The Silverstone Festival, previously recognized as the Classic, stands out as a major event on the global historical racing schedule.
The gathering has significantly expanded over the last three decades, now featuring a wide range of attractions, from musical performances to various classic car club exhibitions, yet the competitive track events remain its main appeal.
The core of the 2025 event, scheduled from August 22nd to 24th, will commemorate 75 years of the world championship for drivers, alongside a plethora of other captivating features. Here are some anticipated highlights.
Celebrating F1 at 75
Marking 75 years since the inaugural Formula 1 world championship event at Silverstone in May 1950, a tribute to these seasons will form a pivotal element of the weekend Festival.
A vehicle representing the career of each of the 34 world champions to date will be presented in an exclusive display within the international paddock.
The display will chronicle the F1 journey from Giuseppe Farina to Max Verstappen, showcasing the sport’s most celebrated figures and exhibiting the remarkable evolution of grand prix racing over seventy-five years.
The World Champions Collection will be an unmatched assemblage of automobiles, tracing the pathways of several of the sport’s legends.
PLUS: The F1 show at Silverstone’s very special celebration
500cc Formula 3
The only support race for the 1950 British Grand Prix featured 500cc Formula 3 cars, among the earliest racing vehicles to be used following World War II. These small machines even graced the front cover of Autosport magazine’s premiere issue in August of that year!
Contributing to the world championship festivities, the 500 F3 movement joins the race lineup for the first time, showcasing what is believed to be a record number of these distinctive early single-seaters.
A full grid of 54 cars, supplemented by eight reserves, promises a stunning spectacle, though their racing time is limited to a single 15-minute race on Sunday. While Coopers will predictably dominate in numbers, a diverse collection of vehicles, including unique designs, will highlight the essence of racing’s revival in the immediate post-war era.
The return of Group C
Rejoining the Festival’s schedule after an absence of several years is a Group C race under the guidance of Masters Historic Racing. This marks the initiation of an ambitious effort by Masters to re-establish a competitive race series for these remarkable 1980s sports-racing cars, with the current modest grid size being a starting point compared to the 30-car grids previously seen at the Festival on Saturday evenings.
Notable participants include former F1 driver Thierry Boutsen in a Rondeau M382 and versatile racer Allard Kalff, co-driving the Spice SE92 with fellow Dutchman Michiel Campagne.
Regrettably, Porsche, Jaguar, and Sauber are not represented on the grid currently, but these are initial stages in the endeavor to bring these cars back to competitive racing.
Jan Magnussen – Van Diemen RF78
Photo by: JEP
A busy Jan Magnussen
Danish competitor Jan Magnussen maintains a strong connection with Silverstone and is set to return to drive three diverse vehicles during the Festival.
Magnussen honed his skills in British Formula Ford and Formula 3, preceding two seasons in F1 and a subsequent extensive career in GTs and touring cars.
He also returned to Formula Ford last November, participating in the Walter Hayes trophy at Silverstone.
The 52-year-old, who raced a Turner GT at the previous year’s event, will demonstrate his adaptability by racing a 1963 seven-litre Ford Galaxy, a Group C2 Tiga GC286, and a powerful Lola T70 Mk3B. The 1969 Lola presents his strongest opportunity for victory, sharing it with the skilled historic racer Chris Ward.
Tin-top stars in heavy metal
The race for Masters pre-1966 touring cars, branded under the Transatlantic Trophy, boasts a lineup of stars, including former Olympian Chris Hoy, partnering with Marco Attard in a Ford Falcon, and Chris Harris and Marino Franchitti in a Ford Mustang.
Three-time British Touring Car champion Matt Neal is teaming up with his son Henry in their Lotus Cortina, while frequent competitors Sam Tordoff (Ford Falcon Sprint) and Guy Smith (Lotus Cortina) stand out as potential victors. Max Chilton is joining the competition in a Lotus Cortina, and Aimee Watts, daughter of former touring car star Patrick, is among the group of Mini Cooper S drivers.
The impressive group of 16 Lotus Cortinas promises to be a captivating sight, although American muscle cars are expected to dominate on Silverstone’s expansive tracks.
Peugeot 908
Photo by: JEP
Modern ‘historic’ machinery
A developing aspect of the Festival includes races featuring contemporary sports, prototype, and GT cars – which is expanding this year with the addition of the new Motor Racing Legends GT3 event.
