The Silverstone Classic is now firmly established as the worlds biggest classic car racing event. Every year the organisers manage to mix regular races spectators now know to expect along with special celebration races. Always one of my favourite events of the year. Silverstone Classic 2019, 3 day weekend was sure to be no different.
This year there was the 100 years milestone of Bentley Motors to celebrate. To mark the occasion over 20 lovely old Bentleys made up a mixed grid alongside other British classics. It is amazing to see the speed these cars get up to on such skinny tyres!!
A massive crowd pleaser, Sir Jackie Stewart, it’s lovely to see the warmth he is held in by the fans. Whenever he was in the paddock it was 6 deep all trying to get a photo! Thankfully the old ORANGE vest comes in handy and I was able to capture a quiet moment as he got ready.
Almost 50 years to the day, Sir Jackie Stewart drove this Matra MS80-02 to victory in the 1969 British Grand Prix. A fantastic battle with the late Jochen Rindt, going down as one the greatest British GP races of all time. Sir Jackie was reunited with the car for a couple of quick laps in front of his admiring fans.
My highlight this year was to finally get to do a couple of laps of the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit. A big thank you to James who let me jump in his Tesla during his demo laps. Absolutely incredible acceleration… but very strange all that speed but only the noise of the wind!!
As Billy Connoly says there’s no such thing as bad weather just wrong clothes! Rain may be miserable to sit in, it does however produce great photos. The rain had almost gone by time the Masters Historic Endurance Legends returned for their now traditional Saturday evening slot. Dry track means the drivers can push hard enough to bring out those glowing red brake discs.
It really is no surprise the action on and off the track has made the Silverstone Classic the massive success. The worlds largest Classic Car racing festival! Silverstone Classic really is a highlight of my photography season and I’m already looking forward to what 2020 has in store…. after all it’s their 30th Anniversary!!!
