Silverstone Classic motor racing festival to pay tribute to F1 legend James Hunt

The festival takes place on July 29-31 and this year is the 40th anniversary of Hunt’s 1976 FIA World Championship victory.

Now in its 26th year, the Silverstone Classic, staged at Britain’s premier race circuit, will pay homage to the headline-grabbing driver, who sadly died in 1993 aged just 45 years old, with a special display of his cars, curated by his two sons, Freddie and Tom.

In addition to a collection of Hunt’s most notable road and racing cars, fans will have a chance to gaze upon rarely seen memorabilia and trophies from his 1976 title-winning season, which Hunt won by a single point – a story retold in the 2013 biopic Rush featuring actor Chris Hemsworth.

Attending Silverstone Classic 2016 preview event at the home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, a venue that his late father was successful at on three occasions, Freddie Hunt said: “I know the crowds at Silverstone back in the seventies really took my dad’s heroics to their hearts, so it’s going to be very special for all of us in the family to be marking the 40th anniversary of his World Championship at this summer’s Silverstone Classic.”

At the preview, it was also announced that Prostate Cancer UK has been appointed as the official charity of the Silverstone Classic for the next three years.

This is the first time the festival has aligned itself with a charity and the aim of this new partnership is to raise both awareness of the disease and funds in order to help the charity provide vital support and information to men and their families, and find answers by funding research into causes and treatments.

Nick O’Donohue, of Prostate Cancer UK, said: “This partnership offers the perfect platform to reach large numbers of car loving dads, lads and their families, whether they are revving up in the race paddocks or enjoying the packed infield displays and entertainment zones.

“Prostate cancer won’t beat itself. It’s a race against time but we believe it can be tamed within ten years, if action is taken now.”