Last Monday a group of motor racing stalwarts and enthusiasts gathered at the home of the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) at Thruxton race circuit for the launch of Rewind Tour Britain with Motor Racing Legends.
This brand-new event is provisionally due to take place between 27th and 30th May 2027 and will combine a mix of circuit racing and rallying, very much in the spirit of the original Tour of Britain of the 1970s which was an innovative format in its day, with stars of stage and circuit fighting head-to-head in lightly modified family saloons.
The new event’s entry will be for up to 80 road-legal, production-based historic race and rally cars with each car crewed by two people for rally stages and road sections, while circuit races will be contested by just one driver. There will be no separation between rally entries and race entries as every competitor will take part in each element of the competition as this is central to the event’s identity and reflects its emphasis on adaptability, teamwork and sustained strategic performance rather than isolated outright speed.
Back in the 1970s well-known names took part including James Hunt who was the inaugural winner in 1973, as well as the likes of Graham Hill and Roger Clark, who won the event in 1974, with his victory showing that rally expertise could translate effectively into a broader touring format.
A year later, Tony Pond’s victory further strengthened the event’s reputation with his performance illustrating just the type of all-round competence the Tour was designed to uncover.
Perhaps the most widely referenced event was in 1976, when Ari Vatanen won. Some of the other competitors were Denny Hulme, Timo Makinen, Walter Rohrl, Prince Michael of Kent and Noel Edmonds, who was co-driving for James Hunt, highlighting that there really was something for everyone.
The event then returned in 1989 following a 13-year gap and this time took place over a full week. The difference this time, however, was that the drivers were allowed to change co-drivers for each day of the event which helped to create more media and sponsorship exposure. And it was multiple British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae, father of Colin, who eventually took the chequered flag. Britain’s most successful driver at the Le Mans 24 Hours race, Derek Bell also took part.
The success and cultural significance of the Tour was underscored by the sheer variety of drivers, cars and celebrities that took part.
What Rewind Tour Britain is doing, is taking that insight and applying it within a modern context. And whilst the regulatory environment, safety expectations and professional standards of contemporary motorsport are fundamentally different from those of the 1970s, the new event has been designed accordingly with a clear set of rules, defined limits and a big emphasis on long-term sustainability.
The aim of Rewind Tour Britain is to capture that same spirit of adventure but reshaped in a new format to fit modern historic motorsport culture.
Full regulations are going to be issued in due course, but FIA Appendix J and K historic regulations will form the technical framework and all the cars that take part must be road legal and be fitted with standard tyres.
As regards eligible cars, you will need to dust of the cobwebs of those 1960s GT cars, as well as any rally and touring cars from the 60s, 70s and 80s you may have tucked away in your garage just so long as they are road legal. There will also be a special class for vintage cars at the head of the field, as well as an invitation class for Group B rally cars.
The route will take in fast race tracks like Thruxton as well as spectacular special stages around Blenheim Palace, which is very much viewed as the jewel in the crown of the event given its RAC Rally history.
Racing disciplines that normally operate in isolation will be brought together in this exciting new event with further details on the exact route, as well as more information about the format of stages and races to be released shortly. However, the plan is to run the event over three and a half days and approximately 460 miles. The route itself will include four circuit races, 12 closed-road rally stages including hill climbs, as well as extensive public road sections and all on asphalt.
Shaun Lynn, Chairman of Motor Racing Legends (MRL) said:
“This is a bold event, which blends a storied past with a brand new concept. Rewind Tour Britain is about putting proper all-round competition back at the centre of historic motorsport. It’s not a parade and it’s not a re-enactment. It’s a serious test that asks drivers to adapt, think and perform across everything motorsport can throw at them throughout some truly spectacular venues across the country. It will not be just the drivers though, as the teams will need good strategy and reliability.”
With Ben Taylor, CEO of the British Automobile Club (BARC), added:
“What we have launched today is genuinely different. Bringing racing and rallying together in one event is ambitious, but that’s exactly why it matters. Our home at Thruxton was the right place to announce it, and the response today shows there is real appetite for something that challenges convention while maintaining a strong connection to the past.”
Pierre-Antoine Lecoutour, CEO of Motor Racing Legends, concluded by saying:
“There is strong demand across Europe for events that offer more depth than single-discipline competition. Rewind Tour Britain has been built with an international audience in mind, using Britain as a compact yet challenging showcase.”
The overall aim of Rewind Tour Britain is really pretty straightforward. That is to bring racing, rallying and endurance back together in one continuous competition over a few days and to discover who performs best when versatility, resilience and judgement really matter. It’s therefore time to rewind.
For more information on Rewind Tour Britain, which is being organised by Motor Racing Legends in partnership with the BARC, please visit: www.motorracinglegends.com.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based motoring and travel journalist and editor, a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and former saloon car racing driver.
Photographs and logo courtesy of Rewind Tour Britain
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