Rallying legend Stig Blomqvist is returning to the stages in a Works Specification Audi Quattro A2 at the Historic Rally Festival.

He is best remembered for his exploits during the Group B era of the World Rally Championship which made it a perfect fit for him to return to the UK stages in a Group B Audi Quattro A2.

Stig's international breakthrough came in 1971 by winning 9 out of the 11 events he entered while driving a Saab 96 V4. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985. He won his home event, the Swedish Rally, seven times. Outside the WRC, he won the British Rally Championship in 1983 and the Swedish Rally Championship several times. At the Race of Champions, Blomqvist took the title "Champion of Champions" in 1989 and 1990.

Hansport has rebuilt the Audi A2, which is a former Middle East rally car, to full and exact A2 works specification, using original works parts, the car is correct in every way. he car was originally built to Group 4 specification by Schmidt Motorsport and was campaigned by privateer driver Haile Aguilar in the Middle East Rally Championship. Hansport CEO John Hanlon who made contact with Haile and discovered the history of the car, will be co-driver on the event. 

The unique twin powered Jet Pitts display plane has 2 jet turbines in alongside the six cylinder 8.5 litre Modified Lycoming 540 engine. A modified rudder which provides better looks and more powerful yaw control and the new wings, an amazing roll rate. Coupled with the addition of a massive smoke system all of this means a spectacular display is guaranteed!

The Muscle Biplane can hover like a Harrier, perform double-hammerheads and the amazing Tower of Power, complete torque rolls, backwards flight, high-alpha knife-edge flypasts.

The 15 minute display will take place over Weston Park after the competitor 'Meet & Greet' which is scheduled for 12.30pm until 1pm on Sunday

Gwyndaf Evans, winner of the British Rally Championship in 1996, and runner-up in 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2010 to take part in the Historic Rally Festival.

In the RAC rally Gwyndaf won the Group N production car class twice driving a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4, in 1990 and Ford Escort RS Cosworth in 1993.

In 1994, driving a Group A Ford Escort RS2000, he scored a then career high seventh place overall, winning his class once more, before going one better with a sixth place finish the following year, and his fourth class victory in six years.

After driving for SEAT from 1997-2001 then MG for 2002-2003, he drove a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Wales Rally GB in 2004 and 2006, winning the 2006 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge Trophy.

Gwyndaf and co-driver Stuart Horsfall will be taking part in a very special Ford Escort Mk2. Which was used by Ford Motorsport in Boreham in the late 90's as a test mule to re create all the fabrication and running gear used on the original works Escort MK2's. They created an Escort Back catalogue which was going to be available from the Ford RS dealers at the time. The Car was featured in Car and Car Conversions magazine in November 98 and Classic Ford magazine in January 1999.

The UK's leading Rally TV brand Special stage will be filming at the Historic Rally Festival and producing a programme, with commentary from Paul Woodford. 

The programme will be available to purchase on DVD/Memory Stick after the event via the Historic Rally Festival website.

As well as be commentating on the stages for Special Stage Paul will be popping in and out of the commentary booth for both days stages, joining the commentary team of Louise Aitken-Walker, Mike Broad, and Howard Davies.

Paul and the commentary team will all be available to meet and greet spectators, interview crews and guests, and commentate on the live action.

Paul Woodford ‘professional petrolhead’ and presenter will be commentating on the stages at the Historic Rally Festival 2023.

From rally driving to race track management; motoring journalism to live TV presenting and film making Paul has done it all.

He is well known for his expert commentary on Special Stage Rally Review, aswell as the Car Films youtube channel.

As well as popping in and out of the commentary booth for both days stages, joining the commentary team of Louise Aitken-Walker, Mike Broad, and Howard Davies, Paul will be commentating on the stages for Special Stage who are producing a DVD of the event that will be available to order online later in October.

Paul and the commentary team will all be available to meet and greet spectators, interview crews and guests, and commentate on the live action.

📸 Copyright Paul Woodford

Howard Davies rally co-driver turned presenter will be commentating on the stages once again at the Historic Rally Festival 2023.

After switching from plumbing to rallying he was co-driver for Gwyndaf Evans for more than a decade. His big break came when they took the 1996 British Rally Championship by storm in an Escort RS 2000 had won three rallies as the most eligible entries of the season. They also scored WRC points in 1994 and 1995.

Howard will be back in the commentary booth for both days stages, ably assisted by Louise Aitken-Walker, Mike Broad, and Paul Woodford, who will all be available to meet and greet spectators, interview crews and guests, and commentate on the live action.

