Motorsport UK was an integral part of Race Retro last weekend (20-22 February) as competitors, volunteers, officials and fans filled the halls of Stoneleigh Park looking ahead to the 2026 motorsport season.
Given the event’s name there was much to entertain fans of historic competition cars, with many exhibitors electing to showcase some of their most coveted vehicles. Hall 3 contained much evocative machinery, including three Ford GT40s in liveries to match the iconic 1-2-3 photo finish at Le Mans – 60 years ago this year – as depicted in the Hollywood blockbuster Le Mans 66. While not the original cars, they complemented a display that also featured Formula 1 cars from McLaren and Jaguar, plus many classic rally contenders covering the discipline’s golden eras including the ever-popular Group B stage warriors.
The event included a live auction of many legendary cars and there were star appearances from motorsport personalities on the stage, too. These included reigning BTCC champion Tom Ingram, commentator Alex Brundle and Hollie McRae, the daughter of 1995 WRC champion Colin, following her competitive driving debut at last year’s Roger Albert Clark Rally.
Motorsport UK had a strong presence at the show, with stands in Halls 2 and 3, helping everyone from novices to seasoned competitors to get ready for the new season. On display were the StreetCar Disabled Driver Scholarship Toyota Yaris, a junior drag car provided by Santa Pod Raceway and the CIK-FIA Kart raced by reigning World FIA Junior Champion and Ferrari Driver Academy racer, Noah Baglin. Competitors, officials and volunteers were able to renew their licences and ask questions from sporting regulations to technical queries. Competitors were also able to get a medical on site with a team taking ad-hoc bookings on the day.
Over 160 licences were renewed across the weekend, including clubman and marshal permits. In addition, many member queries were answered, with the more complex questions scheduled to be followed-up by Motorsport UK experts after the show, trialling a new ticket system aimed at streamlining responses.
Many visitors also took heed of our Get it out the Garage campaign and left armed with valuable advice on how to campaign cars that may otherwise spend another year under covers.
We were also excited to host board member Karun Chandhok on Friday, who recorded a short video encouraging people to enjoy motorsport during his visit to the show – click here to watch in case you missed it.
Whether or not you attended the show, Motorsport UK is here to get your 2026 season underway as many sporting venues open their doors this spring. Head here to find out how to get your season started, or contact our Member Services team for support in renewing your licence either by emailing memberservices@motorsportuk.org or calling us on 01753 765050.