Silverstone Festival 2025: Powerful Reasons It Was the Best Retro Racing Show Yet

Silverstone Festival 2025 signed off in style, closing a 35-year chapter with record crowds, world-class historic racing, and unforgettable celebrations.

What began as the Christie’s BRDC Historic Festival back in 1990 has grown into a global benchmark for retro racing. For nearly two decades under Nick Wigley’s leadership, it became the world’s largest historic motorsport festival. From Guinness World Records to industry awards, the Festival turned nostalgia into an international spectacle.

This year’s edition was more than a curtain call. It was a greatest hits performance, packed with racing drama, iconic displays, live entertainment, and a hint of what comes next.

On-Track Action: Where History Came Alive

The beating heart of Silverstone Festival has always been the racing. In 2025, the organisers saved the best for last.

• 20 retro races across three days
• Vast grids featuring F1, GT, prototypes, touring cars, and more
• Legendary drivers and fan favourites returning to the circuit

Record-Breaking Moments

• A world-record 60-car entry of 500cc F3 racers from the immediate post-war era, with 54 starters taking the Sunday grid.
• Former F1 driver Jan Magnussen drifting a Turner GT to a surprise pole in the Historic Tourist Trophy.
• The revival of Group C prototypes, with Thierry Boutsen and Stefan Johansson delighting fans.
• Touring car legends Colin Turkington, Jake Hill, Rob Huff, and Tom Ingram adding modern star power.

Standout Races

• Formula Juniors provided tight duels, with Sam Wilson edging out Alex Ames after Horatio Fitz-Simon’s misfortune.
• The Stirling Moss Trophy brought heartbreak for Johnny Mowlem when a misfire gifted Andrew Smith victory.
• Michael Lyons dominated the Derek Bell Trophy in his Lola T400 F5000.
• Touring car thrills peaked in the Transatlantic Trophy, where three Ford Mustangs thundered across the line less than a second apart.
• The International Trophy for Classic GT Cars featured Julian Thomas winning in a Shelby Daytona after Olivier Hart’s penalty.

Celebrating 75 Years of Formula 1

A major highlight of 2025 was the World Champions Collection, staged in Silverstone’s International Paddock.

This extraordinary display marked 75 years of Formula 1 with something never attempted before: cars driven by all 34 World Champions.

• Over two-thirds were the actual championship-winning cars.
• Highlights ranged from Giuseppe Farina’s 1950 Alfa Romeo 158 to Max Verstappen’s 2022 Red Bull RB18.
• Fans saw machinery spanning every era of F1 history, from front-engined pioneers to today’s hybrid monsters.

It was the kind of exhibit that only Silverstone could pull off, blending heritage, engineering brilliance, and pure motorsport romance.

Beyond the Track: Fun, Food, and Festival Spirit

Silverstone Festival 2025 wasn’t only about lap times. The organisers knew how to build a complete weekend experience.

Family and Fan Entertainment

• A Fan Zone with F1 displays, interactive exhibits, and stunt driving.
• Young driver lessons for 10-17-year-olds.
• A buzzing infield filled with car clubs, anniversary parades, funfair rides, and shopping.

Food and Drink

• Foodie Fest with TV chefs, artisan markets, and Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop pop-up.
• Clarkson and Lisa Hogan made a surprise appearance to greet fans.

Live Music

Evenings at Silverstone had a festival feel of their own:

• Natasha Bedingfield brought Friday’s pop anthems.
• Craig David presents TS5 lifted Saturday night.
• Ministry of Sound Classical, complete with laser show and orchestra, closed the weekend in spectacular fashion.

Saturday Sunshine and Star Power

Saturday produced racing to match the festival atmosphere.

• Formula Juniors opened the show with another wheel-to-wheel battle.
• The Woodcote Trophy went to a Jaguar D-Type, shared by Gary and John Pearson.
• Touring cars delivered their usual fireworks, while Tom Bradshaw scored a win in his 1982 McLaren MP4/1 on his historic F1 debut.
• The Masters Endurance Legends brought endurance classics back to Silverstone with Steve Brooks’ Peugeot 90X charging past Max Chilton’s Zytek.

