The second round of the Masters Historic Racing series, and their first event in the UK in 2024 made for a mouth-watering weekend of historic racing at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, UK.
After the initial Masters Historic round in Paul Ricard, competitors set sail for the South-East of England on a (mostly) hot and sunny Bank Holiday weekend.
Formerly host to the British Grand Prix, the Brands Hatch circuit is possibly the most photogenic and scenic tracks in the country, with a short Indy Loop, which offers superb spectating with expansive views, where aside from a couple of trees, the whole track is visible. The Masters Historic Festival uses the longer GP circuit, named after the configuration which hosted 12 Grand Prix races between 1964 and 1986.
The GP circuit follows the Indy loop initially, before heading left into the dense woodland, following a fast, but thin and undulating ribbon of tarmac, which seems far removed from the feel of fellow UK circuits Silverstone and Donington, which feel over-developed and expansive, where Brands Hatch retains the raw, poetic sense of historic racing, where race cars coursed along country roads, the unbridled power in dramatic contrast to the serene settings at either side of the track.
The verdant setting, coinciding with the peak of British spring time, made for a glorious setting for the eclectic array of races set for the weekend. The Masters Historic Racing events, whilst firmly cemented as one of the premier Historic racing organisers in the UK (and the US) – continue to evolve, the recent addition of the Masters GT Trophy testament to this, adding a more contemporary feel to their events, which on the evidence of this weekend, certainly works wonders in appealing to a younger generation, who can identify more easily with a Lamborghini Super Trofeo, or Ferrari 458, than they can with a mid-70s F1 car or Jaguar E-Type. It is this sort of progression which we can hope further expands the historic racing appeal to fans of all ages, and offer a range of racing visuals to delight the spectator.
Saturday saw a glorious day of sunshine play host to fast paced qualifying sessions, with competitors getting to grips with the technically demanding circuit, laying down rubber and finding the reaches of mechanical grip. With the threat of rain for the following day, the first races on Saturday afternoon were held in glorious sunshine, providing a sublime sensory experience for the spectators lining the track, watching a walk-through guide to historic race cars.
Sunday arrived under a veil of heavy cloud, but the overnight rain had dissipated, and the track remained dry, whilst other circuits in the UK were under a deluge of rain, the South-Eastern corner of the UK escaped the traditional May showers.
A bumper crowd was packed into the circuit, with huge car club displays set out near to the entrance, grandstands packed, and the hillsides at the side of the circuit brimming with excited and expectant fans anticipating a feast of historic racing.
And boy, did Masters Historic certainly deliver. A packed timetable saw incredible racing throughout the grids. Notable performances from Sam Tordoff in the 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint who easily dispatched a chasing pack of Ford Mustangs in the Pre-66 Touring Cars race.
Matt Wrigley reigned imperious in the Masters Racing Legends races for pre-1985 Formula One cars, in the Tyrrell 011, fresh from his strong performances at the Monaco Historique, with newcomer to the Williams FW07C Yutaka Koribac putting in a commendable performance, keeping Wrigley honest over the weekend. In one of the other headline acts, Keith Frieser was indefatigable in the Ginetta Zytek 09S, benefitting from the absence of the often dominant Peugeot 90X of Steve Brooks.
Race Results
Masters GT Trophy
Race 1
- 1st – Craig Wilkins – Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Evo
- 2nd – Neil Glover / Aaron Scott – Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Evo
- 3rd – Gary Culver – Ferrari 458 Challenge
Race 2
- 1st – Neil Glover / Aaron Scott – Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Evo
- 2nd – Adam Sharpe / George Haynes – Mosler MT900
- 3rd – Richard Meins – BMW Z4 GT3
Masters Gentlemen Drivers
- 1st – Dan Eagling – Ginetta G4R
- 2nd – John Davison – TVR Griffith
- 3rd – Roy Alderslade / Andrew Jordan – Shelby Cobra Daytona
Masters Sportscar Legends
Race 1
- 1st – Paul Cope – March 75S
- 2nd – James Claridge – Lola T296
- 3rd – Guy Jeynes-Ellis / Matt Manderson – GRD 74S
Race 2
- 1st – Paul Cope – March 75S
- 2nd – John Spiers / Nigel Greensall – McLaren M1B
- 3rd – Guy Jeynes-Ellis / Matt Manderson – GRD 74S
Masters Racing Legends
Race 1
- 1st – Matthew Wrigley – Tyrrell 011
- 2nd – Yutaka Toriba – Williams FW07C
- 3rd – Simon Fish – Arrows A4
Race 2
- 1st – Matthew Wrigley – Tyrrell 011
- 2nd – Simon Fish – Arrows A4
- 3rd – Mark Harrison – Shadow DN9
Masters Endurance Legends
Race 1
- 1st – Keith Frieser – Ginetta Zytek 09S
- 2nd – Jack Fabby / Alfie Briggs – Norma Duqueine D08
- 3rd – Mike Newton – MG Lola EX264
Race 2
- 1st – Keith Frieser – Ginetta Zytek 09S
- 2nd – Mike Newton – MG Lola EX264
- 3rd – Andy Cummings / Matt Graham – Pescarolo 01
Masters Pre-66 Touring Cars
- 1st – Sam Tordoff – Ford Falcon Sprint
- 2nd – Mike Whittaker – Ford Mustang
- 3rd – John Spiers / Nigel Greensall – Ford Mustang
HRDC Gerry Marshall Trophy
- 1st – Michael Whittaker Jnr – Rover SD1
- 2nd – John Spiers / Nigel Greensall – Ford Capri
- 3rd – Mike Whittaker Snr – Rover SD1
