The Classic is an annual pilgrimage for Historic Formula Junior , as drivers gather from all corners of the globe for the biggest grid of the year featuring a capacity field of 54 little single seaters , with personality and performance guaranteed to entertain ! Do go and visit the teams and drivers in the National Paddock , where you will be warmly introduced to the cars and drivers .

Formula Junior began in 1958 and was the idea of Italian Count ‘ Johnny ’ Lurani , to create a starter formula to bring on future Grand Prix drivers for the Italian Ferrari and Maserati teams , so sadly denuded of Italian drivers by the loss of Tazio Nuvolari , Alberto Ascari , Eugenio Castellotti , and soon to be followed by Luigi Musso .

From the first race at Monza , Italy on 25 April 1958 , and then to France , Portugal and soon to Great Britain and Germany , before spreading across the Globe to USA , Canada , New Zealand , Australia , South Africa and the Far East – even to Russia and Eastern Europe – Formula Junior races were held from Riga to Cuba and Macao to Mexico City .

Within two years , there were races every weekend across five Continents , and by 1961 , it had become the feeder formula direct into Formula One . Jim Clark , John Surtees , Peter Arundell , Mike Spence , Denis Hulme , Jochen Rindt , Mike Hailwood and Giancarlo Baghetti were amongst many who progressed that way . Later , Formula Junior was the first historic formula to be revived right back in 1975 at a time when historic racing was in its infancy .

Historic Formula Junior racing still takes place worldwide , at venues ranging from the Grand Prix circuits of Silverstone and the Red Bull Ring to Goodwood and the streets of Pau . The Formula Junior Historic Racing Association also organises the Lurani Trophy

International Series alongside it ’ s UK-based Silverline Championships .

There has been a variety of race winners throughout this season , and this weekend they will all be lined up together vying for victory and the top step of the podium . However , they face serious competition from previous winners of the Formula Junior races at The Classic , who are yet to appear this season !

It could be 2022 race winners Alex Ames ( Brabham BT6 ), Clive Richards ( Lotus 22 ) or Modern GT racer Michael O ’ Brien ( Brabham BT6 ) or the returnees Sam Wilson ( Cooper T59 ), Jon Milicevic ( Brabham BT6 ), Andrew Hibberd ( Lotus 22 ) or Cam Jackson who has yet to race his latest project , a rare Italian De Sanctis .

Wilson is back in a car that has taking him to glory at this event before but has been tucked away in a corner of the workshop for the better part of a decade , while his mate and local ace Milicevic makes a welcome return to Formula Junior for the biggest race weekend of the season . However , the man they all have to beat is regular McLaren GT racer O ’ Brien who runs the Brabham of his dad ’ s Silverstonebased Speedsport team .

Safe to say it ’ s going to be thrilling to watch ! These are all disc-braked rear engine cars from 1962 and 1963 , and one other worth a

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HISTORIC FORMULA JUNIOR