NEWS: Fancy Owning Senna's NSX?

Fancy owning a motoring icon owned by a motoring icon? The awesome 1992 Honda NSX, once owned by legendary three times Formula One World Champion Aryton Senna, is set to go under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro & Classic Car Sale on the 22nd and 23rd of February. 

How's about that then?
The car was originally purchased by Antonio Carlos de Almeida Braga, close personal friend, manager and mentor of Senna, for the driver to use when he visited his home in Portugal.
Following Senna’s tragic death at Imola in 1994, the car remained in the garage at Braga’s home where it was not allowed to be touched or driven by anyone. After two years it was eventually sold to a buyer who kept it only a short time before being purchased by the current owner seventeen years ago.
Nick Whale, managing director, Silverstone Auctions, said: “Very rarely does a car with such pedigree and provenance come to market, especially with such a powerful and personal link to arguably the greatest F1 driver of all time, and as such, we’re incredibly excited to offer it for auction.”
The car, offered with an estimate of between £75,000 to £85,000, is presented in black with a black leather interior, manual gearbox and has covered just 31,800 miles. When choosing the car Braga made sure it was set to the same specification that Senna chose for his own NSX and is regarded as the ultimate combination for the car.
This year sees the 20th anniversary of the death of the racing icon and the car could prove a great investment for buyers with heightened interest in the much admired model as the 25th anniversary of its introduction approaches next year. Senna was personally involved in the development of the NSX due to Honda supplying engines to the McLaren F1 team, a partnership which is set to resume again for the 2015 season.
Nick added: “We’re extremely pleased to be able to offer another item so closely linked to Aryton Senna. Over the past few years we’ve been privileged to offer race suits, helmets and signed photographs amongst other pieces connected to him as well as other F1 drivers such as Fangio and James Hunt.”
We reckon £75-85,000 is a bargain (& conservative estimate). It's sure to go up in value, as an NSX in this condition – let alone having been owned and driven by the man Senna himself. Cool as ****! 

For more information on the car please visit here.

NEWS: RMA Track Days 2014 Are Go!

Established in 1989, loaded with great cars and people and offering overtaking either side, expert tuition, race car rental, stella special guests/new car events and the best circuits to lap on, we think RMA days are definitely the best track days we've ever been on. 

And very soon, their packed 2014 track day season gets underway at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on February 4th, from just £150. But we're particularly looking forward to Spa-Francorchamps, 26-27th May, which is always a very special event – showcasing RMA's European track day pedigree to perfection. Put simply… these Euro-events are the best track days you can have.  
RMA Boss Graham Clarke says: "With the Christmas and New Year holidays well behind us, people's thoughts are now turning towards this years track day season. With bookings are beginning to pour in thick and fast, Spa in May is already half full already. Some of the initial 'early bird' booking prices have started to increase, although there are still substantial savings to be made. For example, the Brands event above started at £99, it's now at £150 with the final price set to be at least £225 if not more! The noisy day at Donington in March is up £50 on it's starting price but still a bargain at £225, although it won't stay like that for long either! There are other examples and whilst the uptake is encouraging, we would much prefer to see our regular supporters taking advantage of these early booking prices, so if you are in a position to commit early, please do so and book now!"
And talking about the Spa with Audi event in 2013, Graham added: "Those who joined us at Spa last September will no doubt remember Audi joined us in force with a fleet of their supercars comprising of three fabulous R8 V10 Plus, a pair of RS6's and an RS4 all available for our regular customers to drive round the awesome Spa circuit. They also brought a film crew with them and produced a lot of high quality footage, both in and out of the car. Take a look here."

We recommend RMA events as highly as is humanly possible and urge you to give them a try. You'll never look back – as their heady mixture of low numbers, open pit lane, overtaking either side, amazing retro and modern cars to battle with, slick operation, excellent facilities, great staff and jolly nice attendees is unsurpassed… in our quite vast track day experience. 

Get involved! 

The first wave of RMA events includes:

Brands Hatch Indy
4th February 2014
from £150 - 105 dB(A)
Book your place at Brands now!

Donington Park
4th March 2014
from £225 - UNRESTRICTED dB(A)!
Book your place at Donington now!

Snetterton
20th March 2014 & May 8th
from £125 - 105 dB(A)
Book your place at Snetterton now!

Silverstone GP
15th April 2014 & 19th May
£349-£450 - 105 dB(A)
Book your place at Silverstone now!

NEWS: Caterham Hosting FREE Race Event @ Silverstone

How's this for generosity? Caterham will be hosting their final race event of the season at Silverstone FREE to spectators on October 19-20th. 

