PREVIEW : SILVERSTONE CLASSIC
Historic F2 will be back on the Silverstone GP circuit
On the big stage
Formula 2 , Thundersports and Formula Junior are all prominent on the schedule for The Classic , Silverstone which runs from 30 July to 1 August . Paul Lawrence previews the event .
While the HSCC race control team is once more organising the racing element of The Classic , a vast array of off-track activities and attractions will come together to make this even the biggest and best of the genre . On track , a packed weekend of 15 races will deliver wall-to-wall action and there is a mammoth 12 hours of racing on Saturday alone . Having lost the 2020 event to COVID , the event promoters have worked even harder to make 2021 a real celebration of 30 years since the first Historic Festival at Silverstone .
Support for Historic F2 has boomed in recent seasons and two years ago HF2 appeared at The Classic with a field of more than 50 cars . They are back this year and the sight and sound of these cars being unleashed on the Silverstone GP circuit will be nothing short of sensational .
Unfortunately , the travel restrictions stemming from the COVID pandemic have badly hit the planned F2 calendar and will keep many of the European F2 fraternity away from this event . They will be greatly missed .
Many of the cars run in period livery , and notable in the Giacomelli class is the ex-Marc Surer March 782 of Matthew Watts , which will be a major contender .
Andrew Smith is another likely pacesetter in his remarkably rapid March 742 along with Miles Griffiths ( Ralt RT1 ), Matt Wrigley in another 782 and Mark Dwyer in his 742 . Of the intending visitors , Tim Da Silva ( Chevron B35 ) and Greg Audi ( Ralt RT1 ) are significant challengers .
Among the 1600cc F2 pack the stand-out driver is Cam Jackson in the March 712 of Neil Fowler . Setting the Formula Atlantic standard this season is Callum Grant , who drove a mighty race at Donington Park to take an outstanding overall victory in his March 79B against the F2 pack .
Topping the magnificent Thundersports entry are the mighty Can-Am monsters of Calum Lockie ( March 707 ) and Dean Forward ( McLaren M8F ). The best of the 2-litre sportsracing cars will endeavour to take the fight to the Can-Am cars and a gaggle of quick cars from the 1970s will be topped by the Chevron B26 of category veteran John Burton .
Among the closed cockpit cars , the Chevron B16 of former Le Mans racer John Sheldon will be to the fore while a gaggle of rapid Sports 2000s include Formula Ford racer Robert Hall in his Shrike .
Formula Junior always delivers at the Classic and a vast field of cars will
surely produce two fine races to get the racing off to a great start each day . Likely pacesetters should include Cam Jackson , Chris Goodwin and Andrew Hibberd .
Rob Hall could set the Sports 2000 pace in Thundersports
HISTORIC FORMULA 2
QUALIFYING Friday 10.54 - 11.12
RACE 3 Saturday 10.40 – 11.00 RACE 15 Sunday 11.00 – 11.20
THUNDERSPORTS
QUALIFYING Friday 16.05 – 16.32 RACE 6 Saturday 13.50 – 14.30
FORMULA JUNIOR
QUALIFYING Friday 09.00 – 09.18 RACE 1 Saturday 09.00 – 09.20 RACE 13 Sunday 09.00 – 09.20
Chevron versus McLaren in Thundersports
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