This weekend’s Masters Historic Festival at Brands Hatch will celebrate the Kent venue’s greatest hits, with classic Formula One, World Sportscar and British Touring Cars headlining high speed nostalgia on the legendary Grand Prix circuit.

Three decades of F1 machinery will roar into action, including two races for the FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship on the classic British Grand Prix track.

The grid features evocative cars from Tyrrell, Brabham, Williams and Lotus, with World Championship-winning cars and the Hesketh that powered James Hunt into the winners’ circle in 1975.

Almost all of the cars competing will have starred at the Kent venue during the category’s halcyon days in the 1970s and early 1980s. 

The following decade of F1 will also be covered with demonstration runs from the era of screaming engines and high-technology.

Taking part in the spectacular Sunday lunchtime display will be the 1989 Lotus once raced by world champion Nelson Piquet, and the Benetton and Prost cars that were driven by Grand Prix winners Gerhard Berger, Jean Alesi, Olivier Panis and Jarno Trulli.

The famous BOAC 500 and 1000km sportscar races of the late 60s and early 70s will be recalled in the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship.

Two of the era’s titans, the Ford GT40 which won the 1968 event, and the Lola T70, will feature amongst a huge entry including cars from Cooper, Porsche and McLaren for the two races, which will also include pitstops for driver changes.

The Kent venue’s 1990s history will be celebrated with the Super Touring Car Championship, when motoring manufacturers regularly fought for showroom supremacy.

Beefed up saloons from BMW, Ford, Honda, Peugeot, Vauxhall, Volvo and more will recall the great BTCC battles of the era, and leading the charge will be 1995 champion John Cleland and his contemporary rival Patrick Watts.

The Super Touring action will take place on Sunday on the Grand Prix circuit, with a second race on the Indy circuit on Bank Holiday Monday, billed as the Masters Raceday.

The day will also feature classic saloon action from the 1970s celebration which is expected to feature Ford Escorts and Capris, Jaguars and BMWs amongst the entries.

The Masters Festival will also include a pre-1966 Touring Car race, with big American Muscle cars battling Minis and Lotus Cortinas, plus sportscar encounters from the 50s and 60s in the Stirling Moss Trophy, Woodcote Trophy and Gentlemen Drivers Pre-66 events.

The weekend also features classic Formula Ford single seaters races and the Dutch historic Touring Car championship.

In addition to the chance to see many legendary cars on the picturesque Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit, the event also includes classic car displays, and younger race fans can enjoy go-karting and a free children’s adventure playground.

Tickets for the Masters Historic Festival at Brands Hatch on May 23 and 24 are available from £15, with free entry for under-13s.

For more information, call 0843 453 9000 or visit brandshatch.co.uk

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