And, as well as showcasing the famous British sportscar maker’s cool, close-faught one-make race championships, the BRSCC-run event will also offer a rare chance to see the Caterham F1 Team car in action on track in the UK – when Caterham F1 Team Reserve driver, Alexander Rossi, will complete laps of the British Grand Prix circuit in the F1 racer at lunchtime on both days.
The 19-race programme for the weekend takes in the final rounds of the Caterham Superlight R300, Supersport, Tracksport and Roadsport championships, as well as the Pistonheads.com Caterham Academy, the acclaimed grassroots series that has created hundreds of brand new racing drivers since its inception in 1995.
Caterham’s Chief Motorsport Officer, Simon Lambert, said: “Making Caterham accessible at every level is part of our key philosophy for the brand and a free race event like this will do that, plus much more besides.
“In pure racing terms, it simply doesn’t get any better than Caterham racing – it might not have the glamour of F1 but there is genuine talent in club racing and nowhere is that more apparent than in single-make racing, where skill is the defining factor rather than off-track battles of technology and strategy.
“It’s exciting, ‘seat of the pants’ stuff and I hope people who come to this race meeting get a taste of our passion for the sport . The event will also be a rare opportunity to see an F1 car in action for free.”
The on-track action starts with qualifying sessions at 9am on October 19 and 20. For more information, including a full timetable, please visit here.
And see more at: www.caterhamcars.com

NEWS: Porsche Carrera Cup Scholarship Launch

Porsche have launched their Porsche GB-supported Scholarship initiative to nurture next generation of GT racers – giving hot shoe young drivers aged 17-22 the chance to compete to win funding worth £80,000 per year for 2014-2015, offering an opportunity to follow in footsteps of 2012-13 Scholar, Dan Lloyd, in Porsche Carrera Cup GB (pictured). 

The 2014 Carrera Cup GB season will mark the next exciting chapter in the Carrera Cup story when the latest 460 hp ‘Type 991’ 911 GT3 Cup is introduced to the Championship. The all-new car will further raise the standard for single marque racing in the UK, and offer drivers the perfect opportunity to participate at the very start of a new era for the Carrera Cup GB.
In 2014, the Carrera Cup GB will offer competitors a sensational bonus with a support race to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A couple of hours before Porsche returns to the marathon race with a factory-entered LMP1 car, drivers in the Carrera Cup GB will race on the famous French track in a special tie-up with Carrera Cup France.
To enter the Scholarship, drivers must be aged between 17 and 22 years on 1 January 2014, already have a National A race licence and have not previously registered as a competitor in the Carrera Cup GB. They must also be able to demonstrate that they can secure the balance of the required budget for a full season of racing.
Four finalists will be selected for assessment at Silverstone, including evaluation at the Porsche Experience Centre and track tests in a 911 GT3 Cup car. The winner will be the driver who shows the best mix of natural talent, potential and presentation combined with people skills, overall drive and commitment.
Any driver wishing to apply for the 2014 Carrera Cup GB Scholarship Programme should send a CV to: carreracupgb@porsche.co.uk, along with the reasons why they think they should be selected. There is no charge to enter the Scholarship. Applications are now open and will close on 30 September 2013. The four finalists will be evaluated at Silverstone during October 2013, and the 2014 Carrera Cup GB Scholar will be announced in early November 2013.

Get involved!

NEWS: McLaren & Audi Join RMA Track Days

Road Magazine luxury track day pals, RMA Track Days – running the best (open pit lane, over-taking either side, no over-crowding & jaw-droppoing cars) circuit events at Europe's premier tracks – have lined up McLaren to join their forthcoming track day hoon at Silverstone on September 18th, and Audi are all set to join in the RMA brand of tyre-pounding fun at Belgian super-circuit, Spa-Francorchamps on 23rd and 24th September too. Sweet as...! Get involved!   

Selected RMA track day participants will be able to try out McLaren's amazing, 592bhp, 205mph high-tech hypercar – the MP4-12C – on the full Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on the 18th. And Audi will be bringing a brace of R8 V10 Plus', RS6 and RS4 to the simply superb Spa for potential clients to try on track. 

Does life get much better? 

We think not... 

See you there at one of RMA's fab forthcoming events:

• Silverstone GP, 18th September 2013, from £425 - 105 dB(A)
• Spa Francorchamps, 23rd - 24th September 2013 from £395 - 106 dB(A)
• Donington Park, 14th October 2013, from £275 - 98 dB(A)
• Goodwood Exclusive, 23rd October 2013, from £525 - 105 dB(A)
• New revised Donington Park, 8th November 2013, from £225 - 98 dB(A)
• Spa Francorchamps, 24th November 2013, from £295 - 106 dB(A)

NEWS: Nico Rosberg Wins British F1 GP @ Silverstone in Pirelli Tyre Chaos

German race ace, Nico Rosberg heads to his home F1 event at the Nurburgring next, with a win at one of the most dramatic (and miraculously good weather!) British Grand Prix events in years – with four rear left Pirelli tyre failures blighting the event for drivers, including UK darling Lewis Hamilton, who'd stuck it on pole in qualifying and led much of the race.

Hamilton was trying to hold off Vettel for the lead of the race when his rear left exploded, and dropped to last place. But he fought back to an incredible forth place (just 0.6s behind rival Alonso in third) at his home event, showing true talent and character, in his Mercedes. And there were Pirelli tyre failures for Massa, Jean-Eric Vergne (at 200mph!) and Sergio Perez. An investigation is no underway.

