Silverstone Festival has taken its final bow. After 35 years of retro racing, car club parades and paddock memories, Britain’s biggest historic motorsport weekend has come to an end.
It went out in the only way it could. With noise, nostalgia and a record-breaking crowd.
A Legacy That Started in 1990
The story began in 1990 with the Christie’s BRDC Historic Festival, one of the first events dedicated purely to historic racing.
Under the leadership of Nick Wigley, the Festival grew into something extraordinary. Over the past 17 years it became the largest retro motorsport celebration in the world. More than 100,000 fans each year. Packed grids from every golden era. Guinness World Records. A permanent highlight of the August Bank Holiday calendar.
This year was the last. Wigley called it “one of the very best.” A fitting farewell.
A Personal Goodbye
For me, attending this final Festival with media access was a privilege. To walk the paddock, camera in hand, and stand face-to-face with the World Champions Collection was surreal. Every Formula 1 title-winner was represented (well, all except for Kimi Räikkönen). From Farina’s Alfa Romeo 158 to Verstappen’s Red Bull RB18. History condensed into one catwalk of champion cars.
On Sunday, I shared it with my dad. He’s into today’s F1 still, but the classics lit him up. Nothing more so than the black-and-gold John Player Special Lotus. That car stopped him in his tracks. He circled back to it again and again, just soaking it in. The look on his face said it all. This is his car, his livery, the one that started it for him all those years ago.
That’s what Silverstone Festival has always been about. Motorsport is not just about speed, but as memory and connection. Generations tied together by machines.
On Track and Off
The Festival never held back on track, even for its finale.
Fifty Formula Juniors opened the weekend. A record-breaking grid of 500cc F3 cars filled the circuit. Tom Bradshaw took two wins in a McLaren MP4/1, making his debut in historic F1. Touring car icons battled American muscle in the Transatlantic Trophy. Endurance legends returned to the Grand Prix layout with thunderous spectacle. Every race was a reminder of what this weekend stood for.
Off-track, the infield was alive. Clarkson’s Diddly Squat pop-up drew crowds. The Foodie Fest filled the paddock with smells of street food and artisan stalls and I can personally recommend the Brazilian steak. Each evening ended with music. Natasha Bedingfield on Friday. Craig David presents TS5 on Saturday. Ministry of Sound Classical on Sunday, closing the weekend with lasers, anthems and a 30-piece orchestra.
The Final Flag
Awards capped the weekend. The Caterham and Lotus 7 Club won Car Club of the Show. BMW Car Club took Car of the Show for its 3-Series display. The McLaren MP4/1, a double winner on track, was voted the most admired racing car.
Then came the closing act. The Red Devils parachuted in through the evening sky. Ministry of Sound Classical lit up the stage. And finally, the last chequered flag fell with Alex Brundle and Gary Pearson taking victory in a 1970 Lola T70.
That was the end.
The End of an Era
For 35 years, Silverstone Festival has been a pilgrimage. It thrilled millions, raised money for charity, and kept alive the greatest eras of motorsport.
Being there for the last one meant more than I expected. It wasn’t just about the cars. It was about standing beside my dad, watching him relive his youth through the sight of a Lotus livery, and realising that we had both said goodbye to something truly special.
CarFest takes the August slot from 2026. But the legacy of Silverstone Festival will outlast the event itself. The noise. The memories. The way it connected generations. That will stay.