Mike Broad has competed as a rally co-driver alongside some of the biggest names the sport has ever seen such as Jimmy McRae, David Metcalfe, Malcolm Wilson, Russell Brookes and even Colin McRae

A current Motorsport UK Council member, and President of the British Trial and Rally Drivers Association, Mike is a man who knows what he’s talking about when it comes to the special stages and we are very pleased to confirm he will be attending the Historic Rally Festival 20023.

Mike will be available to meet and greet spectators and spend some time with the commentary team for interviews etc.

Photo Copyright Paul Woodford

Winner of the Ladies Word Rally Championship title in 1990 and leading British rally driver of the 1980s and 1990s Louise Aitken-Walker MBE will be attending the Historic Rally Festival 2023.

Louise will be available to meet and greet spectators and spend some time with the commentary team for interviews etc. She is the first British female driver to win a world title, and is looking forward to visiting Weston Park again, having driven there during the Lombard RAC Rally back in 1981.

"This was a very special moment for me, possibly the pinnacle of my career," Aitken-Walker said. "I signed for GM Eurosport to contest the World Rally Championship and was having a very good season until my horrific crash in Portugal where we summersaulted into a lake. However, we came back and went on to take the title."

The driver from the Scottish borders started her rallying career in 1979 and across 14 years competed for Ford, Peugeot, Nissan and Vauxhall. She retired in 1993 to start a family.

We are pleased to announce the new stage for the Historic Rally Festival on Saturday 30th September! For the first time, drivers will take on stages at Hatton Grange, the private family home of the Kenyon-Slaney family.

• Ceremonial Start at Hatton Grange
• Service area at Weston Park
• Night stages and fireworks finale
• Full throttle action at Weston throughout the day on Sunday 1st October
• Super Early Bird tickets from £10 per person will be on sale until the end of May – or when the allocation is reached

Order tickets here 👉 https://weston-park.com/historic-rally-festival/

Join us for a weekend of legendary drivers, night racing and two historic venues!

We are pleased to announce the Ceremonial Start Sponsor for 2023 - Questmead Ltd

The company was started in 1993 by Alan Brown as a one man business selling just Mintex Competition products. With continued growth, Alan now has a team of experienced sales staff providing first class technical support.

Questmead have an ever growing, specialised product range directly supplied from well-known and established manufacturers. These include AP Racing Ltd, Fuchs Lubricants (UK) Plc, Exedy Clutch Europe Ltd, Lifeline Fire & Safety Systems and PIAA.

"Questmead and it’s Directors are delighted to be supporting the Historic Rally Festival and helping in bringing the ever popular festival celebration of motorsports to the UK"

We are pleased to announce our first Stage Sponsor for 2023. 

Ex-Pressed Steel Panels specialise in the manufacture of a wide range of discontinued and unobtainable classic car panels for many makes produced from the 1950s onward.

We are pleased to announce the Service Area Sponsor for 2023 - Questmead Ltd

The company was started in 1993 by Alan Brown as a one man business selling just Mintex Competition products. With continued growth, Alan now has a team of experienced sales staff providing first class technical support.

Questmead have an ever growing, specialised product range directly supplied from well-known and established manufacturers. These include AP Racing Ltd, Fuchs Lubricants (UK) Plc, Exedy Clutch Europe Ltd, Lifeline Fire & Safety Systems and PIAA.

"Questmead and it’s Directors are delighted to be supporting the Historic Rally Festival and helping in bringing the ever popular festival celebration of motorsports to the UK"

The taster day aims to give newcomers and those unfamiliar with these disciplines the opportunity to experience volunteering opportunities associated with the events and ‘get closer to the action, safely.’

Motorsport UK’s British Rally Marshals Club (BRMC) has recently launched this new initiative aimed at attracting more rally marshals to the sport.

The taster days are a perfect opportunity for those interested in motorsport to gain insight into the different roles that marshals play in ensuring the safety and smooth-running of events.

More details of the new initiative can be found HERE

We are delighted to announce that the Ceremonial Start and Service area will be at Weston Park for the 2023 Historic Rally Festival.  With the popularity of the event growing we want spectators with day or weekend passes to have the opportunity to visit the service area in between all the stages.
 
Service will be held at the Granary at Weston Park on the hard standing car parks.  The Granary is home to a restaurant, art gallery and pizza & waffle kitchen; Weston’s Head Chef Anna Moore and her brigade make all our dishes from scratch using local and seasonal produce. Whether it’s a bacon sandwich to start the day or a classic Weston Burger for lunch – the team are looking forward to keeping everyone fuelled up for the event. 

Over 2hrs of footage from the event shot by Special Stage TV now available to buy on DVD or USB Stick

Order your copy now:

• DVD - £12.50 including postage
  
  
• USB Stick - £15.00 including postage