See some fabulous images from the exciting event by motorsport specialist snapper, Kevin Bennett on our Facebook page here. 

NEWS: New Porsche RSR 4th in Racing Debut @ Silverstone 6 Hour

Porsche's new 470bhp, 4.0-litre Type 991 911 RSR narrowly missed out on a podium – finishing fourth – in its factory debut at the Silverstone Six Hours, round one of the 2013 World Endurance Championship. The new car was being run and driven by multiple Nurburgring 24-Hour winners, Porsche AG Team Manthey, with Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb (Germany), Richard Lietz (Austria) and Romain Dumas (France) in the GTE-Pro class. And a second factory 911 RSR also ran, with factory driver colleagues Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Patrick Pilet (France) and Timo Bernhard (Germany) – taking sixth place.
Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board, Research and Development, Porsche AG, commented afterwards: "That was the first race for the new car and the new team. The organisation of the squad worked well. Of course, there are areas where we have room for improvement, but it’s like a football team, we first have to get everything running smoothly. Technically, everything worked on the 911 RSR apart from a one small thing which we will have fixed by the next race. As far as the performance is concerned, we still have room for improvement. Naturally, we also have to work on the car; it has a little too much oversteer. But all in all, I regard it as a positive weekend. It wouldn’t have been good if the car had experienced lots of problems, but that was not the case. We saw that the 911 RSR can turn consistently quick lap times over the race distance. Now if we do our homework, I think we’ll finish further up the field at the next races."
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport, said: "Both new 911 RSR cars reached the flag on their race debut, and there were no major technical problems. With a new team, of course, there is still some fine-tuning to be done, that’s normal. We are looking forward to the next race and hope that the car will make another step forward there."
Marc Lieb (#92) said: "We gained many important insights in the race. The car underlined its potential. Now we just need to work a little more on that."
Richard Lietz (#92) said: "We were looking good in the fast corners, but we need to sort out the oversteer exiting the slow corners. But our engineers should be able to correct this by the next race. If so, the podium is within reach."
Romain Dumas (#92) said: "An interesting race. We learned a lot. On the straights we are a little slower than our opponents which makes overtaking very difficult. Still, there are many positive things we can take from this race."
Joerg Bergmeister (#91) said: "That wasn’t our dream result. But we’ve learned a lot this weekend. The conditions were not the easiest, because we had no time to practice on the dry track for setting up the car."
Patrick Pilet (#91) said: "It’s bad luck that we lost more than two laps, but the mechanics did a good job. In any case, we’ve found a good basis to work on and we are optimistic for the rest of the season."
Timo Bernhard (#91) said: "Heading towards Le Mans, that was a very valuable race for us. Our performance wasn’t too bad. Without the front axle problem a podium place would have been within reach."
Meanwhile, in the GTE-Am class, Christian Ried (Germany) and his Italian team-mates Gianluca Roda and Paolo Ruberti scored fifth place in last year’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (‘Type 997’) fielded by the customer team Felbermayr-Proton. Round two of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) takes place on 4 May in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium).
See more image here and at www.fiawec.com.

NEWS: Aston Martin Racing GT Victory @ Silverstone Six Hour

The V8 Vantage GTE's not only look great wrapped in Gulf livery, but they're winners straight away this season – as Aston Martin Racing’s 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) programme got off to a near perfect start at the Six Hours of Silverstone – with a double victory in the GT class.
The #97 V8-powered Vantage GTE, driven by Darren Turner (GB), Stefan Mücke (D) and Bruno Senna (BR), finished in first place in the GT Pro category, while the #95 car of Danish trio Christoffer Nygaard, Kristian Poulsen and Allan Simonsen triumphed in the GT Am class.
At Aston Martin Racing’s home round of the WEC in Northamptonshire, UK, Pedro Lamy (PT), Paul Dalla Lana (CN) and Frédéric Makowiecki (FR) also put in an impressive performance with third position in the #99 car in GT Pro, crossing the line a single lap behind the #97 machine and within 13 seconds of the second-placed car after six hours.
The fourth Gulf-liveried Aston Martin, the #96 car of Jamie Campbell-Walter (GB), Roald Goethe (D) and Stuart Hall (GB), finished fourth in GT Am having been in contention for a podium for the entire race.
After a successful qualifying on Saturday, which saw the team secure first and second position in both GT categories, Aston Martin Racing further proved its class-leading pace by setting the fastest lap of all the GT runners; the #99 car recorded a best lap of 2:01.426 after five hours, although competitor cars were very close behind in a super-competitive category.
While celebrating a near perfect start to Aston Martin Racing’s world championship bid with a faultless lights-to-flag victory, Darren Turner said: “That was an amazing result! We couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season. Stefan, Bruno and myself all pushed hard throughout what was, at times, a difficult race. However, the car was prepared perfectly with a lot of hard work and the result is a great reward for everything. Praise to our chief engineer, Dan Sayers, who has done a great job with the 2013 car and given us a package that should see us have a solid season.”
Making his WEC debut, Bruno Senna added: “I’m really happy to start my GT career with a win. It’s been great joining Aston Martin Racing and to get a pole position and win and go home from our first WEC race of the year with so many points for the championship is unbelievable. It was a tough race; we had to push hard while avoiding accidents, but my team did a great job. We must now keep pushing hard; the competition here is very, very strong.”
Allan Simonsen, speaking for the #95 GT Am-winning car, comments: “I’m very happy on behalf of the whole team. It was a big push to get us here and to start the season with points is fantastic. To do it on Aston Martin Racing’s home turf is even better; we couldn’t be happier.”
John Gaw, Team Principal at Aston Martin Racing, concluded: “Today’s outcome was better than we anticipated. We got much more than we expected out of the first race of the season; we came here aiming to score points with all four cars. This certainly bodes well for the championship.
“To do this at our home race in Aston Martin’s centenary year is extra special. I’d like to particularly thank the technicians and engineers and all others who have worked tirelessly since Shanghai to expand to this four-car effort. We look forward, as a team, to challenging for more race wins.”
The race-winning 2013-specification #97 Vantage GTE – which shares its bonded aluminium structure and basic engine and suspension architecture with Aston Martin’s sportiest road-going model, the V8 Vantage – completed 171 laps of the 3.7-mile Silverstone circuit, equating to a total race distance of more than 630 miles at an average speed of 108mph.
The FIA World Endurance Championship resumes in Belgium next month at the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps with the race due to start at 1430hrs (CET) on Saturday, May 4.
You watching?

