October has arrived but there’s still time before parking your cars in the garage for hibernation. On the contrary, the month ahead has several interesting events in store for Gentlemen Drivers from all over Europe... and even beyond! Here’s what we wrote down on our agenda.
Malta Classic • October 5-8 • Mdina, M
The Malta Classic has its origins in October 2007, when French entrepreneur and classic car enthusiast Thierry Giovannini organized Malta’s first ever Classic Car Grand Prix on the ring road of Valletta. In 2011 the Malta Classic was transferred to its current home in Mdina, where it celebrates vintage style and speed against a historic backdrop.
Today the Malta Classic is a four-day event comprising three different events: the Malta Classic Hill Climb, the Malta Classic Concours d’Elegance and the Malta Classic Grand Prix. This year’s edition will host some special guests including a Ford GT40, a 1959 Cooper Monaco T49, a 1989 M3 Cecotto (1 of just 505 ever produced), a 1966 Aston Martin BD6 Roadster, a 1971 Surtees TS11 and the UK’s Titan Historic Racing Team.
Mitteleuropean Race • October 13-15 • Trieste, I
A two-day trip between the lavish Habsburgic palaces of Trieste and the spectacle of the karst scenery, discovering the Collio Goriziano, a tourist destination for connoisseurs of good wine, good oil and good food, recently included among the 10 must see destinations of the world.
City of Trieste will be cornerstone of the event, offering to citizens, tourists, collectors and enthusiasts the possibility to appreciate historic cars of the competitors in its magnificent old town center, like being in a huge paddock area. Nevertheless, the route of the two-days trip will be varied and itinerant, taking international crews from the green of the Carnic Alps in the background to the intense blue of the sea, up to the picturesque seaside villages of Slovenia.
La Festa Mille Miglia • October 14-17 • Harajuku, J
“La Festa Mille Miglia” was held for the first time in Japan in 1997: a classic car festival modeled after the famous Mille Miglia and created in cooperation with the organizers of the original Italian event. This year, to celebrate its 20th anniversary and the 70th of the first ever Mille Miglia, the event has been conceived under three key messages: “treasuring of antiques”, “remaining youthful at heart” and the “expansion of a feeling of friendship among participants”.
“La Festa Mille Miglia” is the only event of this kind in Asia and Princess Akiko from Mikasa is the honorary president of the first Asian event recognized by the International Federation of Ancient Vehicles (FIVA). So, be ready for more than 1,200 kilometers of races in four days of fire!
Estoril Classic • October 21-22 • Cascais, P
On October 21 and 22, the Estoril Classic will mark the return of Formula 1 to the Estoril Circuit. The lovely city of Cascais is ready to host an event full of heritage and glamor that will gather legendary drivers in the history of world motorsport and iconic models that you can usually see at festivals such as Le Mans Classic, Monaco Historique, Silverstone and Goodwood.
The Estoril Classic will be divided into five competitions: the FIA Masters Formula One Championship, featuring Formula 1 cars from 1966 to 1985; the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship, featuring Le Mans-style sports cars and Group 4 cars from 1962 to 1974; the HGPCA Formula 1 Pre-1966, to relive the golden era and its great heroes; the Masters Three Hours, a 3-hour endurance competition for pre-1966 TC, GT and GTP cars; the FIA Lurani Trophy.
Photo credits: Rusty's, La Festa Mille Miglia, Estoril Classic
