ASTON MARTIN HERITAGE RACING READY FOR ACTION AT SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

ASTON MARTIN HERITAGE RACING READY FOR ACTION AT SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

With less than two months to go until Silverstone Classic, it is a timely moment to update you on the latest developments regarding Aston Martin Heritage Racing’s participation in the world’s largest historic racing weekend.

Front and centre is the AMHR Festival Series race. Created as a home for Aston Martin Racing’s back-catalogue of GT racers, this exclusive grid encompasses everything from the iconic Le Mans-winning GT1 DRB9 first raced in 2005 to the equally successful first generation V8 Vantage GTE, which rounds-out its top-flight racing career at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.

With the DBRS9, Vantage GT2, V12 Vantage GT3 and pre-2018 Vantage GT4 also eligible to race - plus a varied Invitation class for ‘specials‘ - such as the Aston Martin Vulcan - and selected Aston Martin competition cars that pre-date the AMR era, it promises to be the best-looking (and sounding!) race of the Silverstone Classic weekend.

As an official automotive partner of both Masters Historic Racing and the Silverstone Classic meeting itself, Aston Martin’s involvement in the race weekend extends well beyond Sunday’s Festival Series race. Another highlight of the weekend’s racing will be the Aston Martin Masters Endurance Legends races. Featuring a sensational array of LMP1 and LMP2 sports prototypes, including stunning Audi R8s, V12 diesel-engined Peugeots and the wailing Gulf-livered Lola-Aston Martin DBR1-2, Saturday evening’s AMMEL race starts at dusk and runs into the darkness for an evocative taste of endurance racing.

Further limelight will be stolen by a pair of specially prepared Aston Martin Vantage Safety Cars, which will be on duty throughout the race weekend as part of Aston Martin’s official automotive partnership with Silverstone Classic. Leading every grid around the track at speed prior to a dramatic rolling start, the Safety Cars then remain poised for deployment by Race Control in the event of an on-track incident. In addition to the Vantage Safety Cars, a pair of Rapide AMRs will be serving as Course Cars, shuttling circuit officials around the circuit between races.

The full AMHR experience isn’t restricted to competitors, with truly exceptional hospitality available for all Aston Martin enthusiasts. At Silverstone, the exclusive AMHR suite is situated in the spectacular ‘Wing’ building in the International paddock. Directly overlooking the pit lane and start-finish straight, this relaxed, comfortable space provides guests and Festival Series competitors with a sanctuary in the heart of the action. With fabulous food, drink and entertainment served throughout the day it’s the perfect way to enjoy one of the highlights of the historic racing season.

Full details of AMHR’s Silverstone Classic Driver Packages, plus full-weekend and individual day Hospitality Packages can be found at www.astonmartinheritageracing.com. 

For more information about Silverstone Classic and how to buy tickets (entry is strictly by advanced ticket only) visit www.silverstoneclassic.com.

Source: Aston Martin

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AN ACTION-PACKED WEEKEND OF WORLD-CLASS HISTORIC RACING

AN ACTION-PACKED WEEKEND OF WORLD-CLASS HISTORIC RACING

GT & Sports Car Cup DHF 2019

The ninth Donington Historic Festival delivered hugely-competitive racing from more than 400 historic cars spanning nine decades and ranging from Grand Prix machines and Le Mans prototypes to Touring Cars over the weekend of May 3, 4 and 5.

The calibre of the racing grids, the lure of the Donington Park circuit and the sheer fun of historic motorsport drew top-class drivers past and present, including no less than one-sixth of the present-day BTCC grid that had been out at the same track only the previous weekend. BTCC stars Colin Turkington, Andrew Jordan, Rory Butcher, Sam Tordoff and Adam Morgan all got behind the wheel of classic Touring Cars or sports cars and thoroughly enjoyed themselves, racing with the same competitive spirit they show in their ‘day job’. Other present-day racers competing at the Festival included LMP star Richard Bradley, multi Formula Ford champion/British GT driver Niall Murray and British GT racer Shaun Balfe.

Names from race programmes of the past were also out on track including 80s and 90s Touring Car aces Patrick Watts and Karl Jones, while 1970s F1 racer Howden Ganley was there in his capacity as World Patron of the Formula Junior Historic Racing Association, presenting the trophies for the FJHRA races.

