Event: 2016 Silverstone Classic - Historic Formula Junior

[Steve Holmes]

The Silverstone Classic has been running for many years now, and remains one of the premier events on the annual international historic racing calendar.

What I like about this event is that the quality of cars remains extremely high, yet the classes taking part span several decades, right through until the 1990s. What I also like is that the promotion team running the event do an exceptional job of supplying quality photos and up to date information both leading up to, and during the weekend, which makes being able to cover it, for sites such as The Roaring Season, so much easier.

The 2016 Silverstone Classic took place on the weekend July 29 – 31. The organizers have kindly allowed me permission to use the stunning Jakob Ebrey they use for promotional purposes.

There were several classes taking part, and so I’ll upload each class in the order that they competed on the weekend, and include the brief race summary provided by Silverstone Classic for each.

More info on the Silvertone Classic can be found here >>

Begin Silverstone Classic event summary:

Saturday:

Even by its own record-breaking standards, Saturday (30 July) was very special at the 2016 Silverstone Classic with more than 16 hours of awe-inspiring action and epic entertainment wowing tens of thousands of fans at the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival.

It all started at dawn with 21 hot air balloons taking to the skies and ended after dusk with eighties chart-toppers, The Stranglers bringing down the curtain on another memorable day at the ‘Rocking and Racing’ Classic.

In between, the famous Grand Prix circuit hosted no fewer than 11 fiercely-fought races featuring something for everyone, ranging from early eighties DFV-powered F1 cars and fifties GTs, to slightly more modern Super Tourers and Group C prototypes. Spectators also witnessed three high-speed demonstrations and a succession of significant anniversary track parades.

Notable among these were the Lamborghini Club celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Miura plus 100 years since the birth of founder Ferruccio Lamborghini, the Viper Club marking its 20th birthday and Porsche Club GB which was honouring Porsche’s first ‘transaxle’ sports cars 40 years ago.

Indeed, the German marque was out in force with a massive display fronted by its Le Mans winning 919 Hybrid plus an impressive number of beautifully restored 924s, 944s and 968s. In total, no fewer than 2,500 club members were displaying 1,200 Porsches, including 200 transaxle models which took to the famous track for the special parade.

The efforts of Porsche Classic and the Porsche Club GB were rewarded with the coveted Mervyn Garton ‘Scarf and Googles’ Award for the best off-track visitor attraction.

While the unrivalled quantity and quality of the racing absorbs many, the amazing array of in-field entertainment is an equally important attraction at the Classic. Those at Silverstone were treated to an incredible array of privately-owned classic cars, fun fair rides, adrenaline zone activities and live festival music. The Boomtown Rats topped the bill on Friday before Reef and The Stranglers sent the fans home happy on Saturday evening.

Many of today’s highlight races will be back in action tomorrow along with a number of saloon and touring car showdowns on what’s a dedicated Tin Top Sunday.

[Steve Holmes]

Race 1: Commander Yorke Trophy for Historic Formula Junior

A huge grid of late 1950s and early 1960s Formula Junior single-seaters opened the weekend’s packed programme of racing, with more than 50 cars stretching back right around Club Corner at the start.

Sam Wilson took the lead, while Westie Mitchell, Callum Grant and pole-sitter Andrew Hibberd squabbled behind him. Hibberd moved into second and began to reel in Wilson but ultimately was unable to make up the lost ground.

There was a great battle between Cameron Jackson and Nicholas Fennell who were switching places all over the circuit and they caught Grant ahead, with Fennell battling through into third. But Grant wasn’t to be denied a podium grabbing back third place on the penultimate lap. Further back, Ray Mallock finished first of the older-generation front-engined cars, in 14th overall.

The trophies were presented by racing legend Richard Attwood, the 1970 Le Mans winner and more relevantly victor of the high profile Formula Junior race supporting the Monaco Grand Prix in 1963.

• Sam Wilson (Lotus 20/22) 9 laps
• Andrew Hibberd (Lotus 22) +1.073s
• Callum Grant (Merlyn Mk 5/7) +16.611s

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

I think what I might do here is split this thread up, so each race has its own thread. There are so many races at this event, and a HUGE number of photos, that I don't want anything to get lost in the crowd.

Will get on to this tomorrow.

[Steve Holmes]

Sunday:

Barely had The Stranglers left the stage on Saturday evening, when Sunday’s equally spectacular historic motor sport action roared back into life at the Silverstone Classic.