By afternoon, the sun shone on classic GTs, F1 legends, and more big-name appearances. Every corner of the circuit buzzed with history, excitement, and nostalgia.

Sunday Finale: Pace, Passion, and Farewell

The final day delivered both spectacle and emotion.

• The Red Devils Parachute Display Team set the tone with a dramatic aerial entrance.
• Racing victories piled up, with repeat winners Tom Bradshaw, Will Nuthall, and Steve Brooks doubling their tallies.
• Touring car nostalgia peaked as Andy Rouse presented trophies for a race featuring his own 1989 Sierra Cosworth RS500.
• Michael Lyons claimed another Derek Bell Trophy win.
• The Tourist Trophy thrilled again, with the Pearson brothers fending off Davide Hart’s Ferrari 250 SWB.

As the sun dipped, Alex Brundle and Gary Pearson guided their 1970 Lola T70 across the line for the Festival’s final chequered flag.

Silverstone’s retro racing era had ended, but it went out roaring.

Awards and Honours

The Festival was also about recognition:

• Car Club of the Show: Caterham and Lotus 7 Club.
• Club Car of the Show: BMW Car Club with its showcase of 3-Series models.
• Best off-track attraction: Mark Constanduros for the World Champions Collection.
• Most admired racing car: Steve Hartley’s double-winning McLaren MP4/1.

What Comes Next for Silverstone

2025 was the Festival’s swansong, but not the end of classic motorsport at Silverstone.

• CarFest arrives in August 2026, bringing Chris Evans’ family-friendly mix of cars, music, and charity fundraising.
• The Silverstone Classic returns in 2026, keeping the tradition of showcasing spectacular historic racing alive on the Grand Prix circuit.

Between CarFest and the Classic, fans won’t be short of reasons to head to Northamptonshire.

Why Silverstone Festival 2025 Mattered

• It celebrated 35 years of racing history with record grids and legendary names.
• It reminded us why historic motorsport has such enduring appeal.
• It created shared memories for enthusiasts of all ages.
• It set the stage for a new chapter in Silverstone’s summer calendar.

Silverstone Festival 2025 ended with cheers, nostalgia, and the smell of hot rubber in the air. It was a closing act worthy of its legacy, and a weekend that combined motorsport’s golden past with festival energy.

For fans, it raised both joy and questions.

Our Post Show Review Of The Silverstone Festival 2025

I attended the Silverstone Festival 2025 on the Sunday, the final day of the show. It was a wonderful event for anyone who loves motorsport. The focus was on classic racing rather than modern-day motorsport, but there was no shortage of nostalgia – and plenty of noisy cars, which I loved.

I began my day at the iconic auctioneers’ car auction. You can read my article about the cars that caught my attention, along with their sale prices, here. A few photos of those cars are highlighted below.

Next, I wandered over to the Porsche Club of Great Britain’s static display. Several Porsches stood out to me. Are you a Porsche enthusiast? If so, which model would catch your eye?

I also explored the International Paddock to see the racing cars up close. Here are some of the ones that grabbed my attention (below).

After that, I spent time walking through the various car clubs and vendor displays. Here are a few more cars that stood out to me.

Finally, I visited the drag racing and American section of the show. I’d never made it there in previous years, but this time I found some very cool cars on display. Here are a few of my favourites.

You can see all of our photos in our Facebook album.

Conclusion

Did you attend the show? What did you think? What were your favourite highlights?

You can find more news and race results from the 2025 Silverstone Festival here.

Next up for me is Salon Privé, followed by the Concours of Elegance. You could have won tickets to these shows by entering our competitions, so make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter and following us on social media – X, Instagram, and Facebook – where we post updates. We also share great content on YouTube and TikTok. Take a look!

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