Legend Boucles à Bastogne, 2–4 February
Rally cars are meant to be driven, so why not start the new year exercising your machine at some of the best historic events in the world? Enter Legend Boucles à Bastogne. The 12th annual regularity rally, based on the Boucles de Spa Rally held between 1953 and 1990, brings over 200 historic rally racers to the Belgian town of Bastogne. Divided into two classes, Classic and Legend, Boucles is a great trial run before Rally Legend later in the year.
Luftgekühlt, 22 April
While Luftgekühlt may not necessarily be a ‘small’ event anymore, with such names as Jerry Seinfeld and Patrick Dempsey said to be in attendance, it still stays true to its humble beginnings of an annual meetup for air-cooled Porsche enthusiasts. Celebrating its fifth year, founders Patrick Long and Howie Idelson will take over Warehouse 10 of the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California, and with a start time of 7:00am PST, the Luftgekühlt dawn patrol is sure to rival any other event’s this year.
Challenge and GT Days, 9–10 May
A fabulous sounding new (and, for the moment, private) event, the Challenge and GT Days will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Ferrari Challenge racing series this year — and where better to celebrate than at the Red Bull Ring in Austria? Not just for the models that raced in the Challenge series, pre-1993 race cars, GT cars, and road-legal Ferraris are also welcome. And while the runs aren’t technically timed or raced, the competition is expected to be still pretty lively — would you expect anything less from the tifosi?
Grand Prix de Pau Historique Grand Touring, 15–21 May
In advance of the Grand Prix de Pau Historique, a select group of classic cars and their owners go on a Grand Tour from Portsmouth, England, to Pau, France. Seven days of ferry rides, chateau accommodation, picturesque drives, and delicious French cuisine — all topped off with grandstand tickets to the historic race and participation in the club parade laps. If that’s not enough, you can add a three-night extension and drive through the Pyrenees.
Modena Cento Ore, 5–9 June
One of the more exclusive modern reinterpretations of a classic race, as only 100 cars can be entered, the Modena Cento Ore — now in its 18th edition — spans five days, with 100 hours of driving from Monza to Modena. With the choice of competing in either the Competition or Regularity class, cars from the 1930s to the 1980s will tackle such famous circuits as Monza, Varano, Mugello, and Modena.
The Race of Gentlemen, 8–10 June
What if America did Goodwood? It does, and it’s called The Race of Gentlemen. If you’re into 1920s hotrods doing doughnuts in a construction site and 1930s motorcycles racing on the beaches of a town stuck in time, this event is perfect for you. And if you have some pre-War American muscle in your garage and aren’t afraid of a little grit, why not give the sand track a try?
Fullerton Concours d’Elegance, 29 June–1 July
In honour of the 90th anniversary of the Fullerton Building in Singapore, the Fullerton Hotel has decided to host its first concours d’elegance. With over 90 classic and modern supercars set to be in attendance, along with automotive designers, Leica ambassadors, artists, and musical guests, this could give the Gold Coast Motor Festival in Hong Kong a run for its money.
Bernina Gran Turismo, 21–23 September
Now in its fifth year, the Bernina Gran Turismo offers participants the unique opportunity to drive the spectacular Bernina Pass at race pace, following in the tyre tracks of those motorsport legends who tackled the famous Bernina Mountain Race Hillclimb in the 1920s and ’30s. Seeing such classics as Ford GT40s and Jaguar C- and D-types at maximum attack on the pass’s technical bends — particularly when the weather’s so unpredictable — is sure to be a sight to behold.
Rallylegend, 11–14 October
To the rally racers out there, Rallylegend is no small show — it’s probably one of the biggest events on your calendar. But as the rest of us are just now entering the wonderful world of historic rallying, this is one of our most highly anticipated events. Four days of high-speed sidewinders slipping around San Marino? Yes, please.
Journées d’Automne, October
While this will be the 16th year of this one-of-a-kind automotive gathering, the event has kept relatively under the radar. With no website or advertising, aside from an Instagram account and a Facebook page, information is difficult to come by. So, if this inclusive, relaxed French meetup full of barbeque lunches and informal get-togethers at chateaus, scenic drives, and even track days is of interest, you may want to reach out on social media now.
Photos: Mathieu Bonnevie / Johannes Huwe / Rémi Dargegen / Alex Lawrence / Various events
