The Grand Prix circuit at Brand Hatch hasn't been this quiet for years, but for two days at the end of May, the rural area near Kent was once again filled with the sound of historic motorsport. As part of the Masters Historic Festival, everything from diminutive minis and powerful V8 sports cars to thundering Formula 1 cars gathered to let their engines roar.
Brands Hatch did a great job of providing spectators with fantastic racing at a safe distance. The event was also blessed with bright blue skies for most of the event.
Due to the travel restrictions we were all aware of, the field was somewhat smaller than usual and the usual YTCC lap unfortunately had to be omitted. Nevertheless, the organizers managed to put together a great field of cars that made for some great racing on this historic circuit.
The main races over the two days were the "Historic F1", "Historic Sports Cars", "Gentlemen Drivers", "Pre '66 Saloon Cars" and the Minis, which also brought many star drivers from the historic racing scene to the track.
McLaren in the lead in the Historic F1
Two 20-minute F1 races took place over the two days with a great mix of manufacturers including McLaren, Williams, Shadow, Surtees, Theodore and some Tyrrells, including the six-wheeled Holtzman P34. The first race ended with McLaren single-seaters in first, second and third place, with Steve Hartley taking the win in an MP4, Lukas Halusa second in the ex-Jochen Mass M23 and Warren Briggs rounding off the podium in an M29.
Several great battles took place through the field, such as Phil Hall in the Theodore TR1 swapping positions with Mark Hazell in the Williams FW08 before the TR1's fuel pump broke.
The second race on Sunday ended with a second win for the dominant Hartley in the MP4 and Halusa again in close second in the M23, but Hazell in the FW08 spoiled the McLaren show and secured third place.
Lola in front in the Historic Sports Cars
One of the highlights of the weekend was the 60-minute Historic Sports Cars race, with a strong field made up of various Lola and Chevron two-seaters, with the welcome addition of some McLarens and Porsche RSRs. Cooper Monaco and DeTomaso Pantera rounded out the field.
Adding to the excitement was the pit stop, which was mandatory for all competitors in this class. Alex Brundle dominated qualifying in his Lola T70 Mk3b. He took pole position and led the entire race, which secured him victory.
Second place again went to a Lola. This time, however, it was a T70 driven by Nich Sleep and Martin Stretton. The fast Henry Fletcher in the Chevron B19 took third place on the podium.
Gentlemen's driver with Cobra dominance
The longest race of the weekend started on Sunday morning. The race lasted 90 minutes. There was something for everyone. The large field included Cobras, E-Types, Lotus Elans, Mustangs, TVRs, Porsches, Austin Healeys and more.
The fastest car in qualifying was the Shelby Daytona Cobra driven by Thomas and Lockie, but after setting the fastest lap, the engine failed. As a result, all positions were hotly contested on race day.
A welcome late entry was Olly Bryant, who put on a strong show in his much-driven AC Cobra. It already seemed that he was heading for a safe victory. Unfortunately, technical problems forced him to retire a few laps before the end.
Many of his rivals suffered a similar fate. The immense pressure on the race track resulted in multiple technical problems. In the end, James Cottingham saw the checkered flag first in his AC Cobra. Alex Brundle was second in his Jaguar E-Type and John Spiers and the well-known Tiff Needell were third in a TVR Griffith.
Displacement sizes ahead of lightweights in the Masters Pre 66 Touring Cars
The hotly contested category of the "Masters Pre 66 Touring Cars" was made up of a wide selection of very competitive Minis at one end and thundering Mustangs and Falcons at the other. There were also a few BMW 1800s, Lotus Cortinas and Studebaker Lark Daytonas in between.
The 60-minute race saw some of the most famous names on the historic racing scene behind the wheel. The top step of the podium was ultimately taken by Julian Thomas and Calum Lockie in their powerful Ford Falcon. David Coyne came a close second in a Ford Mustang and Roy Alderslade took third place on the podium in his Lotus Cortina. The Mini Cooper S driven by Page and Padmore also deserves a mention, however, as it took an incredible ninth place and thus also the class win.
Minis among themselves
The entertaining and eagerly awaited "Pre 66 Minis" class ran two races on Sunday. There was probably no corner on the GP circuit where the Minis were not on three or sometimes two wheels. Ian Curley won both races in his Austin Cooper S. In the first race, Nathan Heathcote took second place behind Curley, closely followed by Jeff Smith in third place. In the second race it was Ollie Streek in second, again behind Curley, and Page & Morris in third.
As the sun slowly set on Sunday evening, the satisfied teams, spectators and media representatives made their way home and reflected on two fantastic days of historic motorsport. It took some time, but it was worth the wait. The Superprix in July can come!