NEWS: Dunlop Debut 2013 Le Mans Tyres @ Silverstone World Endurance Championship

As well as the new Type 991 RSR debuting at Silverstone for the World Endurance Championships (& European Le Mans Championships) later this month, Dunlop tyres will also be debuting their new rubber – following a Winter of "focused development and testing."

Dunlop currently dominates the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) LMP2 class – with eight of the 10 participants opting for the same brand that claimed the 2012 title and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, the WEC forerunner, in 2011. The World Championship, which has the Le Mans 24h race

as its highlight, starts with a six-hour Race this Sunday 13th and 14th.

Dunlop says; "We have have specifically worked on developing compounds to improve warm-up

properties, which will be important for ELMS teams with tyre warmers now being prohibited. A new tyre shape has also been introduced for 2013, which optimises the tyre’s footprint, allowing lower running pressures and providing additional initial grip and consistency. The tyre improves grip

under braking and turn-in and gives better feedback to the driver. During testing at Aragon and Valencia, over 15,000 kilometres of testing was carried out on the new tyres with Dunlop’s LMP2 teams. Of the three compounds available for the WEC and ELMS races, the ‘medium’ and ‘hard’

slicks will be available for the Silverstone race along with full wets and an intermediate option."

Paul Bryant, Key Account Manager for Endurance Racing said: ""2013 is a big year for Dunlop with our 125th anniversary, our quest for hat-tricks at Le Mans and in WEC, and retaining the ELMS title. We have worked hard to evolve our tyres to make them not only perform better, but to give the drivers better feedback and confidence. We will continue to give our high level of support, working with our teams to give them the best chance of winning possible.”

Sexy slicks

NEWS: RMA Offer Chance To Drive an Audi R8 V10 Plus On Track

Our good friends at RMA Track Days are offering invited drivers attending their Silverstone GP event on 17th April the chance to drive Audi's mighty R8 V10 Plus. Cool! If you've not seen one already, check out this short TV commercial. 

The R8 V10 Plus costs £127,575 and features a tuned-up, 542bhp, 398lbft 5.2-litre V10 engine delivering 0-62mph in 3.5-seconds and a 197mph v-max. It also has fixed rate (not magnetic damping) suspension, carbon fibre brakes and the S-tronic semi-automatic transmission. It's a track-orientated R8, akin to the GT3 911.   

And RMA has arranged for Audi to show off three of the new R8 V10 Plus' at the Silverstone event. RMA says: "At just £399, it's a very reasonably priced day and we are confident it will be fully subscribed so book it now or miss out!"

Other 'must-do' 2013 RMA dates include: 

Donington Park - £275 – 98 dB(A), 29th April 2013
Book your place now!
&

Spa-Francorchamps
13th, 14th & 15th May 2013: Road, track and race car dates.
Book your place now!

