From 08 to 10 October 2021, the Autódromo do Estoril will host another edition of one of the best Classic Car events in the world: Estoril Classics. The event will include the prestigious international Peter Auto grids, but also unique Classic Grand Prix races, races with famous Formula 1 cars until 1986, the exquisite Iberian Historic Endurance, as well as the traditional Rally of Portugal Slalom exhibition. In the year 2021, it will be difficult to find an event in the world with such a wide variety of historic cars as this one supported by the Cascais Municipality.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the public could not be present. However, for the current year, 2021, the organization awaits with expectation the health restrictions measures and the opinion of the competent authorities to once again receive the public in what is the largest national event of classic cars.
Cascais Tourism Board is determined to establish Estoril Classics as a reference event on the international scene for lovers of historic vehicles. In 2021, with the partnership with Race Ready and Peter Auto, the expectation of Turismo de Cascais is that the event will be one of the most important in the world of this modality.
The Concours d'Elegance and the Historic Portugal Rally will once again be present in the Estoril Classics paddock. The Concours d'Elegance will once again move from the Casino do Estoril Gardens to the Paddock of the Fernanda Pires da Silva Race Track with a display of past winners. The Historic Portugal Rally will end with the traditional Slalom on the straight of the circuit to remember the times when the Portugal Rally ended at the Estoril Racetrack.
Over 350 historic racing cars representing over 20 different nationalities are expected on the track. They will compete over three days in a full programme that includes 10 different championships, with 14 races and two exhibitions.
With so many races over three days, we recap the most interesting points from each.
Classic Grand Prix, for pre-1986 Formula One
Brands such as Lotus, McLaren, Tyrrell or Williams are emblematic of the golden age of Formula 1. In this competition, the unforgettable Formula 1 cars up to 1986 will be present at the Estoril Circuit where you can recall the great battles on the track that the public could witness in the late 70s and early 80s. At the time when talented drivers like James Hunt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell or Ayrton Senna dominated the track. These machines with more than 500 hp will certainly offer an exciting spectacle.
CER 1 & 2
The C.E.R 1 takes us back to the period from 1966 to 1974 (1971 for prototypes) - when endurance racing dominated motorsport, along with the Formula One Grand Prix. A glorious period of the Ford GT40, Porsche 910, Ferrari 512 just to mention a few. These models did not just take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the highlight of the season, but raced around the biggest European circuits. A grid with models similar to the grid at the inauguration of the Estoril Autodrome in 1972.
Derived from CER 1, CER 2 is dedicated to GT's and Prototypes from the mid 1970s to the early 1980s. It is the golden age of GT cars, with performances close, if not superior, to contemporary prototypes, with the Porsche 935, BMW M1 and Ferrari BB512 LM at the top. It is also the first steps towards closed prototypes with high aerodynamics like the Inaltera, Rondeau, WM or Lola, heralding the era of Group C.
Endurance Racing Legends
This is the competition with the most modern cars that Estoril Classics has to offer. The Endurance Racing Legends accepts GTs similar to those that will compete in the mythical BPR and FIA GT as well as Sport Prototypes that competed in the WSC and later in the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
History repeats itself. The cars that line up on this grid are the same ones that travelled to the Estoril Autodrome for the various FIA GT and ELMS events that the circuit hosted in the late 1990s. Such as Ferrari 458 GTLM, Pescarolo Judd C60, Peugeot 908, Porsche 911 GT1.
Group C
Introduced in 1982 and 1993, the Group C category imposed a regulation based on fuel consumption in order to prevent manufacturers' excesses and the development of ever more powerful turbo-fuelled cars.
This competition recalls those fantastic machines, such as the Porsche 956, Peugeot 905, Jaguar XJR-14 and Toyota TS010, which gave colour to one of the most spectacular eras of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Heritage Touring Cup
The Heritage Touring Cup is the stage for the glory days (1966-1984) of the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC). Ford Escort and Capri, BMW 3.0CSL and 635 CSi, Alfa Romeo GTV6, cars similar in appearance to those that filled the streets and which became, when prepared, wonderful race cars. The FIA was thus able at the time to be a showcase of constructors fighting for the top spot. The Heritage Touring Cup, recalls an era and a style that promises plenty of action on track.
Greatest's Trophy
The Greatest's Trophy (formerly called Trofeo Nastro Rosso) is open to the exceptional cars that made their mark in the major endurance races of the 1950s and 1960s. Respect and clean driving are now the keywords for these Gentleman Drivers taking part in the new Greatest's Trophy, which offers a rare opportunity to see, once again on the track, the icons of the golden age of the great marques: Maserati 300, Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta, Alfa Romeo TZ, Aston Martin DB4 GT, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS or Porsche 550. Many models that were produced in limited numbers, so their value has continued to increase over the past decades.
Sixties' Endurance
The Sixties' Endurance race, dedicated to pre-63 and pre-66 GT's, offers a wonderful opportunity to admire all the World Championship icons of that era on the track. Special icons of endurance racing, these two-hour races bring together a wide range of cars of the period, 1950 to 1965, in a mix of capabilities from the big 5-litre engines of the AC Cobras to the nimble and light Lotus XI with their small 1000cc four-cylinder engines. Each race brings together around 50 cars and promises epic battles late in the day on Saturday with the race finishing at dusk.
Iberian Historic Endurance
The charm of the already iconic Iberian Historic Endurance for Touring and GT cars up to 1976 will also be present and promises to enliven the tracks with various fights throughout the dense field, always with a great dose of sportsmanship among the teams. The award-winning competition, one of the top five at European level, is back in Estoril and several Portuguese teams will be present.
The Iberian Historic Endurance, brings cars as varied as Alfa Romeo GTA, Porsche 911, Jaguar E-Type or Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, which excel by the level of preparation and quality of the models, being the perfect way to remember the endurance races of the time.
Find all the information at estorilclassics.pt/timetable.