Castle Combe Autumn Classic 2023

This year’s Autumn Classic historic race meeting – set to be held at Wiltshire’s Castle Combe Circuit on Saturday, 23 September – will commemorate the 75th anniversary of Lotus cars with an array of displays and presentations.

It was in 1948 when Colin Chapman founded the iconic British marque, sticking closely to his unique mantra of “simplify, then add lightness” to successfully capture the hearts of automotive and motorsport fans in the decades to come.

The news comes following the unveiling of the bespoke 2023 artwork for the much-loved Autumn Classic event – once again commissioned by automotive artist Brian James and this time depicting a 1967 Lotus 49 Formula 1 race car against a backdrop of Castle Combe Circuit in the late 1960s. On three occasions, the first thirty years ago in 1993, the Lotus 49 raced in 1967 by Graham Hill (who in 1955 had competed at Castle Combe at one of his first ever races) has performed a number of display laps at the Wiltshire circuit.

Full details on the vehicles that will make up the special display area in the paddocks are yet to be finalised, but this feature will be flanked with a sea of Lotus road cars in the club display areas, thanks to various dedicated Lotus car club stands.

As with all Autumn Classic events, visitors can also expect a full-day’s historic racing out on the 1.85-mile circuit, as well as countless other related attractions around the scenic venue.