The Lotus Festival is next weekend and it looks like there’ll be a great range of cars on display.

Formula 1 cars return to Brands Hatch for Bank Holiday weekend Lotus Festival
50 years of the Lotus Cortina to be celebrated with special race on the Grand Prix circuit

The glory days of Formula 1 will be recalled at Brands Hatch this Bank Holiday weekend (24/25 August), as several magnificent race machines will return to the Grand Prix circuit for the annual Lotus Festival.

Classic Team Lotus, which maintains many of the original cars on behalf of their owners, will be providing demonstration runs during the Sunday of cars originally driven by Grand Prix greats Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Ronnie Peterson and Jacky Ickx. It’s 50 years since Clark won Team Lotus’ first world title, and the Type 25 that powered him to glory will be on display during the event.

Also celebrating a golden anniversary in 2013 is the legendary Lotus Cortina. The original performance saloon, it won championships in Britain and Europe. Former drivers Jack Sears, who drove the car in late season races on route to the 1963 British Touring Car Championship, and Sir John Whitmore, 1965 European Touring Car Champion with an Alan Mann-prepared Lotus Cortina, are both expected to be attending the event.

The Lotus Cortina celebrations will include track parades, an owners’ club display, plus a brace of anniversary races, for which a large grid is expected.

The weekend’s race programme also features racing from the Lotus Cup Europe and Lotus Cup UK championships, which includes entries from the factory’s Elise, Exige and Evora cars, plus the popular Elise Trophy series. Lotus owners from across the continent and even as far as Australia are expected to travel to the event. Examples of almost every car from the marque will line the circuit, and many will take to the track for a special parade on Saturday. This will include a collection of Esprits, with a timeline of the James Bond-starring supercar.

Lotus Cars and Motorsport will also have a presence at the event, with cars on display and taking to the track including the T125 F1-style trackday car, Evora and the brand new V6-powered Exige S Roadster.

The event also features racing from other marques, action on the rally stage from Lotuses, with visitors also able to enjoy a sideways ride in one of the venue’s specially-prepared cars. The festival atmosphere will also be enhanced with trade stands, a show and shine competition, an aerobatic display on the Sunday and even live music on Saturday with a band formed by Lotus owners!

Tickets for the Lotus Festival at Brands Hatch on 25/26 August are available from £18 with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.brandshatch.co.uk

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