Silverstone Classic to celebrate 30 years of the Ford Sierra RS500

Silverstone Classic will celebrate the Ford Sierra RS500’s 30^th birthday with two very double-header races for the first time.

Both JET Super Touring Car Trophy showdowns taking place on the Saturday and Sunday afternoons of the Classic will feature two grids racing simultaneously for the first time.

The first will be filled with high-tech Super Tourers, the second with Group 1 and Group A racing saloons, including a large number of legendary RS500s.

The focus will be on the famed RS500 – the competition version of the original Sierra RS Cosworth – with the car celebrating its 30^th anniversary milestone after launching in July 1987.

In an unprecedented line-up, the Classic will feature more than 50 iconic entries spanning more than 25 years of glorious touring car racing history, all still displaying their evocative period liveries.

There will be Group 1 Capris and Rover Vitesses from the late seventies and early eighties, Group A favourites such as the mighty RS500 and impressively rapid BMW M3s from the late eighties plus, the more extreme Super Tourers from the nineties.

A joint qualifying session on Friday will be split into two individual grids for the weekend’s stand-out races. The more modern Super Tourers will line up in front and take the first rolling start. Then, 30 seconds later, the combined Group 1 and Group A grid will flash across the line at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.

Nick Wigley, Chief Executive of event organiser, Goose Live Events, said: “The exciting Super Tourers have always been a big hit with the fans ever since the very first David Leslie Memorial Trophy race at the Classic back in 2009.

“Now we are doubling the eye-catching entertainment with what’s effectively a second stunning race running at the very same time – even more so, as this ‘second race’ will put the spotlight on the incredible achievements of the rightly idolised RS500.”

Introduced by Ford to put some much-needed sparkle into its humdrum showroom Sierra, the three-door RS500 is rated by many to be the world’s most successful competition car of all times. With its signature whale-tail rear spoiler and Cosworth inspired 500+ bhp power pack, in its era the seminal Sierra was virtually unbeatable totally dominating Group A touring car championships right around the globe.

Silverstone Classic will take place on 28-30 July.