The cars competing were equally illustrious. They included ERA ‘R4A’, which scored a double victory in the Nuvolari Trophy races, some 84 years after Pat Fairfield drove it to victory in the 150-mile 1935 Nuffield Trophy at Donington Park. The Nuvolari Trophy grid also featured an MG K3 Magnette raced in period by Prince Bira of Thailand, while the Jaguar Classic Challenge included a semi-lightweight E-type originally raced by Bruce McLaren.

While torrential rain ensured that only the most die-hard racing fans came to Donington Park for the Friday qualifying day, those that did brave the elements were rewarded by a spectacular show on track, as all 15 grids qualified in the wet. An added bonus for Festival visitors was the sight of the historic F1 car demonstration on a very soggy circuit, spraying water and looking for all the world like a scene from that famous Senna race of 1993.

Saturday morning dawned with blue skies and sunshine and brought the crowds with it. The track action over Saturday and Sunday didn’t disappoint, with hard-fought, massively entertaining racing played out across 17 races covering an impressively diverse range of grids all united by the quality and history of the cars and the skill and enthusiasm of the drivers.

Victory in both Historic Grand Prix Cars Association Ascari Trophy races went to Miles Griffiths in a Lotus 16, while Nick Topliss drove ERA ‘R4A’ to victory in the Nuvolari Trophy races. The driver pairing of Calum Lockie and Julian Thomas proved hugely successful, with the duo taking the chequered flag in the Jaguar Classic Challenge in an E-type and in the Historic Touring Car Challenge in a Ford Cosworth Sierra RS 500, and bringing their Ford Falcon home in second place in the HRDC Allstars race, behind Leo Voyazides and Simon Hadfield in the Shelby Cobra Coupe.

In the U2TC for under two-litre Touring Cars, the Banks brothers Andrew and Max were runaway winners in their beloved Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA, while Frederic Wakeman and Patrick Blakeney-Edwards continued their dominance of the ‘Mad Jack’ Pre-War Sports Cars in the 1928 Frazer Nash Super Sports. The Wakeman/Blakeney-Edwards duo also won the epic two-hour GT & Sports Car Cup in the Lister Jaguar Coupe and there was a Lister victory in the Stirling Moss Trophy when Richard Kent took the chequered flag in the Lister Jaguar Costin.

Former British GT champion Mike Jordan started the HRDC Touring Greats race on pole in the Austin ‘GT40’ he shared with son Andrew, and Andrew took the car to victory after the pitstop. Reflecting on a happier Donington Park weekend after his accident in the BTCC there a week before, Andrew commented “I haven’t had that much fun in a race car for a while. I had an absolute blast.”

The Pre-63 GT race was won by GT driver Jon Minshaw and his son Jack in an E-type Jaguar, the pair sharing a race car for the first time, and there was a father-and-son victory in the Tony Dron Trophy when Oliver Bryant and dad Grahame brought their mighty Chevrolet Camaro home in first place. The Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy was another family affair, with brothers John and Gary Pearson taking the chequered flag in their D-type Jaguar.

Peter de la Roche dominated both of the FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ front-engined Formula Junior races in his Lola Mk 2, in spite of a gearbox problem in Friday’s qualifying which meant a drive to Chester that night to manufacture a replacement component, while Cameron Jackson was equally successful in the two rear-engined Formula Junior races in his Brabham BT2. And the Swiss duo of Ambrogio Perfetti and Oscar Rovelli campaigned their Lotus Cortina with tremendous enthusiasm in several races during the weekend and were absolutely delighted to take victory in the final race of the Festival, the HRDC Coys Trophy.

The non-racing attractions were equally entertaining. The historic F1 demo cars, including an Ex-Michael Schumacher Benetton B192 thrilled the crowds with their inimitable noise, while the sight of a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire in the skies above Donington Park on the Sunday had all eyes turned upwards for a few glorious minutes. Donington’s Launch Pad building became the temporary home of the British Historic Kart Club, who brought along a fantastic selection of nippy machines including two ex-Senna karts.

