th September) – The Concours of Elegance will once again bring together a selection of 60 of the rarest cars from around the world – many of which will never have been seen before in the UK. Complementing the Concours of Elegance will be displays of hundreds of other fine motor cars, including entrants to The Club Trophy.
We often run a competition to win free tickets to this event, to get your hands on a pair of tickets, make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter.
Goodwood Revival (11-13th September) – Recreating the glamour of motor racing as it used to be, the Motor Circuit comes alive for the Revival, both on and off the historic track. The only historic race meeting to be staged entirely in period dress, the Revival sees a return to the halcyon days of Goodwood as the spiritual home of British motor racing.
Classic Motor Show (13-15th November)– This is the last big car show of the year, and one of the very best. An awesome day out for sure for all things classic car related. The Classic Motor Show is the annual year-end celebration of the classic car world. Everyone who loves classic cars makes sure they’re there, either visiting or joining the many hundreds in exhibiting. All in all its a great day out for any Classic Car fan.
We run a competition every year for three of our lucky winners to win tickets to this event, to be in with a chance of winning, make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter.
We’d love to hear from you, out of all these shows, which one is your favourite?
In less than 1 week Race Retro 2017 will have kicked off. Here’s a look to our top 10 reasons for you to attend.
