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Silverstone Classic 2018 – Results & Highlights

Silverstone Classic certainly delivered the goods this summer with a packed weekend of excitement in hot sizzling heat. Saturday’s 11 races ensured the on-track action came thick and fast with the high-quality retro revival line-ups delivering breathtaking racing reminiscent of yesteryear.

On a weekend that celebrated the 70th anniversary of the very first Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone, the Classic tipped a nostalgic nod to the racing inspired by that historic 1948 event. This began with the oversubscribed Jim Clark Trophy for Historic Formula Junior (’58-’60) won by Will Mitcham in his U2 Mk2, followed later by the Denny Hulme Trophy for Historic Formula Junior (’61-’63), won by renowned Formula Junior exponent Sam Wilson in his Lola Mk2.

In a treat for spectators, the two vast Formula Junior fields also came together in spectacular fashion for a record-breaking parade of the 100+ cars to mark the formula’s Diamond Jubilee. A magnificent sight as the marvellous selection of machines poured onto track, the gathering is believed to be the largest-ever number of single-seaters to come together on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit at one time.

Historic sportscars took centre stage on Saturday morning, with the prestigious Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars (Pre ’63 GT) going the way of Martin Hunt and Patrick Blakeley-Edwards in their AC Cobra, before renowned historic racer Chris Ward steered his Lister Knobbly to victory in the Stirling Moss Trophy for Pre ’61 Sports Cars.

High-speed lunchtime demonstrations from both the World GP Bike Legends and Legends of Modern Formula One tantalised the senses with their spine-tingling sounds and evocative designs, before the terrific on-track entertainment multiplied with a parade of retro motorcycles celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Ace Cafe, followed by car parades that included 50 Morgans honouring the half-century of the Plus 8 and a magnificent display from the Aston Martin Owners’ Club marking the 70 year anniversary of the DB1 and 60 years of the DB4’s unveiling.

The inimitable FIA Masters Historic Formula One guaranteed a bold opening to the afternoon’s racing with Nick Padmore charging to victory at the wheel of his ex-Carlos Reutemann Williams FW07C. Michael Lyons clinched second place in his Hesketh 308E with Christophe D’Ansembourg completing the podium in his own Williams FW07C, the Belgian having benefitted from a tangle ahead that delayed Martin Stretton (Tyrrell 012) and Matteo Ferrer-Aza (Ligier JS11).

In the HSCC Road Sports (’47-’79) race, John Davison took the chequered flag for victory in his Lotus Elan S1, heading off a brace of Morgan Plus 8s, while a red flag for oil on the circuit curtailed an exhilarating four-way tussle for victory in the Adrian Flux Trophy for Pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars (HGPCA) with William Nuthall (Cooper T53) awarded the win ahead of the Lotus’ of Peter Horsman and Timothy de Silva.

In the first of the weekend’s touring car races, tin-top legend Rickard Rydell targeted a famous win in the JET Super Touring Trophy from pole position driving the Volvo S40 in which he claimed the 1998 British Touring Car Championship title but couldn’t halt the charge of fellow front-row man James Dodd who swept to victory in his identically aged Honda Accord.

With the sun beginning to dip, the trio of Daytona at Dusk races started with the International Trophy for Classic GT Cars (Pre ’66) being won by Jake Hill. The youngster produced a marvellous giant-killing performance in his nimble Lotus Elan to resist a hoard of more powerful AC Cobras, TVR Griffiths and Jaguar E-types with an exemplary display of inch-perfect driving.

The keenly-contested Yokohama Trophy for FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars ended with Oliver Bryant leading a Lola 1-2-3 after the Can-Am McLaren M6B of Andrew and Max Banks suffered a late retirement whilst leading comfortably.

Saturday concluded with the new Masters Endurance Legends race – cars running lights ablaze in the dusky conditions – which brought the action to a captivating conclusion against a stunning sunset backdrop. Steve Tandy in the Lola B12/60 claimed the spoils for the category’s inaugural Silverstone Classic outing, finishing ahead of the iconic Gulf-liveried Aston Martin DBR1-2 of Christophe D’Ansembourg

Race Results [Saturday]:

Jim Clark Trophy for Historic Formula Junior (1958-1960)

  1. Will Mitcham (U2 Mk2) 9 laps (88.70mph)
  2. Christopher Drake (Terrier Mk 4 Series 1) +1.627s
  3. Marcus Griffiths (Lotus 18) +1.739s

Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars (Pre ’63 GT)

  1. Martin Hunt / Patrick Blakeney-Edwards (AC Cobra) 20 laps (86.09mph)
  2. James Cottingham / Harvey Stanley (Jaguar E-Type) +42.492s
  3. Sam Hancock / Gregor Fisken (Jaguar E-Type) +44.010s

Stirling Moss Trophy for Pre ’61 Sports Cars

  1. Chris Ward (Lister Knobbly) 20 laps (90.24mph)
  2. Tony Wood / Will Nuthall (Lister Knobbly) +10.930s
  3. Roger Wills (Lotus 15) +13.371s