The Infield and the GP Loop were invaded by hundreds of cars from dozens of car clubs, many of whom took to the track in lunchtime parades. The most notable club parade element came on the Saturday in the form of 50 ‘Z’ cars from the Z Club GB/Classic Z Register, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Datsun 240Z. They were led by the most famous ‘Z’ car of all, racing star Big Sam, which was followed by no less than 15 other Samuris and a fabulous mix of Datsun and Nissan ‘Z’ cars from the past 50 years.

Paired with more improvements to the Donington infrastructure over the winter months, including a big new spectator entry area and a more immersive paddock layout, this year's Donington Historic Festival was even more accessible for all spectators, many of whom are already planning their return for the 2020 event.

ACTION-PACKED TIMETABLE AND EXHILARATING GRID LINE-UP FOR 2019 DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL

ACTION-PACKED TIMETABLE AND EXHILARATING GRID LINE-UP FOR 2019 DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL

The 2019 Donington Historic Festival promises to be the most action-packed yet. Fifteen grids will take to the track across 18 races when a hugely diverse range of more than 400 classic racing cars spanning nine decades converge on Donington Park from all over the world.

The provisional event timetable has just been released, and historic motorsport enthusiasts will be spoilt for choice when deciding whether to attend on May 3, 4 or 5 - with many likely to choose to book for all three! Friday, May 3 is qualifying day, when Festival visitors get to see all 15 grids put through their paces, while Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 have a wealth of full-on race action. The excitement continues during the lunch break, with close to contemporary F1 car demos and on-track parades.

DHF 2019 - the grids

New to DHF - in fact, new full-stop - is the Sportscar 2000 for 1961-71 two-litre cars. This brand new international historic series features 1300, 1600 and 2000 classes and, by excluding four-valve machines, provides a showcase that allows smaller-engined but highly exciting racing cars such as Porsche 904 and 906, Chevron B8, Lotus 23B, Abarth and Alfa Romeo TZ, to race against each other on a hugely entertaining and competitive ‘level playing field’.

A nod to Donington’s early history can be found in the Nuvolari and Ascari Trophy races for pre-1961 Front Engined GP cars. Organised by the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association and supported by Supagard and Hall & Hall, these will feature beautiful pieces of motor racing history dating from 1925 to 1961, with fabulous machines that raced in period in the hands of the biggest stars of the day, including the types of racers that graced Donington Park in the Grands Prix of the 1930s. Donington’s early history is also celebrated in the ‘Mad Jack’ Pre-War Sports Car race. Named after Richard ‘Mad Jack’ Shuttleworth, winner of the first-ever Donington Grand Prix in 1935, this sees Alfa Romeos, Frazer Nashes, Bugattis and Bentleys go wheel-to-wheel with diminutive Morgan 3-wheelers and tiny Austin Sevens.

There will be plenty of potent, four-wheeled glamour on the track and in the open-access paddock. The Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy features stunning pre-56 road-racing cars including C- and D-type Jaguars and 250S Maseratis, while ‘big cats’ galore will be out in the Jaguar Classic Challenge. The GT & Sports Car Cup showcases genuine pre-66 GT cars and pre-63 sports-racing cars of a type that was raced in the World Endurance Championship, while the Pre-63 GT features Short Wheelbase Ferraris, DB4GT Astons, AC Aces, SZ Alfas and Lotus Elites. 

If the drivers of the Lotus 15s, Lister Jaguars, Lister Knobblys and Cooper Monacos in the Stirling Moss Trophy seem to be battling it out with an extra level of enthusiasm, it might have something to do with the fact that they’re competing for the actual cup that Sir Stirling Moss won in the 1955 British GP.

Making its DHF debut is the HRDC ‘Allstars’ grid for pre-66 sports, GT and Touring Cars. The HRDC grids are always hugely entertaining and this promises to maintain that tradition. Expect to see TVR Griffith vs Bill Thomas Cheetah, Austin-Healey Jamaican and Daimler 250SP ‘Dart’!

The ever-popular and reliably lively Formula Juniors return, with two FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Championship grids. This formula was developed six decades ago as a way to train future Grand Prix drivers and was a proving ground for names such as Jim Clark, John Surtees and Jochen Rindt.