Billed as ‘Tin Top Sunday’, the packed schedule featured a second mouth-watering feast. This time the unrivalled on-track show was headed by nine retro races as well as three dramatic high-speed track demonstrations, special parades and a plethora of great entertainment for all ages.

Living up to its billing, the race programme featured a trio of evocative pit-stop races for packed grids of saloon cars from the sixties, seventies and eighties as well as second showdowns for many of Saturday’s highlights: including Group C, Can-Am, Super Tourers and an evocative F1 race that would be one of the most thrilling ever seen at Silverstone.

The parades and demos between the races included colourful cavalcades celebrating many motoring milestones. Among these were 50 competition cars honouring 50 years of the Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC), the Mercedes-Benz Club marking 20 years of the CLK and SLK, and the Morgan Sportscar Club hailing 80 years of the Morgan 4/4.

Rather faster were the star-studded World GP Bike Legends, with former MotoGP and World Superbike champions, such as Wayne Gardner, Freddie Spencer, Phil Read and Troy Bayliss among those riding an amazing selection of screaming 500cc motorbikes.

The sight and sound of Mika Häkkinen’s 2001 British Grand Prix winning McLaren MP4/16A was another of the day’s many acoustic high spots as were the 90s Endurance Legends – an amazing gathering of Ferraris, Jaguars, Porsches and other GT and sports prototypes, which also included touring car legend Steve Soper behind the wheel of Nick Mason’s fabulous McLaren F1.

The Classic, though, is not all about the racing and rocking. Away from the famous Grand Prix circuit and central music stage, the 800-acre Silverstone estate was crammed full of wonderful family entertainment, with visitors being treated to a host of unmissable activities for all ages. The event’s biggest-ever Sunday crowd was treated to a magical mix of air displays, street car shoot-outs, an Adrenalin Zone, interactive challenges, car club displays, period fun fair plus a busy shopping village.

Show goers also savoured a live restoration of a Range Rover Classic using only parts purchased on eBay as well as regular Car Clinics hosted with TV personality Mike Brewer, which were presented by eBay.

Introduced last year to mark the festival’s 25th anniversary, the Stuart Graham ‘Scarf and Goggles’ Award is now presented annually to what is judged to be the most admirable car competing at the Classic. This year Graham – one of the inspirations behind the original Classic event staged at Silverstone and a TT winner on two and four wheels – presented the trophy to Harm Lagaaij for his astonishing Shadow Mk1 – the most astonishingly and innovative of the Can-Am cars competing in special races held at the festival to mark 50 years since the creation of the illustrious North American sports car series in 1966.

The day’s final award – the Motor Sport Magazine Driver of the Weekend – went to Rob Hall for his hat-trick of stirring victories in his pair of stunning Matra sports cars… as well as his part in that exhilarating F1 encounter.

Another hat-trick was scored over the weekend in the event’s special motoring nod to the 50th Anniversary of England’s World Cup victory. A special car football match featuring SsangYong Tivolis saw a 3-3 result between a team of F1 drivers against footballers. Watch the match here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q03LFywsPwQ

Race 1: Commander Yorke Trophy for Historic Formula Junior

As on Saturday morning, a huge grid of Formula Juniors opened the race proceedings. Saturday’s winner Sam Wilson once again outpaced pole-sitter Andrew Hibberd off the line, with Cameron Jackson also passing the slow starting Lotus.

Wilson attempted to break the slipstream and scamper off in the distance, but Hibberd had other ideas, closing the gap to Wilson and then passing for the lead at Stowe halfway through the 20-minute race.

Further back, Martin Walford treated fans to the sight of the ex-Peter Arundell Lotus 22, which won 18 of the 25 races it entered in 1964, but most eyes were firmly fixed on the duelling duo up front.
Seeking a double success, Wilson fought back to reclaim the lead and nothing separated the pair as they slipstreamed each other around the final few laps.

Hibberd looked every which way to try and find a way past Wilson who calmly kept to his line and held on for the narrowest of hard-earned victories.

1. Sam Wilson (Lotus 20/22) 9 laps
2. Andrew Hibberd (Lotus 22) +0.223s
3. Callum Grant (Merlyn Mk 5/7) +15.596s

[Oldfart]

Maybe some of the class results in FJ would be a bit more flattering for the Kiwis Steve? Still waiting!