NEWS: 2013 Time Attack Championship

Less than a week to go until the start of the 2013 Time Attack UK Championship – with the first round at Cadwell Park, on April 1st bank holiday Monday. You going?
To help get you in the mood, here's a great video from Togethia TV from the 2012 Cadwell event – a wet old affair, most likely as this year will be. At least the turbo cars will enjoy all the cold air there is at the moment.
This year features some new tyre regulations and the usual multiple classes for Club Challenge and Pro entries, in FWD, RWD and 4WD groups – so plenty of silverware to play for.
And the 2013 dates and venues are well spread across the UK at a good range of superb fast and flowing and tight and technical circuits, for a fair fight:
Round 1 – 1st April, Cadwell Park
Round 2 – 11th May, Croft
Round 3 – 9th June, Snetterton
Round 4 – 20th July, Oulton Park
Round 5 (Pro class) – 8th September, Silverstone
Round 5 (Club class) – 14th September, Donington
Round 6 Finale – 29th September, Brands Hatch
The series created in 2005 is looking like developing on another notch this year – so expect plenty of close competition and some really great sprint cars and (some race) drivers in all classes. We're particularly looking forward to seeing if Simon Deaton's Porsche GT3 R factory-fettled race ace can compete against the big power 'point and squirt' turbo nutters in the Pro class, even with 'only' 500bhp against some cars with nigh-on 1,000bhp. But there's many a battle to enjoy. So, check out a round near you – Time Attack is a great sprint series that deserves your support. You'll have a great day spectating. Or, why not enter your car as a OHW (One Hit Wonder)? It's great value and great fun racing, with less risk of damage and a super friendly paddock of new friends in the making. Get involved!
Find out more at the Time Attack website. Good luck everyone!

NEWS: RMA Track Day Diary 2013

Having been involved in the Oulton Park filming of 'Racing Legends - Colin McRae' with Sir Chris Hoy, good pals and Road track day operating buddies, RMA Track Days, are back to their bread and butter now – running first class track days in the UK and Europe. If you want to know what one looks like, check out our Tim Schrick special at Donington Park. They are incredible – open pit lane, overtaking either side, great camaraderie and the best cars imaginable on track. Do one this year! You will not regret spending the extra cash, if only for the amount of track time and space you get, let alone the machinery (and media!) you get to mix with. Expect to see Team Road at some of these events, as usual, in a cracking press car or pasting folk in our old, but not to be underestimated Project S4! The RMA Track Days 2013 dates so far include: 

• Guadix, Spain: 10th & 11th February 2013: Very limited amount of space remaining on this event which is principally designed for those looking for some pre-season testing in decent weather. Book your place now!
• Donington Park - £240: 'Noisy' day: 118 dB(A), 7th March 2013. Make full use of this amazing track in cars that struggle to pass usual 110 dB(A) or lower sound regs. Always an amazing line up on track at this event. 
• Brands Indy - £199: 105 dB(A), 27th March 2013. Just before the first British Touring Car Championship meeting, so expect this event to sell out well beforehand & the track to be full of BTCC stars. Book your place now!
• Silverstone GP - £399: 105 dB(A), 17th April 2013. Home of British Motorsport... need we say more? 
• Spa-Francorchamps, 13th, 14th & 15th May (13th is for cars on road tyres only, 14th is for road and track shod cars and the 15th is for track prepared and seriously quick cars only). Great format on one of the best circuits in the world. 
• Other dates include: Dijon 16th July, Brands Hatch GP 25th July, Le Mans 18th August & Spa 23rd & 24th Sept.

NEWS: Silverstone Motorsport UK Show This Weekend

It's Silverstone MotorSport UK this weekend – 3rd & 4th November – aiming to promote all categories and types of national racing, in a packed show at the prestigious Silverstone Wing exhibition complex at Silverstone Circuit, the Home of British Motor Racing. And we've helped sponsor the event, to show our support for British motorsport in these difficult times. You going to show your support?

The organisers say: "Silverstone MotorSport UK has been designed to appeal specifically to those who are looking to get involved in club motorsport and provide individuals with the chance to meet manufacturers, clubs, teams and suppliers to discuss their next racing steps. If you are new to motorsport and looking to get involved there are no shortage of places to start!"

Kart fans will be well catered for with The British Superkart Association, who run the MSA British Superkart Championship and the British Superkart Racing Club, who organise the British GP in attendance. And for those not looking to go down the karting route, some of the biggest names in specialist, sports car and kit car manufacturers will be showcasing their latest cars, including Marcos Sportscars and MCR. In the “Kit Car Pavilion,” you’ll find a host of manufacturers including DJ Sportscars and AK Sportscars and magazines Total Kit Car and Kit Car Magazine.
Clubs will be well represented too, with the 750 Motor Club, Monoposto Racing Club, Red Dragon Race & Track Club, 360 Motor Racing Club, MG Car Club, and the Hovercraft Club of Great Britain coming down. And, in addition to the racing clubs, there will be a number of championships showcasing their championships, including Classic Formula Ford, RGB Champsionship, Formula Vee, Sport Specials, Fueltopia, MR2 Cup, Subaru Cup, Nippon Challenge and BMW Compact Cup.
And there will be a large display of trade stands to pick products from too.
Silverstone MotorSport UK will also feature a ‘live’ stage presented by www.theCheckeredFlag.co.uk and Motors TV and we will be interviewing a number of 2012 champions from a range of motorsports.
On the day admission is £15 per adult ticket, or £37.50 for a family of four (two adults and two children). Concessions apply. Or save money by booking in advance at www.motorsportshow.co.uk
All Motor Racing Club members benefit from a 33% reduction on the admission charge (just £10 instead of the standard on-the-door ticket price of £15) on production of their MSA Licence or club membership. Parking for all show visitors is FREE.
Keep up with the latest show news online at www.motorsportshow.co.uk, www.twitter.com/SMUKshow and www.facebook.com/SilverstoneMotorsportUk

NEWS: New RS Porsche Silverstone Driving Experiences

The Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone are laying on three new courses with an ‘RS’ flavour, to celebrate 40 years of the iconic RennSport brand – the GT, the Evolution RS and the Ultimate GT courses.