Tin-top fans won’t be disappointed either, with a timetable that includes five dedicated Touring Car races. The HRDC ‘Coys Trophy’ will see everything from Mini Coopers to Notchback and GT350 Ford Mustangs in the line-up of 1958-66 Touring Cars, while the pre-60 grid in the HRDC ‘Touring Greats’ is likely to showcase battles between Ford Thunderbirds and Alfa Romeo Giulietta Ti Berlinas, with a good helping of Austin A35 and A40s nipping around as well.

Ford Lotus Cortinas will be out in force in the U2TC, facing opposition from BMW 1800 TISAs and Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTAs, while the Historic Touring Car Challenge with Tony Dron Trophy brings together a fantastic array of beefy pre-1991 British and European Touring Cars. If BMW M3 E30s, RS500 Ford Sierra Cosworths, Chevrolet Camaros, Ford Capris and XJ12C Jaguars are your thing, this is definitely one not to miss. 

PROVISIONAL EVENT TIMETABLE

Qualifying: Friday, May 3

09.10 - Sportscar 2000 for 1961-71 two-litre cars
09.55 - Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy for pre-56 sportscars
10.35 - U2TC Trophy for pre-66 under two-litre Touring Cars
11.15 - HRDC ‘Touring Greats’ for pre-’60 Touring Cars with Invited ‘TC63’
11.50 - Mad Jack - Pre-War Sports Cars
12.25 - Historic Touring Car Challenge (HTCC) with Tony Dron Trophy
12.55 - Lunch Break / Demonstrations
13.35 - GT & Sports Car Cup for pre-66 GT & pre-63 sportscars
14.25 - HRDC ‘Allstars’ for pre-’66 Sports, GT & Touring Cars
15.00 - Jaguar Classic Challenge for pre-66 Jaguar cars
15.40 - Pre-63 GT for pre-63 GT cars
16.20 - FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Formula Junior Championship Front Engined Grid
16.50 - Nuvolari and Ascari Trophies for pre-1961 Front Engined GP cars
17.20 - Stirling Moss Trophy for pre-61 sportscars
18.00 - HRDC ‘COYS TROPHY’ for Touring Cars 1958- 1966
18.35 - FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Formula Junior Championship Rear Engined Grid

Saturday, May 4

09.10 - FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Formula Junior Championship Front Engined Grid - Race 1

09.45 - Sportscar 2000 for 1961-71 two-litre cars
11.00 - Nuvolari and Ascari Trophies for pre-1961 Front Engined GP cars - Race 1
11.35 - Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy for pre-56 sportscars
12.35 - Lunch Break / Demonstrations
13.25 - U2TC Trophy for pre-66 under two-litre Touring Cars
14.40 - FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Formula Junior Championship Rear Engined Grid - Race 1
15.15 - Mad Jack - Pre-War Sports Cars

16.10 - HRDC ‘Touring Greats’ for pre-’60 Touring Cars with Invited ‘TC63’
17.10 - GT & Sports Car Cup for pre-66 GT & pre-63 sportscars

Sunday, May 5

09.10 - HRDC ‘Allstars’ for pre-’66 Sports, GT & Touring Cars
10.10 - FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Formula Junior Championship Front Engined Grid - Race 2
10.45 - Historic Touring Car Challenge (HTCC) with Tony Dron Trophy
12.00 - Jaguar Classic Challenge for pre-66 Jaguar cars
13.00 - Lunch Break / Demonstrations
14.00 - Pre-63 GT for pre-63 GT cars
15.15 - Nuvolari and Ascari Trophies for pre-1961 Front Engined GP cars - Race 2
15.50 - Stirling Moss Trophy for pre-61 sportscars
17.05 - HRDC ‘COYS TROPHY’ for Touring Cars 1958- 1966
18.05 - FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Formula Junior Championship Rear Engined Grid - Race 2

Advance discounted tickets

Advance tickets offer significant discounts over buying on the gate, and Earlybird tickets bring the cost down even further, with an Earlybird three-day weekend ticket costing just £35 (£40 from Feb 8), while Earlybird raceday (Saturday or Sunday) tickets cost £21 (£25 from Feb 8). Can’t make the whole weekend? You can still enjoy fantastic track action on the Friday qualifying day (May 3), with an advance ticket costing just £10. Children aged under 13 are admitted for free and there are discounted tickets for teenagers aged 13-15.

Visit www.doningtonhistoric.com for further information and to book tickets.

Source: Donington Historic