BRDC CLASSIC 2026 - THE RACES
Following the initial news story we decided to extend the commentary and add a broader image review to include all the races.
Time has moved on for the world of historic racing and while old favourites such as pre-war and 1950s/60s sports-cars are still a feature popular with drivers and spectators, a new generation of enthusiasts want machinery that relates more directly to them.
This year sees 20 years of GT3 celebrated at the BRDC Classic, attracting a 26-strong grid of cars homologated from the inception of the category in 2006, including evolution versions and 2015. Silverstone is an appropriate birthday party venue as the FIA GT Championship made its first laps at the venue.
Sometimes controversial due to the application of balance of performance adjustments, GT3 proved popular with manufacturers producing purposeful and powerful road cars such as Mercedes and BMW, with their V8 SLS AMS and Z4 respectively. The Aston Martin Vantage V12 was the most successful car on the British scene, winning four championships and a record set of 67 podiums. Ford brought their GT, a GT40 homage, to the party to be challenged by Ferrari with the 458 and 430, rewinding the company’s story to 1966 and the GT40 victory at Le Mans that year. More Italian interest with the Lamborghini Galado GT3 was illustrated with four entries for the Classic race. Any requirement for high performance would always attract Japanese attention and Nissan developed the GT-R Nismo into a useful weapon, a pair of which were entered in the Classic encounter. It would be Audi and the R8 LMS that set the high-tide mark both for success and production with multiple wins and some 300 examples built. This is potentially reflected by the fact that five variants were entered for the Classic race. Two 50-minute pit-stop contests gave plenty of opportunity to experience GT3 performance. Jonathan Mitchell and Graham Davidson set the pace with a pair of Aston Martin V12 Vantage, taking the top two podium steps half a second apart. The first Audi R8LMS Ultra came home 3rd driven by Danny Winstanley and a bit of American muscle 4th with Phil Keen’s Chevrolet Camaro GT3. Less than 3 seconds covered the top four places; such was the sharp-end race pace. Race 2 was not a re-run when Mitchel’s Aston made some expensive sounds as he throttled off at Becketts on lap 3 and retired. First race bridesmaid Davidson found himself elevated to the lead and a strong win 16 seconds ahead of Winstanley’s Audi R8 LMS; the meat in a Vantage V12 sandwich with Kyle Tilley/ Christian Albrecht Aston 3rd.
Despite his team being 1200 miles away in Hungary, McClaren CEO Zak Brown had a weekend off to do some share-driving for the first time with his son Max. The pair was suitably tooled-up for the GT3 race with a McClaren MP4-12C and Ferrari 458 GT2 for the Endurance Icons, where they scored a GT2 class win. It was a joyful weekend with Lando Norris on the top step in F1 as well.
The Endurance Icon grid from 1994 to 2015 saw some of the fastest speeds of the weekend with front-runners lapping down to the 1.52s just over 116 MPH! The race was a fitting tribute to the years that saw a reboot of interest in long-distance racing with the then new FIA WEC. GT and Sports Prototype. The race was a skilful spectacle particularly at the end of Hanger Straight, where lifting off seemed not to apply to cars like the 2010 Zytec 09S LMP1C of pole sitting double winner Keith Frieser. In a debut race for the Classic and MSL, 23 cars took the start with LMP1/2, GT1/2 represented including some iconic machines such as Shaun Lynn’s Bentley 8 and the MG Lola EX264 of Mike Newton. Another battle rejoined was between Porsche and Ferrari with a trio of 911/997 RSR GT2/3 and 458 GT2 of the Browns; the latter would secure a class second. Another notable entry was the Cadillac Northstar LMP of Max Lynn, not super competitive in period but 3rd behind father Shaun in the Bentley 8 in race 2, illustrating the car/driver combinations potential.
