The stars are beginning to align in preparation for the 2012 Donington Historic Festival on May 5–6, with early entrants including the Le Mans and Daytona 24 Hours winner and ex-Formula One driver Jackie Oliver, who will share a 1961 250 GT SWB with Rohan Fernando in the Pre-’63 GT race. This early aluminum-bodied competition Ferrari had a brief hillclimb career half a century ago, but has never been raced, so will be making its circuit debut at Donington.
Racing against them will be Lukas Hüni and Gary Pearson, driving Hüni’s SEFAC Ferrari 250 GT SWB, the last SEFAC competition car ever built, and the machine that Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez took to victory in the 1000km of Paris in 1961. Coincidentally, a decade later Pedro and Oliver partnered to win the Monza 1000km for Porsche.
Another exceptional car scheduled for that class is a rare 1962 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL, one of just 21 ever built. Neil Tolich is travelling from New Zealand to share the car with Bill Wykeham for the event. Other well-known faces contesting Pre-’63 GT will be Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame, sharing his AC Ace with Alain de Cadenet.
Day tickets for the Donington Historic Festival cost £18 in advance (£25 at the gate), while weekend tickets are £30 in advance (£40 at the gate). Children under 16 get in free. Entry and camping tickets are available via www.doningtonhistoric.com