Porsche say: "The opportunity is now available for keen drivers to appreciate the true nature of the latest Porsche 911 RS models using the bespoke facilities at the Porsche Experience Centre. By enrolling on a GT Course (£400) a driver can explore the focussed track-derived dynamics of both the naturally-aspirated 911 GT3 and the bi-turbo 911 GT2.
"The original 2.7 Carrera RS has inspired many generations of 911 RS models in the years since its launch, including the 1992 ‘Type 964’ RS, the 1995 ‘Type 993’ RS and the ‘Type 996’ RS of 2003. The Evolution RS (£500) course concentrates on the latest incarnations of the 911 GT3 RS. The GT3 RS encompasses the huge dynamic ability of the 2.7 Carrera RS and is testament to the Porsche belief that its cars should perform to the highest level both on road and on track.
"Included in the Evolution RS experience is 90 minutes driving the legendary first generation ‘Type 997’ 3.6-litre 911 GT3 RS from 2006, the second generation ‘Type 997’ 3.8 911 GT3 RS from 2009, and the ultimate edition of the genre, the 2011 911 GT3 RS 4.0.
"The 911 GT2 and GT2 RS are the most extreme road-going derivatives of the 911 yet produced and the Ultimate GT (£550) course demonstrates the devastatingly impressive performance of these machines. This 90-minute driving experience and one-to-one tuition begins with the GT2 before moving on to the most jaw-dropping evolution of the RS series: the 620 hp Porsche 911 GT2 RS."
The first RS was the 1972 911 2.7 Carrera RS, unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. The car was developed from the 911 S, tuned for "raw track ability." They only built just over 1,500, and it's now a serious collectors item, as future RS models will be too. Enjoy them all at the excellent Silverstone Porsche Experience Centre. You can book the new RS courses now by calling 08443 575 911 or online at: www.porsche.co.uk/experience.

NEWS: Toyota GT86 Podium @ Britcar 24-Hour

Our Road Magazine race ace, Travis drummer, Neil Primrose took the brand new Toyota GT86 to a podium finish in this weekend's Britcar 24Hr at Sikverstone. Go Neil! Team Toyota GB scored a dream result at the 2012 Britcar 24 endurance race, celebrating a podium finish with the GT86 sports car in what is considered Britain’s toughest motorsport event. The near standard GT86 impressed all those who drove it. After starting on the 13th row of the grid, the car claimed eighth place overall and finished third in its class. Brilliant stuff! The GT86 ran faultlessly throughout its 512 laps, completing an impressive 1,874 miles around the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.
The four-man driving team was led by veteran racer Chris Hodgetts, Toyota’s double BTCC champion of the 1980s. Hodgetts was joined by his son, Stefan, some aging car hack called Richard Meaden and Travis drummer and Road Magazine staff writer, Neil Primrose.
"It is an absolutely fantastic result,” said Gary Blackham, whose GPRM team prepared the car. "We harboured ambitions of finishing in the top 10 and we are more than delighted with eighth overall. Given the difference in horsepower between our car and the more modified racing cars in the division, third in class is a great result also. The GT86 ran faultlessly throughout. I think the only work we had to do was to add about half a litre of oil during the whole race. All the pit stops went smoothly, the technicians – a mixture of seasoned GPRM regulars and staff from Toyota GB’s head office – worked very well together and the drivers were fantastic; they did everything they needed to and everything that was asked of them."
The drivers took three-hour turns at the wheel and each put in two stints. Stefan Hodgetts started the race and set the Toyota’s fastest lap towards the end of his first stint, and his 61-year-old father enjoyed the honour of taking the chequered flag. Said Chris: "We drove the wheels off it for 24 hours. We literally ragged the poor little car throughout, and as you would expect from a Toyota it responded with fantastic reliability." The Britcar Toyota GT86 was powered by the standard 16-valve double overhead cam horizontally opposed ‘boxer’ engine of the road-going model, delivering 197bhp. GPRM now plans to develop a more powerful version for customers looking to buy track Toyotas of their own.

Read a full report from Neil here soon... 