As well as a full race card, car clubs collected themselves on the infield and paraded during the lunch break each day, adding a certain off-track buzz to the event other than that of the pits. Celebrated during the track perambulations were multiple anniversaries for Triumphs, TR4, Herald, Vitesse, Dolomite; Porsche 50 years of the 924, 30 for the Boxter; Bristol 80th for the 400 model and 50 for the 603. Lotus pumped up the balloons for the 50th birthday of the Esprit, 30 and 25 years for the Elise and Exige respectively.
The BRDC Classic with Motor Sport Legends delivered a strong start to the new event with a great mix of eras and cars. It will be interesting to see how this package evolves.
ONE SUMMER DAY AT CASTLE COMBE
Whilst continuing with the Steve Welsh Photos editorial theme of connections, this gallery also introduces period images from Steve Welsh Collection. Two photographs from 750MC Castle Combe meeting July 3rd 1965 of Ron Fry’s Ferrari 250 LM, number 96, one in assembly with Patrick ‘Paddy’ McNally’s Cobra, captured a delightfully period paddock scene and begin the story. Entered in the GT race, Fry posted a fastest lap at 1 minute 9.8 seconds and took 1st place with Patrick Paddy McNally with his AC Cobra 2nd. This Italy vs USA contest was a microcosm of the battle raging through the World Sports-Car Manufacturers Championship that year with multiple winners Ferrari beaten with a first win for the Alan-Mann-run Shelby Cobra team. Three additional 1965 pictures show the Ferrari probably at Dyram Park Hillclimb May 5th still wearing the number 148 that was allotted for an entry at Oulton Park for the RAC TT May 1st 1965; however, the car is recorded as a ‘no show’. Fry acquired the right-hand drive LM from the 1964 Earls Court motor show stand in September 1964. Engine number 211, chassis 6105 in China-red with panno blue registered Ron 54. The Ferrari immediately saw action when Bristol garage man Fry competed at Longleat Hillclimb on September 20th 1964 and Weston-super-Mare speed trials a week later.
Fry ran the 250 LM in a full spectrum of national competitions, hillclimbs, sprints and circuit racing and was a regular at Castle Combe until the Ferrari was sold to be replaced by a Ford GT40 at the end of 1966. The Ferrari continued its competition career with new owner David Skailes and was re-registered BFB 932B and received a face-lift with a Drogo long-nose conversion. The next owner Jack Maurice changed registration number again to JM 265 and ran the car in competition although less frequently until moving the LM on in 1975. Richard Colton acquired the car in 1977 and ran it in selected events. During Colton’s tenure, the Ferrari underwent restoration and a Scaglletti short-nose was acquired and fitted. The year 1984 found the car in Japan, then to the States before returning to Europe in the early 2000s where it raced in historic events such as Le Mans Classic and Goodwood Revival.
The Ferrari’s paddock buddy on that Castle Combe day in 1965 is a UK-produced small block AC Cobra 289 registration EPJ 808B and chassis 6041. It was purchased new in 1964 by Patrick ‘Paddy’ McNally and prepared for international endurance events by Alan Mann Racing, who were running Carol Shelby’s works team in the World Manufacturers Championship at that time. Mann fitted the Cobra with a 4.7-litre works spec engine and up-rated running gear. It seems the car was entered but did not start the Nurburgring 1000KM in May 1965 to be share-driven by Bob Bondurant amongst others; however, the car did not start the race and is listed as ‘Did not Arrive’ in Time and Two Seats.
British hillclimb and sprint man Gerry Tyack took over 6041’s hot seat for 1966 and set a pair of FIA world records for 500-metre and quarter mile dash. Driver changed again for 1967 with Nick Granville Smith achieving podium positions at European endurance events such as the Nurburgring 1000 KM. 6041 continued a busy competition career and is now a regular at events such as Goodwood Revival where it has been a contender in the blue ribbon RAC TT.