The dedicated GT3 race is accompanied by two grids from Masters, with the Endurance Legends event including both prototypes and GT cars, and the Masters GT Trophy catering to newer GT4 vehicles. Cumulatively, four of the weekend’s races will showcase cars from the current millennium, mirroring an increasing preference in historic and classic racing.
The Endurance Legends grid is a highlight, presenting an impressive assortment of prototypes, highlighted by Nicky Pastorelli’s Audi R18, Steve Brooks’ Peugeot 908, and various Pescarolos.
These prototypes create a captivating scene, illuminated by their headlights, on a circuit that allows them to fully extend their capabilities. Can anyone surpass Tim da Silva’s lap record of 1m44.057s (125.9mph), achieved in an OAK-Pescarolo in 2023?
Lotus on show
As expected, Lotus will have a major presence in the display of F1 cars across 75 years, showcasing four examples of Colin Chapman’s design mastery.
The earliest Lotus featured is the 1963 25 chassis R4, in which Jim Clark dominated the 1963 season, which included his Silverstone victory, leading to his first world championship.
Two distinguished Lotus 72s, in Gold Leaf and John Player liveries, will honor the championships of Jochen Rindt (1970) and Emerson Fittipaldi (1972), while Mario Andretti’s 1978 title-winning Lotus 78 signifies the dawning of F1’s initial ground-effect phase.
Emerson Fittipaldi, Lotus 72D Ford
Photo by: Rainer Schlegelmilch / Getty Images
Top 10: Lotus F1 cars
A wide selection of Lotus vehicles will undoubtedly be contending in various races throughout the weekend. This will create a fitting tribute to a figure who profoundly influenced grand prix car development for over two decades. Despite Colin Chapman’s passing 43 years ago, his legacy continues.
V8 thunder in the Derek Bell Trophy
Returning to the Festival schedule after a one-season break is a pair of races for the Derek Bell Trophy, an inclusive series for powerful single-seaters from the 1970s and early 1980s.
The Formula 5000s are the primary attractions, with a selection competing against regular race victor Michael Lyons in his Lola T400. The 30-vehicle grid is further composed of F2, Formula Atlantic, F3, and even Formula Ford 2000 cars.
Mark Charters, in his March 782, is set to lead the competition among the under two-litre class, with Alex Kapadia contending in his March 762, alongside Graham Ridgway in his earlier 742. All three March cars are F2 models.
Notable Formula Atlantic entries, which may encounter pace challenges with only 1600cc, include Tom Smith’s March 74B. Despite his talent, Smith dedicates more time to vehicle preparation for customers than to racing.
The versatile Jake Hill
Current British Touring Car champion Jake Hill, recognized as one of the UK’s premier national racing drivers, harbors a passion for motorsport history and frequently participates in historic racing events whenever possible.
Hill’s speed and capacity to adapt to more delicate historic racing cars compared to contemporary BTCC vehicles position him as a popular co-driver, securing three slots this weekend in partnership with car owners.
Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW 330i M Sport
Photo by: JEP
For the pre-1966 Touring Car event, he will co-drive Colin Sowter’s Ford Mustang, making them a notable contender. In the GT Trophy, Hill will be driving an Aston Martin Vantage GT2, and then transitioning to a Nissan GT1 for the Masters Endurance Legends event.
Hill enjoys the opportunity to race various vehicles, with these three cars marking significant highlights in his career.
Rouse award
Touring car legend Andy Rouse will be celebrated at the Festival through the Andy Rouse Trophy, awarded to the highest-placing Ford Sierra in Sunday’s MRL Historic Touring Car Challenge race.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Rouse’s initial British Saloon Car title and the 40th anniversary of the Sierra’s debut in what is now known as the British Touring Car Championship.
The Historic Touring Car grid is set to be another highlight of the weekend, featuring over 40 cars from the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. At least five Sierra Cosworth RS500s will compete for this special award, including Scott O’Donnell’s car, imported from New Zealand for the event.
Paul Mensley and Michael Lyons will share Mensley’s car, forming a powerful duo, while Julian Thomas is expected to compete independently in his Sierra, remaining highly competitive.
PLUS: The top 10 touring cars of the Group A era
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