Denny Hulme Trophy for Historic Formula Junior (1961-1963)

  1. Sam Wilson (Lola Mk2) 8 laps (92.82mph)
  2. Timothy De Silva (Brabham BT2) +0.795s
  3. Jonathan Milicevic (Merlyn Mk5/7) +0.349s

FIA Masters Historic Formula One

  1. Nick Padmore (Williams FW07C) 11 laps (113.80mph)
  2. Michael Lyons (Hesketh 308E) +16.495s
  3. Christophe D’Ansembourg (Williams FW07C) +31.486s

HSCC Road Sports (’47-’79)

  1. John Davison (Lotus Elan S1) 12 laps (86.32mph)
  2. Richard Plant (Morgan Plus 8) +22.426s
  3. Jonathan Edwards (Morgan Plus 8) +24.663s

Adrian Flux Trophy for Pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars (HGPCA)

  1. William Nuthall (Cooper T53) 11 laps (92.69mph)
  2. Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) +1.328s
  3. Timothy de Silva (Lotus 24) +1.531s

JET Super Touring Car Trophy

  1. James Dodd (Honda Accord) 9 laps (26mph)
  2. Rickard Rydell (Volvo S40) +7.186s
  3. Jason Hughes (Vauxhall Vectra) +29.080s

Daytona at Dusk, International Trophy for Classic GT Cars {Pre ’66)

  1. Jake Hill (Lotus Elan) 17 laps (89.43mph)
  2. Michael Gans / Andy Wolfe (AC Cobra) +0.664s
  3. John Spiers (TVR Griffith) +1.229s

Daytona at Dusk, Yokohama Trophy for FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars

  1. Oliver Bryant (Lola T70 Mk38) 22 laps (91mph)
  2. Michael Gans (Lola T290) +7.562s
  3. Diogo Ferrao / Martin Stretton (Lola T292) +19.309s

Daytona at Dusk, Masters Endurance Legends

  1. Steve Tandy (Lola B12/60) 11 laps (80mph)
  2. Christophe D’Ansembourg (Lola Aston DBR1-2) + 14.753s
  3. Martin Short (Dallara SP1) +15.761s

 

Sunday was dubbed Tin-Top Sunday in honour of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the enduringly-popular British Touring (née Saloon) Car Championship, an illustrious line-up of high-profile drivers – both from today and yesteryear – lit up the timesheets on an exhilarating day of wall-to-wall retro racing.

With touring cars taking centre stage on Sunday to comprise four of the day’s ten races, the star attractions were out in force in the much-anticipated JET Super Touring Car Trophy with all eyes on legend of the discipline Rickard Rydell to see whether he could recreate his race-winning exploits in the 1998 Volvo S40, 20 years on from his BTCC title.

After bringing the crowds to their feet by nosing into the lead early on, Rydell was ultimately forced to settle for second position behind the winning Honda Accord of James Dodd, who collected his second win of the Silverstone Classic weekend. Nevertheless, a third-place finish for 1989 and 1995 champion John Cleland in the Vauxhall Vectra ensured a popular podium line-up that fittingly evoked misty-eyed memories of the BTCC’s Super Touring heydays.

Earlier on, one of touring car’s most successful modern-day racers Rob Huff swapped his technologically-advanced World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) VW Golf for the humbler but substantially more iconic Ford Lotus Cortina to claim victory in the Gallet Trophy for Under 2 Litre Touring Cars (U2TC) alongside Andy Wolfe. Huff – the 2012 World Touring Car Champion – and Wolfe finished 16secs clear of second place Andy and Maxim Banks in their Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA to secure one of the most popular triumphs of the day, with Wolfe the beneficiary of a beautiful heritage-inspired Gallet watch as owner of the winning car.

Both Huff and Wolfe returned at the close of the event in the thundering Transatlantic Trophy for Pre ’66 Touring Cars, albeit in separate entries. Driving a Ford Falcon alongside Trevor Buckley, Huff was forced to settle for a hard-fought fifth-place whereas Wolfe powered to his second win of the day in the Ford Falcon Sprint he shared with Mike Gardiner.

In the Historic Touring Car Challenge, father-son pairing Nick and Harry Whale surged to a dominant victory in one of the most successful saloon cars of its generation, the BMW M3 E30, ahead of Mark Smith and Arran Moulton-Smith in another of the Munich marque’s venerable vehicles.

The riveting racing action was complemented by a show-stopping parade to mark 60 years of the BTCC featuring racing cars spanning six decades from a glorious Austin A105 Westminster as raced by Jack Sears to the inaugural BTCC (née BSCC) title in 1958, all the way to the 2017 BTCC title-winning Subaru Levorg GT as driven today by touring car legend Jason Plato.

Iin the FIA Masters Historic Formula One as Nick Padmore – this time starting from a reversed eighth on the grid – scythed his way to the front to claim a second win of the weekend in his ex-Carlos Reutemann Williams FW07C

Despite losing out to a dominant Padmore on the road, Michael Lyons earned another podium finish in second place and was also awarded the Henry Hope-Frost #FEVER Award in honour of the much-loved late broadcaster and freelance journalist, who tragically lost his life in a road traffic accident earlier this year. Bestowed upon the driver who produced the most memorable high-octane moment from the weekend, Lyons earned the accolade as a result of his audacious around the outside pass on Martin Stretton’s Tyrrell at Stowe on Saturday.