Fry continued to race in a variety of cars including a Ford GT40 until his garage business commitments took over. McNally began his connection to motor sport as a journalist with Autosport, moved into advertising management with the Marlboro brand which saw him work with James Hunt in the later 1970s. He teamed up with one Bernie Ecclestone to develop the F1 Paddock Club through his business Allsport Management and can be recognised as the designer of modern commercial Formula 1 in terms of advertising and brand.
Connecting the Steve Welsh Collection 1965 photographs are images from contemporary historic racing events from Steve Welsh Photos and Peter Collins continuing the visual record of these two iconic racing thoroughbreds.
Ron Fry Ferrari 250LM
Paddy McNally AC Cobra
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Ex. Paddy McNally AC Cobra
In Historic Racing
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Ex. Ron Fry Ferrari 250LM
In Historic Racing
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McLAREN
Out of the new – Mclaren’s first step.
It was not just a football match that hit the sporting news in 1966. Formula 1 made a power grab, after 4 years of 1.5-litre engines, when in 1966 the FIA doubled engine capacity to 3 litres. While current championship teams fight to get a grip with 2026’s radical technical changes, 1966 shows that technical upheavals have never been easy. Few were prepared for the 3-litre formula, made more difficult as major engine supplier Climax had withdrawn its products; if changes work, then a new halcyon era can be on the cards. While Mercedes had withdrawn from racing in 1955 after the Le Mans tragedy, some teams from 60 years ago are at this year’s sharp-end including Ferrari and McLaren, who are defending world championship status. The former was ready to go and win in 1966 with an adaptation of the 3-litre V12 used in the sports car programme while Team McLaren took its first steps as a manufacturer. Having previously made his mark as a racer with Brabham and Cooper, Bruce McLaren entered the Monaco G.P in May that year with his first F1 car, the M2B. Employing a capacity-reduced version of Ford’s 406 V8 Indy 500 motor, the car looked promising; however, it only managed 9 laps, falling foul to an oil leak, the result of a hasty installation. The familiar team colours had not yet arrived due to limited budgets, the M2B was resplendent in white with a green strip, a livery borrowed from the “Yamura” team in John Frankenhiemer’s fictional F1 movie Grand Prix. Jack Brabham was already established with a team in his own name and had the reliable and powerful Brabham Repco 3-litre V8, McLaren and Dan Gurney joined the owner/driver scene, the latter initially with an older Climax 2-litre before the Westlake V8 3-litre came on stream. McLaren may have had a shaky start in Monaco, but having dropped the Ford engine, they got to 6th place and the first points for the team at the British G.P using a Serenissima V8. A return to the Ford for Watkins Glen was rewarded with 5th place. The F1 season closed in Mexico City and saw another fail from the Ford engine. McLaren’s first F1 effort yielded two championship points that placed them 9th overall.
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2-UP GP
While there are examples of 2-seater G.P and Formula 5000 cars aimed at delivering an insight into being in a single seater, it would be pre-1925 that you would have seen 2 people in a racing Grand Prix car; drivers in G.P races had to carry a riding mechanic in case of mechanical troubles, especially on some of the city to city races in the early 20th century on long-lap circuits, such as Monthlery. A fatal crash involving Sunbeam racers Kenelm Lee Guiness and riding mechanic Tom Barrett at the 1925 San Sebastian G.P where the latter was killed, heralded the end of riding mechanics.
There are iconic moments of Formula 1 camaraderie when drivers who were stranded at distance from the pits hitched a lift home with another competitor after the race had finished. Perhaps the most well-known example of 2-up is from the 1991 British Grand Prix when Williams-Renault driver Nigel Mansell collected Ayrton Senna on the slowing-down lap after the Brazilian’s McLaren-Honda had expired due to lack of fuel on the final lap. The rare colour photograph shown here is from the Steve Welsh Collection. It captures a moment at the end of the 1965 British Grand Prix at Silverstone where Brabham-Climax driver Jo Bonnier sits astride the BRM 261 Sir Jackie Stewart for a lift to the pit.
Print and publishing enquiries are welcome for images from both Steve Welsh Photos and Steve Welsh Collection.
