Race Retro 2018 in pictures

Rally cars, F1 winners and more star at Stoneleigh

Dozens of top drivers and hundreds of legendary cars were the stars of the show at this year's Race Retro.

Among the motorsport greats in attendance were Hall of Fame inductee Brian Redman, rally driver Miki Biasion, British Touring Cars Champion Matt Neal and Jimmy and Alister McRae, while event highlights included a special Prodrive exhibit, a Live Rally Stage featuring Group B cars and a host of rarely seen WRC and F1 cars.

Two Silverstone Auctions sales also proved popular, with big sales for notable cars including an ex-Colin McRae Ford Focus WRC.

We spent several happy hours at the event this weekend; here's our pick of the show.

Williams FW07 and Ralt RT3

In the foreground is a true champion: the Williams FW07 Formula 1 car which scored multiple Grand Prix victories in the late 1970s and early '80s, and which gave the team its first Drivers' and Constructors' titles.

Indeed, Williams' first ever Grand Prix victory was achieved in this car, with Swiss driver Clay Regazzoni taking the British GP in July 1979. His teammate, Australian Alan Jones, then won four of the next five races and finished third overall, with Williams coming second in the Constructors' standings.

The next year was even better, with Jones taking the Drivers' title and Williams the Constructors' – a feat the team repeated in 1981.

In the background is the Ralt RT3 – a Formula 3 car driven by both Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundle in the 1983 season. The pair spent the entire year battling for the title, with Senna ultimately winning out after a final, thrilling race at Thruxton.

McLaren M14A

The M14 was the last Formula 1 car driven by Bruce McLaren before his death in 1970, and the last driven by the late Dan Gurney before his retirement from the sport that same year.

McLaren and teammate Denny Hulme had started the season well: Hulme finished second at the opening South African GP and fourth in Monaco, while McLaren finished second in Spain. 

McLaren's death while testing a Can-Am car would have been enough to destroy many a team, but the arrival of Dan Gurney for a couple of races helped them weather the storm and they ultimately finished the season fifth.

The Gurney effect should certainly not be played down: although he only drove in three races, the team has described how "his stoic resolve and determination help[ed] to glue it together as it grappled to find direction in the wake of its founder's death".

Lancia Delta HF Integrale

Arguably the greatest of all rally cars, the Integrale is definitely one of the two most successful: its 46 WRC stage wins are matched only by the Subaru Impreza.

Each of those wins was achieved between 1987 and 1992, a six-year-period during which it absolutely dominated the WRC. Lancia won the Constructors Championship in every one of those seasons, while between them Juha Kankkunen and Miki Biasion took four of the six drivers' titles.

Lancia Rallye 037

Developed by Abarth with one aim in mind, 037 was the first car to truly get to grips – pun intended – with the WRC's new Group B rules. Rather than modify an existing car, Abarth designed the 037 first then produced the 200 road-going vehicles needed to satisfy the homologation rules.

The plan worked, with Markko Alen and Walter Rõhrl propelling it to the Constructors title in 1983.

Ford Focus WRC

This Focus WRC, chassis X7, has quite the history. The late, great Colin McRae scored two of his World Rally Championship victories in it, at Cyprus in 2001 and Greece in 2002. A third in Finland and fifth in Australia also came in 2001, and perhaps most notable of all is the fact that McRae never crashed it!  

Austin 1800 VLM 128G 'Dizzyak'

A works car built for the 1968 Daily Express London to Sydney Marathon, this Austin 1800 finished in a creditable 31st place. Owned since 1980 by one enthusiast, it's been lovingly maintained and is in excellent condition. 

To its right is another Austin 1800 which took part in the race, but unfortunately failed to finish.

Hillman Hunter and Ford Cortina

On the right is another survivor of the famous London-Sydney Marathon in 1968: a Ford Cortina GT which finished 21st.

On the left, meanwhile, is a replica of the car which won the race, built by Gordon Jarvis using the original specifications – and lots of research.