NEWS: Toyota GB GT86 Britcar 24-Hour Drivers Announced

Toyota has announced who will be driving in the GT86's racing debut for the Britcar 24 Hours (September 21st-23rd) – and it's an amazing comeback call-up for 61-year-old Chris Hodgetts, the man who won back-to-back touring car championships in the famous AE86 Toyota Corolla GT in the 1980s. Not only that, our very own www.roadmagazine.co.uk race ace, Neil Primrose (Travis drummer) will also be part of the four man driver team, which also includes Chris' son, Stefan Hodgetts and journalist, Richard Meaden.

Our Neil is an experienced historic car racer, and campaigns a Lola 2-litre Lola T212 sportscar and has raced at the historic Le Mans Classic and at the Nurburgring. He says:"I'm chuffed to bits. It's great to get a proper drive like this."
Chris, being the most experienced member of the team (he’s a veteran of six round-the-clock races at Le Mans), will provide a direct link between the new GT86 and the famous Corolla GT, one of the classic Toyota sports cars that inspired its development. He said: "I think the last time I raced a Toyota was the 1988 Spa 24 Hours. We retired eight minutes from the end while leading our class."

He recently dropped into the workshops of GPRM, where the Britcar GT86 is taking shape: "There was the new car and alongside it was a replica of my old AE86 Corolla, all in its old livery. I admit I shed a tear. It’s wonderful to be reunited."
Son Stefan is equally excited at the prospect of racing the new Toyota. He said: "I was four or five when dad was wining the BTCC in his Toyota and I remember it vividly. It’s a great connection to the past for me and a fantastic opportunity. And I think my team-mate is a safe and sensible sort of guy who will have over the GT86 in one piece."
The Britcar 24 Hours will take place at Silverstone over the weekend of September 22nd and 23rd. Find out more at Team Toyota GB or stay tuned here... 

NEWS: Silverstone Motorsport UK LIve Show, Nov 3-4th

Silverstone Motorsport UK, the live motorsport show that showcases all categories of national motorsport – 3^rd& 4^th November 2012 – is shaping up to be an event not to be missed, with the show confirming several new attractions. This year’s event will allow visitors to sample the action first hand, either on the Stowe circuit with the Silverstone driving experience, which has teamed up with Silverstone Motorsport UK to offer visitors the chance to receive a discount if they pre-book. Alternatively, visitors can take part in the Go Motorsport kart challenge, where they can battle for a selection of prizes. In addition to these exciting driving elements, visitors will be able to enjoy race simulators and even compete in a series of radio control races organised by the British Radio Control Association. Martin Capenhurst comments: "This year’s event is shaping up really well, and it looks like it is not to be missed! The live elements have really made the event extremely interactive, so visitors can really get involved and have a go! The promotion for this year’s show is on schedule and I believe that we will beat our target of attracting 4,000 visitors over the two days."
Richard Phillips, Director of Silverstone Circuits comments: "We are delighted with how the inaugural Silverstone Motorsport UK event is shaping up. There is no doubt that this event is going to be a great way for enthusiasts and competitors to come together to sample the best of British motorsport."
In addition to the live elements, Silverstone Motorsport UK will host more than 100 companies from the world of motorsport. Exhibitors include some of the UK’s largest motorsport championships, key suppliers and the event will see the announcement of the first Spirit of Motorsport award winners, who will share a £10,000 prize fund, courtesy of high performance oil and lubricant manufacturer RAVENOL. In addition Silverstone Motorsport UK has recently confirmed the backing of three new media partners which now sees the event promoted by 12 key publications from the motorsport and automotive sector. Capenhurst adds: "I am delighted to have gathered so much support from our event partners and event media partners. All of our agreements are long term, as we are keen to build a foundation for the future, as Silverstone MotorSport UK is here to stay!"

Current exhibitors include TrackDriver magazine, Go Motorsport, 360 Motor Racing Club, Motors TV, RAVENOL, British Radio Control Association and Racelogic. For further information on Silverstone MotorSport UK visit www.motorsportshow.co.uk. See Team Road – event sponsors – there too... 

NEWS: One-make Atom Cup UK is Go!

Ariel Motor Company has announced exciting plans for its one-make Atom Cup UK race series in 2013 – featuring a 245bhp, 510Kg, 'Cup' spec Atom, with a roll cage, two-litre i-VTEC engine with six-speed gearbox, Alcon brakes (adjustable bias), Yokohama A048 tyres, Ohlins adjustable suspension, Race Technology dash and safety gear. The new series – which will bring first rate hospitality with professional levels of catering and entertainment, be highly social and make it the sort of place you can bring your family too happily – will run alongside other motorsport, as part of the MSVR package run by Motorsportvision. It will take place at eight premier UK tracks: Brands Indy & GP, Cadwell Park, Oulton Park, Donington Park and Silverstone GP and National. There will be three packages available – Bronze (car, entry fees & hospitality) at £53,195 + VAT, Silver (as Bronze, plus tyres & fuel and track assist) at £59,995 + VAT and Gold (as silver, plus transportation and storage), at £69,652 + VAT. The new Cup Atom will be capable of 145mph, thanks to its 480bhp per ton power to weight figure, and the racing should be dead close. But there's enough adjustability left in the car to make set-up all important, as well as driver skill. It looks bloody ace! Like everything Ariel do. Bravo to them for pulling it off. Can't wait to report on the first race next year. Find out more on Facebook: www.facebook.com/atomcupuk and @atomcup on Twitter.

