Masters Historic F1 support races confirmed for British GP

The FIA Masters Historic Formula 1 championship has announced it will hold two support races at Silverstone at the British Grand Prix, giving fans the opportunity to see cars from both past and present eras on the same weekend.

Cars from the 1970s and '80s will take to the track over the British Grand Prix race weekend (July 6-8) in an event organised by Masters Historic Racing, the group behind the classic championship.

Masters Historic races have been held during grand prix weekend in the United States, Mexico, Singapore and Canada in the past, with the 2018 event at Silverstone set to be the first for a European F1 race.

"It is great to know that British F1 fans will now have three opportunities to see our cars compete on British soil in 2018 – at the Silverstone Classic, at our own Masters Historic Festival at Brands Hatch at the end of May, and now too at the British Grand Prix," said Masters Historic Racing founder Ron Maydon.

“The fact that we have been asked to organise a support race at the British Grand Prix certainly reflects the quality of the show we put on at Montreal, Austin and Mexico City last year.

"I’m sure that we will evoke many wonderful memories with the spectators that were also present at Silverstone and Brands in the seventies and eighties as well as fascinate the younger part of the crowd.”

Stuart Pringle, Managing Director of Silverstone, added: “We regularly ask our fans for feedback on how we can further improve their British Grand Prix experience and requests for more track action and the opportunity to see classic Formula One  cars are always high up on the list.

"I believe that the inclusion of the two Masters Historic Formula One races to the timetable will tick both those boxes and will not only be a fantastic crowd-pleaser but also a great addition to the weekend in a year which sees Silverstone celebrate its 70th anniversary."