The Marathon itself was won by Andrew Cowan, Colin Malkin and Brian Coyle after a gruelling two-week race across 11 countries and nearly 10,000 miles. 

Toleman TG280

A star of Formula 2, the Toleman TG280 actually played a significant role in F1 history too.

How? Well the TG280 was so dominant in the 1980 European F2 season that the team decided to step up to F1. Minor success followed, with Derek Warwick scoring notable points in 1983 before a certain Ayrton Senna joined in '84.

Senna took a Toleman to second place at Monaco that year and although he left after only one season, the team ultimately became Benetton, then Renault, then Lotus and then Renault again.

Ensign N180

The Cosworth DFV-powered Ensign N180 was heavily influenced by the all-conquering Williams FW07, but didn't enjoy the same success in Formula 1.

In the 1980 season its best performance was a ninth place in South Africa, although an upgraded version of the car did finish fourth in Brazil and sixth in Monaco the following year. 

Lotus 79 and Chevron B48-79

The pioneering Lotus 79 was one of the first F1 cars to truly master ground effects, and duly took Mario Andretti to the Drivers' Championship in 1978, and Lotus to the Constructors' title.

This model, the Lotus 79/5, was driven by Andretti the following season, where it finished fourth on two occasions.

In the background is a rare Chevron B48-79, one of only 10 produced and two remaining. It was raced in the 1979 F2 championship, finishing second twice.

Porsche 911 SC RS

This rally car was developed for Porsche by Prodrive and was initially based largely on the 930 Turbo road car. After taking victory in its first event – the 1984 Qatar Rally – Prodrive made further modifications to it, and those changes paid with multiple rally championship wins in the mid-'80s.

Jaguar XJR-9 and Jaguar D-Type Longnose

The XJR-9 dominated the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing first, fourth and 16th that year. 

The D-Type needs no introduction: a motorsport legend, it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times in succession from 1955-'57.

This particular model was driven by Mike Hawthorn and Ivor Bueb in the 1956 race, eventually finishing sixth after suffering a cracked fuel-injection pipe. 

Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2

Regarded by many as the most powerful rally car ever, the Quattro S1 could pump out 500bhp and do 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds.

This model was raced in the RAC Rally with Walter Rõhrl driving, but unfortunately crashed out.

Chevron B26

The striking two-litre B26 was raced in the 1974 World Sports Car Championship by John Watson and Peter Gethin, among others.

Connaught L2

A post-war UK success story, the Connaught L2 notched up victories across the UK in 1949, taming Goodwood, Silverstone, Prescott, Blandford and other circuits with Kenneth McAlpine at the wheel.

This model was raced in F2 and finished fourth in the first heat of the Grand Prix des Frontières in Belgium in 1950.

Group B rally cars

A host of classic Group B rally cars took part in the outdoor Live Action stage, with drivers including Jimmy and Alister McRae – father and brother of late World Champion Colin – taking part.

Connew F1

Not heard of the Connew F1? That's not really a surprise, given the car's slightly underwhelming history. Joining the 1972 Formula 1 season halfway through, it failed to enter the French GP, failed to start the British and was denied permission to enter the German race.

It did finally get on the grid for the Austrian Grand Prix, where it lasted 22 laps before suffering a suspension failure.

Still, we should applaud the team behind it for getting it into a race at all: it was the work of just three men and was produced on a tiny budget. After sitting untouched for decades following its F1 adventure, the original team reunited a few years ago and have now completed a full restoration job on it.

Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth

This WRC car was always more at home on the road than on loose surfaces, and took its only victory at the 1988 Tour de Corsica, with future world champion Didier Auriol at the helm. Others to drive it included Stig Blomqvist, Carlos Sainz and Jimmy McRae.

Arrows F4

Another F1 car, although without quite such a pedigree as the Williams FW07 or Lotus 79.

The Arrows A4 nonetheless scored five points in the 1982 season, which is most likely five more than the car sitting on your driveway can boast.