NEWS: Silverstone Motorsport UK Update

The Road Magazine sponsored Silverstone MotorSport UK, the Motorsport show promoting all categories of national motorsport (3rd & 4th November 2012) has joined forces with RAVENOL high performance engine oils to create “The Spirit of MotorSport UK Awards” – a £10,000 prize fund for national motorsport competitors, one of the largest prizes in national motorsport! The 2012 “Sprit of MotorSport UK Awards” will be open to competitors in three categories – Karting, Racing and Rallying and will be awarded to three competitors, who will share a selection of prizes worth more than £10,000! The competition will be judged by a panel led by experienced racer and Road pal, Mark Hales, BRC series organiser Mark Taylor, Carolynn Hoy, organiser of Formula Kart Stars and Silverstone MotorSport UK organiser Martin Capenhurst, who said: "We are absolutely delighted to have teamed up with RAVENOL in offering club competitors of all forms of motorsport the chance to compete for a selection of prizes, which include three cash prizes, product sponsorship and promotional support, with the winner announced at Silverstone MotorSport UK in November – to enter visit www.motorsportshow.co.uk and register today!" Dave Mott, ex-co driver and Sales Director of RAVENOL’s UK distributor, German Oil commented: "We are delighted to be involved in this fantastic initiative. We feel that this partnership will not just showcase the high performance of RAVENOL engine oils but will demonstrate our desire to be involved in all levels of national motorsport, from the BTCC and BRC to entry level club racing and track days." Competitors will be judged on their performance, overcoming adversity and their approach to motorsport. Individuals can enter via visiting the www.motorsportshow.co.uk website. Winners will be presented their trophy at the main stage at Silverstone MotorSport UK, a cheque for £500, a year’s supply of RAVENOL high performance oils and lubricants and significant promotional support from motorsport marketing agency APEX Consultants and Silverstone MotorSport UK and their partners. Get involved!

NEWS: Silverstone Motorsport UK 2012

Road Magazine & Blog have tied up as media partners with the Motorsport UK show – now re-located to "the home of Britsh motorsport," Silverstone and renamed Silverstone Motorsport UK. The show, which launched last year aims to promote all categories of national motorsport and has signed a long term agreement with Silverstone Circuits Limited to become the new venue for its events. the 2012 event is set to take place on the 3rd & 4th November at the Northamptonshire circuit. The Silverstone Motorsport UK 2012 event will feature:
* The Silverstone LIVE experience – allowing visitors to sample the Silverstone Stowe circuit with a trained instructor.
* The Kit Car Pavilion in association with Kit Car Magazine and Total Kit Car magazine which will showcase some of the UK’s top kit car and specialist car manufacturers.
* The Track Driver Hot Laps experience – providing visitors the opportunity to experience “Hot Laps” whilst been test driven round the Stowe Circuit in exhibitors’ cars that they are interested in purchasing or joining their team.
* The Go Motorsport - Motorsport UK Kart Challenge - allowing visitors the opportunity to race against friends and other visitors in a series of rounds for the title of the Go Motorsport - Motorsport UK crown and a selection of prizes.
* The Checkered Flag fans forum & Motors TV main stage hosted by TV presenter & Road Magazine writer, Gemma Scott – who will be interviewing drivers, race team bosses and key figures from the industry on their top tips in getting into Motorsport.
* The Motorsport UK Main Arena – a 5,000sq.ft exhibition hall with more than 100 exhibitors from the national Motorsport arena – including car manufacturers, national racing series, racing clubs, suppliers and industry associations.
Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, said: "We are delighted to welcome Motorsport UK and Kart Mania to Silverstone. We have been extremely impressed with the two events and we look forward to working with partners in making these events a success and a not-to-miss fixture on the UK Motorsport calendar."
Martin Capenhurst organiser of Motorsport UK said: "We are thrilled to be teaming up with Silverstone and there is no doubt that the Silverstone Motorsport UK 2012 is going to be a very special event, and will certainly be something for all of the family. For youngsters and adults looking to make a start into motorsport we have a number of new live elements providing visitors with the chance to get behind the wheel of one of SIlvertsone’s cars and learn the ropes with a qualified instructor, to the Go Motorsport kart challenge providing visitors the chance to compete and win sponsorship for their 2012 season to individuals having the chance to sample hot laps of cars that they are looking to purchase on the Silverstone Stowe circuit."
Adult tickets are £15.00 or £35.00 for a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children), which includes free parking and free event programme. Under 16’s and concessions are just £7.50 and MSA license holders are £10.00 if tickets are purchased in advanced. For more information on Silverstone Motorsport UK visit www.motorsportshow.co.uk. And you can hear all about the show via Road Magazine & Blog.