London Historic Trophy 2026

The inaugural London Historic Trophy delivered on its promise, bringing together more than 300 race cars and enjoying warm summer weather throughout the weekend. As Brands Hatch celebrated its “Century of Power,” the event provided a fitting tribute to the circuit’s rich motorsport heritage.

Organized by Motor Racing Legends, the meeting attracted an impressive collection of machinery that has helped define Brands Hatch across generations. Among the standout exhibits was the Williams FW11 in which Nigel Mansell won the 1986 Formula One British Grand Prix — the final Formula One race held at the Kent circuit.

Just one week after the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a field of 15 Group C cars added further spectacle. The demonstrations included a Sauber-Mercedes C9 identical to the machine that claimed victory at Brands Hatch in 1989 with Mauro Baldi and Kenny Acheson. Acheson himself returned to the cockpit of the iconic Silver Arrow, making his first appearance on a race circuit in three decades.

Away from the track, the MRL Drivers Club hosted a lively Saturday evening celebration featuring the RPJ Band. Fronted by Rick Parfitt Junior, the performance kept attendees on their feet and provided one of the social highlights of the weekend.

Two new grids launched

On-track action featured 14 grids and a succession of closely contested races, all broadcast live and still available to view online. One of the weekend’s standout moments came in the Generations Trophy, where Andy and Nicole Wolfe secured their first victory as a father-daughter pairing.

The inaugural Pre-’66 GT Sprint race also proved memorable, attracting a strong 36-car field. Lukas Halusa produced a remarkable recovery drive in the Jaguar E-Type “Low Drag,” although Mike Whitaker ultimately held firm in his TVR Griffith to secure the win.

Tribute to Guy Edwards

The new 2-Litre Sportscars series made its debut on Sunday afternoon with a one-hour race contested under blazing sunshine. The event also paid tribute to the late Guy Edwards through the participation of two cars closely associated with his career.

One of those machines, the Lola T292 driven by Chris Ward, went on to take victory. The T292 was the car Edwards used to win the 1973 Trophées d’Auvergne at the Circuit de Charade. Also present was the Lola T296, which Edwards drove to victory at the final round of the 1977 World Championship. Gonçalo Ramos and James Claridge shared driving duties in the T296.

Next rendezvous: Charade

Attention now turns to France, where the historic Trophées d’Auvergne will return after decades of inactivity. Scheduled for three weeks’ time, the event will form the centerpiece of a new historic racing festival organized by Motor Racing Legends in partnership with the ASACA (Association Sportive de l’Automobile Club d’Auvergne).

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The meeting will showcase the diverse disciplines that have shaped the Circuit de Charade’s history, from endurance racing and touring cars to Formula One, marking Motor Racing Legends’ first event on French soil.

Kenny Acheson, after his demonstration in the Sauber-Mercedes C9: “I wasn’t particularly quick. In my defense, I should say that yesterday marked my return to a racetrack after a 30-year absence. Honestly, everything felt quite natural. It’s remarkable how many people have come up to me saying they were here at Brands Hatch in 1989, or at my first 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year. They’ve asked me what it felt like and what memories I have, but in truth, I don’t remember that much about it. I feel very privileged to be here, and I’m grateful to MRL for asking us to bring the car. I hope people have enjoyed both the way it looks and the sound it makes.”

Shaun Lynn, chairman of Motor Racing Legends: “We had 400 cars on track at Donington last month, and 300 this weekend. For the inaugural London Historic Trophy, that is very satisfying. All the work we have carried out over the past two years is beginning to bear fruit. Our teams are now well-drilled in every area, and we are receiving nothing but positive feedback from our competitors. We are pleased with the balance we have found between a serious approach to the sporting and technical aspects and a relaxed atmosphere off track. We are ready to take on our next challenge: organizing a race in France, at the superb Charade circuit.”