GTSCC races have always been open to invited owner-drivers with charismatic Grand Touring cars, showcasing marques and models raced internationally to December 31, 1965, and sports racing cars built and raced until the end of 1962.
Since last season, Pre-’66 Touring Cars running to homologated FIA Appendix K specification have been admitted too, which may inspire Abarth racers to challenge the Mini Cooper Ss and Broadspeed GTS derivative in the 1300cc split, Alfa Romeos and BMWs to take on Lotus Cortinas and American V8s to join the fray at Pergusa.
The highest levels of car preparation and conduct on and off track are hallmarks of the GTSCC. By building and enhancing a reputation for zero-contact sport, excellent driving standards and unparalleled camaraderie, we attracted an unprecedented number of family teams in 2023, a proud nuance reflected in the presentation of Royal Automobile Club awards at each round.
Thruxton back for GTSCC 2025
Following a memorable 2024 racing programme, in which the GT & Sports Car Cup visited a new circuit, competitor support grew and teams campaigning different types of cars emerged victorious across each of its four rounds – a result unprecedented across the magical series’ 18-year history – a return visit to Thruxton, the UK’s fastest circuit, is on an exciting four-race schedule for 2025.
The sporting successes of Robin Ellis/Julian Thomas (Lotus Elan 26R Shapecraft) at Enna-Pergusa in Sicily, father-and-son Graeme and James Dodd (Jaguar E-type) at Silverstone, John Spiers/Chris Ward (Lister-Jaguar Costin) at Castle Combe and Portuguese crew Pedro Macedo Silva/Jose Monroy (AC Cobra 289) at Portimao underlined the GTSCC’s competitiveness this season. It also heralded first time victors in Ellis, Spiers and Monroy, to whom congratulations.
Debuted in 2007 with three rounds across France, held at Pau, Dijon and Paul Ricard, the focus of the GTSCC competition is cars of a type which competed in – or were eligible to contest – World Endurance Championship races between 1947-1965. Cars must conform to FIA Appendix K criteria and be in possession of valid HTP documentation, unless otherwise authorised.
Moving into the GTSCC’s 19th season, its core remains GT cars of FIA Periods E and F, although record a revival of interest in Pre-1963 Sports cars was noted this term, with eight entries at Enna. Pre-1966 Touring Cars are also welcome. Three capacity divisions are offered, but with a record four Minis – including a rare Broadspeed GTS derivative – competing in 2024’s Portuguese seasonal finale, it is increasingly seen as the Historic home for machinery up to 1500cc.
The programme for 2025 is bookended by two-hour races on Silverstone’s Grand Prix circuit and the fabulous Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, both Formula 1-licensed facilities. For the former, we are renewing our relationship with the International Trophy [a BRDC non-championship F1 staple from 1949-1979] in May, which provided the infrastructure for our events until 2021.
Thruxton and Castle Combe, both high-speed airfield perimeter tracks, are bastions of British motorsport, demanding circuits on which to race over 90 minutes. Although the current Thruxton layout which is steeped in international history, was not opened until March 1968, the earliest GTSCC-eligible cars could have competed on different layouts in 1952 and 1953, following which motorcycle racing spanned the four-wheeled eras. Castle Combe, which hosted an F1 race in 1950 and an international sportscar event in 1955, celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2025. Our eighth visit will, as last year, form Saturday’s centrepiece.
We are also proud to announce that the Royal Automobile Club will continue to present its family trophies in 2025, and Baltic Watches will again reward Drivers of the Day nominees with a pair of timepieces at each race. Furthermore, the GTSCC Drivers of the Year will receive two top-of-the-range Baltic Watches as mementos.
While racing is at the core of the GTSCC’s ethos, as ever first-class hospitality is part of the competitor package at each event, offered in association with commercial partners. We are grateful to sponsors old and new for their invaluable support which underpins the important social element of each special rendez-vous.
GTSCC 2025 IN DETAIL
May 31 – SILVERSTONE GP (UK)
Silverstone’s demanding Grand Prix circuit has been on our calendar since 2008. This year we return to the race’s roots at the International Trophy, which hosted the GTSCC until 2021 – as association forged with the HSCC legendary executive director Grahame White, whose involvement in international motor sport stretched back to the BARC at Goodwood, Crystal Palace and elsewhere in the early 1960s. Having staged the inaugural F1 World Championship race in 1950, when Alfa Romeo drivers locked out the podium places, ‘The Home of British Motor Racing’ celebrates 75 years of the professional sport’s pinnacle in 2025. Our event will be self-contained on the Saturday of a two-day meeting for ease of logistics, with qualifying in the morning and a 120-minute race in the afternoon. Friday testing – book directly through Silverstone on 0344 3728235 – is available.
June 21 – THRUXTON RETRO (UK)
Rebranded for 2025, the former Thruxton Historic weekend has gone from strength to strength since gaining independence in 2023. We are delighted to be back on the bill! Masterminded by genial circuit manager Pat Blakeney and BARC Heritage’s Rob Manger – whose Jochen Rindt Trophy races celebrate the Austrian ace who dominated Thruxton’s European F2 rounds from 1968-1971 – our 90-minute race on the Saturday allows us the opportunity to enjoy the 2.356-mile track, unchanged since it reopened in 1968. Our previous visit, in 2020, produced fabulous racing and an extraordinary result, Mark Holme and Jeremy Welch victorious in SMO 746, the ex-works Austin-Healey 3000 which John Gott raced in Modsports spec there into the 1970s. Thruxton changed hands for the first time in six decades last summer, so hopefully owner Alex Thistlethwayte will join us in his thunderous ex-Leo Voyazides AC Cobra 289.
September 20 – CASTLE COMBE AUTUMN CLASSIC (UK)
GTSCC debuted at the Autumn Classic in 2017. Such is its ambience, heightened by classic car owners and spectators who enjoy dressing up for the occasion, that we’ve missed it only once. This one will be extra special, celebrating the Chippenham, Wiltshire, circuit’s 75th Anniversary. Following morning qualifying, our race is over 90 minutes on Saturday afternoon. Period sports car racing at Castle Combe peaked with October 1955’s international, in which HWM co-founder George Abecassis triumphed by a fifth of a second over Ferrari-mounted Frenchman Louis Rosier, winner of the 1950 Le Mans 24 Hours. It also featured Duncan Hamilton (Jaguar D-type), winner at La Sarthe in 1953, and Roy Salvadori (Aston Martin DB3S), who would win there in 1959. Family-owned Castle Combe is close to the stunning spa city of Bath – well worth factoring into your trip – and Bristol, birthplace of 500cc F3.
October 24-25-26 ALGARVE CLASSIC FESTIVAL (P)
Since our maiden participation in 2011, the Algarve Classic Festival has embraced our seasonal finale every year bar 2020 due to Covid. The sensational Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, a short drive inland from the town of Portimao – overlooking the sparkling Atlantic Ocean, replete with seafood restaurants and close to some of Europe’s finest golf courses – is the perfect climax to a summer of fun with family and friends. As before, our package includes free practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and an exhilarating two-hour race on Sunday morning. Accommodation for competitors is provided for the duration, together with splendid catering for drivers and support crews in the pit-top suite at this F1 venue. Portugal boasts a proud history of sports car racing, its early Grands Prix run on road courses at Oporto and Monsanto from 1951-1957. Winners included Eugenio Castelotti and Froilan Gonzalez (Ferraris) and Jean Behra and Juan Manuel Fangio (Maseratis).
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