For 25 years now Silverstone has hosted a summer historic-racing extravaganza, built solidly around competition but with a strong car-club community focus. Like Germany's AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix that predates it having been inaugurated in 1973 - August 7-9's edition is the 43rd - the event at the "Home of British Motorsport" has metamorphosed through different titles.
It began as the Christie's Historic Festival then evolved via the British Racing Drivers' Club and Motion Works-organised showpieces before selling out to competitor Nick Wigley's Goose Communications organisation and relaunching boldly under the Silverstone Classic banner in 2010.
As with the 'Ring's showpiece, born from the shared old-car passions of collector barons Kurt von Hammerstein and Maserati buff Hubertus Graf von Doenhoff as the amorphously-titled Nurburgring Big Show, Great Britain's equivalent was originally the brainchild of two enthusiasts.