In the weekend’s second outing for the Masters Endurance Legends, Steve Tandy clinched a double victory at the wheel of his Lola B12/60 after prevailing in an entertaining race-long dice with Herve Regout driving the Lola Aston Martin DBR1-2. In third position, David Porter picked up a third-place finish in his striking Peugeot 908 LMP1, a modern icon of innovation that justifiably earned it the sought-after Stuart Graham Scarf & Goggles Award for the most admired competition car at the Classic this year.

In the same race, six-time Olympic cycling gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy basked in more of the success he has become accustomed to during his staggering career with a P2 class-winning drive en route to sixth position overall in his Courage LC75, the Scotsman adding another milestone result to an already remarkable repertoire.

Following its record-breaking parade on Saturday, Historic Formula Junior returned to the track in conclusion of a triumphant two-year Diamond Jubilee World Tour. Sam Wilson collected his second victory of the weekend to lift the Jochen Rindt Trophy for cars in period 1961-1963 driving his Lotus 20/22. There were also plaudits for Cameron Jackson, who made an exemplary charge to second place from 50th on the grid.

Anthony Hibberd secured victory for Historic Formula Junior (1958-1960) in his Lola Mk2, while the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy for Pre ’56 Sports Cars went the way of Gary Pearson in his majestic Jaguar D-type. In the second Adrian Flux Trophy for Pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars (HGPCA) of the weekend, Peter Horsman in his Lotus 18/21 topped the podium ahead of Mark Daniell (Cooper) in second and Tony Wood (Maserati) in third.

This year, a pristine example of a rare Aston Martin DB1 earned Allan Southward the much desired Yokohama Trophy for Club Car of the Show, while the Ferrari Owners Club was handed the Adrian Flux Trophy for the Best Car Club Display.

Provisional dates for the Silverstone Classic in 2019 are: 26 – 28 July.

Race Results [Sunday]:

Jochen Rindt Trophy for Historic Formula Junior (1961-1963)

  1. Sam Wilson (Lotus 20/22) 9 laps (93.43mph)
  2. Cameron Jackson (Brabham BT2) +11.962s
  3. Peter Morton (Lightning Envoyette) +17.855s

Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy for Pre ’56 Sports Cars

  1. Gary Pearson (Jaguar D-type) 20 laps (87.22mph)
  2. Frederic Wakeman / Patrick Blakeney-Edwards (Cooper T38) +5.289s
  3. Richard Wilson / Martin Stretton (Maserati 250S) +1m 03.867

Gallet Trophy for Under 2 Litre Touring Cars (U2TC)

  1. Rob Huff / Andy Wolfe (Ford Lotus Cortina) 20 laps (86.56mph)
  2. Andrew Banks / Maxim Banks (Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA) +16.701s
  3. Neil Brown / Richard Dutton (Ford Lotus Cortina) +55.788

John Surtees Trophy for Historic Formula Junior (1958 – 1960)

  1. Anthony Hibbard (Lola Mk2) 9 laps (89.07mph)
  2. Will Mitcham (U2 Mk2) +0.838s
  3. Chris Drake (Terrier Mk4 Series 1) +6.383s

Historic Touring Car Challenge

  1. Harry Whale / Nick Whale (BMW M3 E30) 18 laps (92.45mph)
  2. Mark Smith / Arran Moulton-Smith (BMW M3 E30) +5.361s
  3. Ric Wood (Ford Capri) +29.263s

FIA Masters Historic Formula One

  1. Nick Padmore (Williams FW07C) 11 laps (113.05mph)
  2. Michael Lyons (Hesketh 380E) +18.347s
  3. Martin Stretton (Tyrrell 012) +24.936s

JET Super Touring Car Trophy

  1. James Dodd (Honda Accord) 9 laps (95.73mph)
  2. Rickard Rydell (Volvo S40) +2.314s
  3. John Cleland (Vauxhall Vectra) +30.845s

Masters Endurance Legends

  1. Steve Tandy (Lola B12/60) 15 laps (114.36mph)
  2. Herve Regout (Lola Aston Martin DBR1-2) +0.595s
  3. David Porter (Peugeot 908) +22.622s

Adrian Flux Trophy for Pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars (HGPCA)

  1. Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) 9 laps (91.45mph)
  2. Mark Daniell (Cooper T45) +26.369s
  3. Tony Wood (Tec-Mec Maserati 415) +29.725s

Transatlantic Trophy for Pre ’66 Touring Cars

  1. Mark Gardiner / Andy Wolfe (Ford Falcon Sprint) 17 laps (85.69mph)
  2. Craig Davies (Ford Mustang) +7.934s
  3. James Thorpe / Sean McInerney (Ford Mustang) +8.941s

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Related Posts: Motor Racing Legends Race reports,  Races from the HSCC

Images by  John Retter Photography  

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