Photos by Dave Brassington (There are lots more images, contact us if you require hi-res shots or click here)
The Vintage Sports-Car Club’s 2018 Formula Vintage Race Season launched in style this last weekend at Silverstone. The Club staged an action-packed programme of 18 races over the 2 days supported by an AutoSolo, a round of the MSA British AutoTest Championship, a Park & Parade and also found time to incorporate ‘Drive It Day’ on the Sunday. The Invited Grids of AR Morgan Challenge, FISCAR, Historic Grand Prix Car Association and the Frazer Nash supported Freddie Giles Memorial Race all complimented the Club’s busy mix of historic grids.
A great bit of in-car footage from this meeting by Richard Bradley in a 1935 Aston Martin Ulster. – Watch an Aston Martin Ulster being driven as they used to be driven back in the day!
Close finishes and nip and tuck racing was the recurring theme of the weekend, with Competitors drawn from throughout Europe and as far away as America. Entrants for the Park & Parade were thrilled by the experience of driving their beloved cars around the circuit whilst spectators indulged in the off-track entertainment.
Top line results and highlights of the weekends races were David Furnell topping the tables in his 1928 Riley Brooklands in the High Speed Trial, finished a clear 25 seconds ahead of Jack Bond in a 1914 Vauxhall A/D Type.
It was the 1937 Talbot T26 SS of Richard Pilkington who won the Fox & Nicholl Trophy for Standard and modified pre-War Sports Cars, but it was a super close finish with Marcus Black in another 1928 Talbot (Lago T23) finishing just 2 seconds behind. The Frazer Nash Fast Tourer of Chris Chilcott finished in third place ahead of Ross Keeling in a Delahaye 135Ms and Andrew Mitchell (HRG 1 1/2 Litre) rounding out the top five.
The HGPCA race for Pre-66 Grand Prix cars it was Barry Cannell who was first across the post, in his Brabham BT11A, ahead of Andy Middlehurst (Lotus 25 R4) and Tom Dark in a Cooper T51. Another close finish with all three finishing within 10 seconds this was race 1. In Race 2, the results were the same with Jon Fairley in his Brabham BT11/19 in third place.
In the 1950s Sports car race Charlie Martin picked up first prize in his Lotus 15, ahead of Frederic Wakeman fielding his Cooper Jaguar. The Farrellac Allard Sports of Tony Bianchi finish in third place.
A huge field of 28 Frazer Nash gathered for the Freddie Giles memorial Trophy, and it was Julian Grimwade who picked up the honours in a 1934 single seat Nash. Martin Hunt was a close 2nd and John Ure 3rd both in Le Mans Replicas.
For a full list of the weekends race results from the Formula Vintage – Round One – Silverstone CLICK HERE
Formula Vintage – Round 2 – Oulton Park takes place on 19 May.
